Care home transport

[Missodell18]

My Mum has Alzheimers middle to last stages (I think), and probably Parkinson's on top. She seems to have lesser and lesser mobility. She was a bit better yesterday but doesn't seem to have any strength at all today. She's going to a care home on Wednesday. I'm concerned we're really going to struggle to get there. We have a wheelchair, but it's the getting in and out of the car that I'm worried about. If she can't stand or move very well, she might end up falling.

She also has a hospital appointment on Thursday which we've arranged hospital transport for with (hopefully) ambulance crew who can move her around as needed.

Does anyone know if there any sort of transport available to take someone to a care home? Has anyone experience of doing it when someone has very little mobility? This has come out of the blue unexpectedly. Up until a few days ago she could stand and manage a shuffle-walk okay. It's all stopped without warning.

(Sorry for the multiple threads, thank you for your advice and comments)

 

[GillP]

My Mum has Alzheimers middle to last stages (I think), and probably Parkinson's on top. She seems to have lesser and lesser mobility. She was a bit better yesterday but doesn't seem to have any strength at all today. She's going to a care home on Wednesday. I'm concerned we're really going to struggle to get there. We have a wheelchair, but it's the getting in and out of the car that I'm worried about. If she can't stand or move very well, she might end up falling.

She also has a hospital appointment on Thursday which we've arranged hospital transport for with (hopefully) ambulance crew who can move her around as needed.

Does anyone know if there any sort of transport available to take someone to a care home? Has anyone experience of doing it when someone has very little mobility? This has come out of the blue unexpectedly. Up until a few days ago she could stand and manage a shuffle-walk okay. It's all stopped without warning.

(Sorry for the multiple threads, thank you for your advice and comments)

Sorry to hear of your Mum’s situation.

If you are able to get her into a wheelchair you could consider using a taxi, some can transport people in wheelchairs.

Other alternative is a private ambulance but this can be expensive.

 

[Louise7]

Hello @Missodell18 in addition to the good suggestions that have already been made it might be worth speaking to the care home to let them know of your problem as they may well be able to recommend a local company who can help with the transport.

 

[Missodell18]

Thanks both for your ideas. Hoping the Care Home might be able to help. It's a home for Dementia suffers and 'non-dementia' but most if not all of the residents seem to have dementia so they will probably have come across this befire.

 

[canary]

Hello @Missodell18
I dont want to alarm you, but have you contacted the care home about your mums lost of mobility? It sounds like she will require a standing aid, or even a hoist, now and not all care homes have this equipment.

 

[Missodell18]

Hello @Missodell18
I dont want to alarm you, but have you contacted the care home about your mums lost of mobility? It sounds like she will require a standing aid, or even a hoist, now and not all care homes have this equipment.

Hi

Yes I think they're aware but will doubly check this with the manager tomorrow when she's back.

They do have the equipment as its a home specifically for dementia sufferers and I've seen them using hoists and all kinds of other things with some of the other residents. They do take non-dementia sufferers too (the website says) but I have only seen people clearly with dementia while visiting. One of the main reasons I liked it was because they had a bath specifically for people with low to no mobility too as I thought my mum would like that, she's not been able to have a bath for years (Only showers). Thank you

 

[jugglingmum]

My mum can only walk short distances on a frame and getting in and out of a car is beyond her so for her care home move last year I booked a wheelchair taxi. In theory all black cabs can take a wheelchair.

 

[nitram]

It's 10 years ago so things could be different now, in my wife's case the GP booked an NHS ambulance.

 

[canary]

Hi

Yes I think they're aware but will doubly check this with the manager tomorrow when she's back.

They do have the equipment as its a home specifically for dementia sufferers and I've seen them using hoists and all kinds of other things with some of the other residents. They do take non-dementia sufferers too (the website says) but I have only seen people clearly with dementia while visiting. One of the main reasons I liked it was because they had a bath specifically for people with low to no mobility too as I thought my mum would like that, she's not been able to have a bath for years (Only showers). Thank you

Good
I just thought I would mention about the stand aids/hoists, just in case
xx

 

[Missodell18]

My mum can only walk short distances on a frame and getting in and out of a car is beyond her so for her care home move last year I booked a wheelchair taxi. In theory all black cabs can take a wheelchair.

