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Hi. Not sure if I mentioned that I will probably never again use the lift. After a friend repaired it, it broke again. It would be very expensive I am sure, to get a qualified person to fix it. From now on, I will be afraid of elevators, but I know I have to go on them. But not an outside lift at home. That's finished. So we are having a ramp built. I seriously doubt if we can get outside help for that since my husband's retirement income is greater than poverty level. A couple of neighors who do good work and adhere to ADA specifications, will hopefully get started on the ramp soon.
Thanks. Oh, and yes, by the way, the Area Agency for the Aging is sending someone to evaluate the living situation. I finally called them yesterday and said that I can get Meals on Wheels. Anything helps at this point.
We have a wheelchair lift in our garage, for my father.
Obviously I don't know the situation with yours, but I do know there are models specifically made to be able to handle outside weather conditions. (Presumably even cold temperatures/ice).
We've had ours 10 years, we've had to have service / repairs on it twice. Cost a couple hundred dollars each time. We called the company that installed it and they performed the service (had to have a part flown in from Canada - our lift is manufactured by a Canadian company). For us it is necessary, as we have to have a way to get dad out of the house for appointments/emergencies.
I wouldn't trust the servicing of a lift to neighbors, unless they specialized in that kind of equipment. There are a lot of very specific circuit boards/connections, etc.. I would think it would be easy to make a mistake and connect something incorrectly.
I hope that you're able to get a ramp relatively soon. Maybe the Agency for Aging will be able to recommend some relatively inexpensive fixes to your home that will make things better for you.
You are correct that income may preclude you from getting some services, or you may have to pay the normal fee (instead of getting a reduced rate). We found the same for my father, there were really no services from the county that he qualified for, because he has an income stream. So we just do everything on our own, rather than bothering with the beauracracy.
What is the diagnosis for your back? Did the doctor prescribe home PT for you to help you regain significant mobility? Even muscle pulls/strains in your back can cause nerve pain in your legs and make walking difficult. Hopefully the medical part of this is being worked out. It does you no good to get a ramp if you can't get up and walk/wheel down it.
best of luck to you and your husband - sorry you're having such difficulties!
They did give me a paper to appeal. At that time, my husband did not want to go to nursing home for continued treatment. Soon after he came home (although he is receiving home physical therapy & occupational therapy), I fell and had a bad accident, injuring my knee and back. I cannot move or do anything. Assuming I recover, the only way out of my dilemma is to get rid of everything I can in the trailer (I love books) and hope we both recover to the point that we can drive to Florida from PA. We have a condo in Florida and it is spacious enough. BUT it is on the 4th floor and the elevator breaks down from time to time.
After that I would like to sell the condo and go into a congregant retirement place where they serve meals, etc. Part of the question is money. In the meantime, we are getting a ramp built because right now we cannot leave the trailer, since neither one of us can handle steps. We can't even make doctor's appointments. So now I know when someone complains of back pain what they may mean. This has been terrible.
I finally contacted Area Agency for the Aging, and while I doubt I will get much consideration from them, at least they promised me Meals on Wheels. Our income is over the poverty level due to my husband's retirement package, so that knocks out of the picture the assistance they might have offered us.
On the positive side, however, we do have some neighbors that will come in for a few hours to do household chores, I give them 12 an hour. It compensates for all the times we usually would eat out, since we can't go out any more. (sigh) But they are very helpful.
When the Area Agency for the Aging makes their home visit ask about all of the services that you or your husband may be qualified to receive. Yes, some programs are related to income level but other services are not. In my state caregivers (you) can receive 112 hours per year of free respite care for your loved one (in my situation the caregiver took my husband grocery shopping and/or helped him do laundry and then supervised him at home while they cleaned our apartment). I know another couple where the caregiver made a meal, helped the spouse eat and cleaned up the kitchen. This is not connected to income.
There is another program, in my state, that some handicapped individuals or seniors receive 4 to 6 hours per month of "house hold assistance" (cleaning bathrooms & floors, doing laundry, making a meal, etc). Now, not everyone qualifies for that, but it is not connected to income.
My area also has a very, very active and very well organized volunteer organization that helps seniors in need. They do everything from provide free rides to appointments (from doctor's appointments to hair dresser appointments), to providing free yardwork, to just "companion care" (visiting and talking together). While the amount of service is limited (perhaps a few hours a month) it can be very helpful.
It sounds like you are in a very tough situation. Good luck to you.
We have a wheelchair lift in our garage, for my father.
Obviously I don't know the situation with yours, but I do know there are models specifically made to be able to handle outside weather conditions. (Presumably even cold temperatures/ice).
