My mother is 90 and now living alone (my father died in December), she had a Ewing's sarcoma over 50 years ago, because of which she is a full leg amputee. For many years an artificial leg gave her the mobility she needed, however she is partially reliant on a wheelchair now. She lives in a Victorian house, with a front step onto the path, and is not now able to leave the house independently, which impacts her mental health. I have tried to get an occupational assessment, as she is now living alone, but wonder if anyone knows of a wheelchair that can be independently user operated, outside, to go down 2 steps?
Thanks and best regards to you all!
Hi Whims and Wishes I see it’s your first post so a warm welcome to the Macmillan Community but I am so sorry to hear about your mother.
I have no experience in this but let’s see if there are any Community members who have.
As for the practical and emotional challenges of supporting your mother and indeed yourself you may benefit from joining and posting in our general cancer……
……. support group where you will connect with a wide range of members navigating the exact same support challenges.
As always the Macmillan Support Line is open between 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00…… this service provides practical information, emotional support, benefits and financial guidance or just a listening ear.
I’m sorry to read about your mum’s difficulties-I’m a wheelchair user myself, and live in a Victorian terraced house which means I am confined to the house unless I have someone who can help me by getting my wheelchair out of the house, so I can empathise with the effect being housebound has on mental health.
You mentioned occupational health, so I wondered if an assessment was being done following contact with the local council? I’ve had this done myself by ringing up social services, which enabled me to get a number of aids at no cost to help me within my home. The therapists should know what might be best in your mum’s situation, and I had a lot of help from them.
I use a power assisted wheelchair, so I control it myself, and am independent while in it, but it cannot go up or down steps. However, I’m aware there are wheelchairs which can do this. I’m not able to recommend a particular one as I can only share my experience of the chair I use myself.
I wonder if a ramp might also be suitable in your mums circumstances? There are many different types available, and I am planning to buy one to enable me to get into my garden this summer as I cannot get over the threshold in my chair, or up/down the step in my garden.
I hope you can get some help with this, as it’s hard for your mum losing her independence and being stuck inside.
Sarah xx
That’s definitely a good idea to try again, given things have changed with the loss of your dad. I’m very sorry to read that, and it must be so difficult for both you and your mum.
I’m a lot younger at almost 64, but losing my ability to leave the house is incredibly difficult-even though I’m married, I’m alone a lot of the time while my partner is working and it’s very isolating, as I’ve got no other support.
I have a very light carbon framed chair but it’s still not possible for me to lift it on my own to set it up (it folds) so I’m not sure how your mum would manage with one of the chairs which are designed to cope with a step. I did research quite a lot of wheelchairs before settling on the one I have now, and chose it particularly for its weight. It’s half the weight of the one I had before and still an issue getting it set up-my partner does it, so I can only get out if they are here.
I’m hoping I will be able to manage with a ramp-especially with the better weather, and my partner can set up the chair for me before going to work.
Keep looking at chairs (check the weight of each one in particular) so that you have some ideas ready for when the assessment is carried out, and I wish you the very best of luck in getting something sorted out. Your mum sounds like an amazing lady, and I wish her all the best too.
Sarah xx
