Despite a turn for the worse last week, hockey legend Gordie Howe is showing slight improvement according to his family.

Mr. Hockey's son, Mark Howe, told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday that his father "isn't in so much pain any more."

While Gordie Howe is still isn't walking or talking, Mark said "at least he's out of bed."

The Red Wings great suffered a severe stroke on Oct. 26 at his daughter Cathy's home in Lubbock, Texas. At 86 years old, Howe deals with advanced stages of dementia.

Just last week Mark Howe told The Canadian Press that his father was "not doing well at all."

"His health has taken a turn for the worse this past week to 10 days and we are doing what we can to help his situation the best that we can," Mark said on Nov. 16. "But he is not doing well at all is the bottom line."

Gordie Howe was suffering from tremendous back pain, but his family was concerned about performing an epidural due to other medication being taken for anxiety and blood pressure.

Since then, a successful epidural has reduced some of the pain and the family said they managed to move Gordie from his bed to a chair on more than one occasion.

"A lot of work to do, but at least we got him out of bed," Mark said.

"He's eating again, so his quality of life has improved, for now. We take each day as it comes, and are just happy he isn't in so much pain any more."