I don't think we have black cabs here (Scarborough, North Yorks) but a wheelchair taxi might be a possibility. Thanks

 

[Missodell18]

Good
I just thought I would mention about the stand aids/hoists, just in case
xx

Please do, if you think of anything! I feel like theres tons I've never considered. Funny how you take things (like being able to get in and out of a car) for granted until one day it isn't.

 

[Missodell18]

It's 10 years ago so things could be different now, in my wife's case the GP booked an NHS ambulance.

Thanks - might be worth an enquiry if nothing else.

 

[Jessbow]

She also has a hospital appointment on Thursday which we've arranged hospital transport for with (hopefully) ambulance crew who can move her around as needed.

Have you specifically requested an ambulance? ptient transport ( around here anyway) is often a car , and wont tke any extra passengers (You!) unless specially requested

 

[Missodell18]

Have you specifically requested an ambulance? ptient transport ( around here anyway) is often a car , and wont tke any extra passengers (You!) unless specially requested

Well I told them it would be with a wheelchair and they're taking my dad as a chaperone (I'll have to follow on) and I said she can't walk or stand unsupported and they said two crew members would be there to assist. I said ambulance because that's what the letter from the hospital says but it wouldn't matter particularly if it was a car as she can sit in a chair/seat okay. It's just the transfer from wheelchair to vehicle and back again we'd need help with really. It was actually easier to arrange than I expected as the letter (just general bumph sent with the hospital appointment) laid it on thick how hospital transport wouldn't be open to everyone and only those in special circumstances, so I wasn't even sure they'd consider us needy enough!
Thank you

 

[nitram]

In my area there are minibus vehicles with tail lifts and 2 positions where a wheelchair with patient seated and belted can be secured.

 

[Missodell18]

In my area there are minibus vehicles with tail lifts and 2 positions where a wheelchair with patient seated and belted can be secured.

That's what I'm hoping they send - something like that. I'm sure I've seen them driving round our area too.

 

[Missodell18]

Just in case anyone comes across this in the future and wonders what happened, we went with a wheelchair taxi to the car home. It went quite smoothly - our only issue was a small step to get the wheelchair down to get out of the house, but even that wasn’t as much of a problem as I thought it would be. Wheelchair taxi too some of the stress out of an already very stressful situation.

Thanks all for your advice and suggestions

 

[GillP]

Just in case anyone comes across this in the future and wonders what happened, we went with a wheelchair taxi to the car home. It went quite smoothly - our only issue was a small step to get the wheelchair down to get out of the house, but even that wasn’t as much of a problem as I thought it would be. Wheelchair taxi too some of the stress out of an already very stressful situation.

Thanks all for your advice and suggestions

So glad that the journey went smoothly. Hope your Mum settles and you can relax a bit. Take care x

 

[lovitz1]

My Mum has Alzheimers middle to last stages (I think), and probably Parkinson's on top. She seems to have lesser and lesser mobility. She was a bit better yesterday but doesn't seem to have any strength at all today. She's going to a care home on Wednesday. I'm concerned we're really going to struggle to get there. We have a wheelchair, but it's the getting in and out of the car that I'm worried about. If she can't stand or move very well, she might end up falling.

She also has a hospital appointment on Thursday which we've arranged hospital transport for with (hopefully) ambulance crew who can move her around as needed.

Does anyone know if there any sort of transport available to take someone to a care home? Has anyone experience of doing it when someone has very little mobility? This has come out of the blue unexpectedly. Up until a few days ago she could stand and manage a shuffle-walk okay. It's all stopped without warning.

(Sorry for the multiple threads, thank you for your advice and comments)

I would wheel her to car and help her in once at car home they will help you

 

[CaringDaughterinlaw]

There’s a company called ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ that will probably be able to help. It’s a franchise that specialises in helping people with disabilities to get out and about, and their vehicles are specially adapted so they can take wheelchairs if needed. My 93 year old mother-in-law uses them regularly and they are very helpful about getting her to heath appointments etc. She has multiple physical disabilities as well as the Alzheimers and her regular driver is incredibly helpful. They have a marvellous raport and she has a wonderful time with him. I can’t praise him highly enough.