We've had ours 10 years, we've had to have service / repairs on it twice. Cost a couple hundred dollars each time. We called the company that installed it and they performed the service (had to have a part flown in from Canada - our lift is manufactured by a Canadian company). For us it is necessary, as we have to have a way to get dad out of the house for appointments/emergencies.
I wouldn't trust the servicing of a lift to neighbors, unless they specialized in that kind of equipment. There are a lot of very specific circuit boards/connections, etc.. I would think it would be easy to make a mistake and connect something incorrectly.
I hope that you're able to get a ramp relatively soon. Maybe the Agency for Aging will be able to recommend some relatively inexpensive fixes to your home that will make things better for you.
You are correct that income may preclude you from getting some services, or you may have to pay the normal fee (instead of getting a reduced rate). We found the same for my father, there were really no services from the county that he qualified for, because he has an income stream. So we just do everything on our own, rather than bothering with the beauracracy.
What is the diagnosis for your back? Did the doctor prescribe home PT for you to help you regain significant mobility? Even muscle pulls/strains in your back can cause nerve pain in your legs and make walking difficult. Hopefully the medical part of this is being worked out. It does you no good to get a ramp if you can't get up and walk/wheel down it.
best of luck to you and your husband - sorry you're having such difficulties!
Finally the doctor prescribed home PT for me. the therapist came today for the first time. I am having a better day today, and I hope it continues. We'll see what the physical therapy brings. As soon as I can get out of the house I intend to start seeing orthopedic and back doctors so as to evaluate my situation. Some neighbors are building a ramp for us, the sooner the better. Thanks for your good words. The men doing the job are going to go by ADA specifications and they've built ramps before.
I called Area Agency for the Aging, and currently the only thing I got is Meals on Wheels, but that helps. As for the rest, I have to make an application, I think they have to visit me, not sure what qualifies but I'll find out. I am naturally glad that I am beginning to feel better. I am continuing to get rid of junk (cookbooks, etc., that I have not used) and so hopefully will prepare for an easier outcome.
Please call your local government and ask for the phone number for "services for the elderly and disabled". In many areas it is called Council on Aging and Disability (or something similar). They offer many free services and know how to find many valuable resources needed by the elderly and/or disabled. And, they will make an appointment and come directly to your home.
It may even be possible to find someone who can repair the lift or build a ramp for no or low cost.
As far as lift goes, I will never use it again. Even if it is repaired properly. So when they build me a ramp, I'm getting rid of the lift at the same time.
Have you improved at all? If you haven't this is odd and perhaps you need to go back to the ER. What is your major pain/problem now?
Do you have a walker to assist you? If not, can you order one online and have it delivered?
Do you have ANY doctor who knows you at all that you can call to assist with giving you advice or possible ordering home health? It is actually not surprising that a doctor that does not know you will not order it for you. The ER doctors should have been more helpful...... This is a reminder to us all to make sure we see our doctor regularly and have someone who knows us so we can get help in emergencies.
Are you using ice, stretching, getting into a chair as much as possible to keep yourself from getting debilitated further? You need to push yourself a little. If you stay in bed all day you will quickly get weaker and start getting muscle atrophy.
Today I am feeling a little better. I am not having so much pain when I stand up or sit down. The hospital spoke to the dr's office and they ordered physical therapy for me, so that's good. The PT was here today. Eventually I have to clear as much out as I can so when the time comes we can move without too much hardship.
Yes, it's a reminder to see the doctor more regularly than I am used to, so he gets to know me. Thanks for your suggestions.
Hi. Not sure if I mentioned that I will probably never again use the lift. After a friend repaired it, it broke again. It would be very expensive I am sure, to get a qualified person to fix it. From now on, I will be afraid of elevators, but I know I have to go on them. But not an outside lift at home. That's finished. So we are having a ramp built. I seriously doubt if we can get outside help for that since my husband's retirement income is greater than poverty level. A couple of neighors who do good work and adhere to ADA specifications, will hopefully get started on the ramp soon.
Thanks. Oh, and yes, by the way, the Area Agency for the Aging is sending someone to evaluate the living situation. I finally called them yesterday and said that I can get Meals on Wheels. Anything helps at this point.
I would check on things like that. You might be surprised. 211 and APS have found many things to do for my mother and then my brother with incomes higher than what is allowed for some things, but not all.
I would check on things like that. You might be surprised. 211 and APS have found many things to do for my mother and then my brother with incomes higher than what is allowed for some things, but not all.
Thanks. Fortunately we have some money saved. And when I tried checking, it seems the waiting list around here is months long. I hope we can get the ramp by next week, neither one of us has been outside for weeks. Tomorrow someone is coming to take information down from Community Action here. I do believe I can get meals on wheels, at least. :-) that will help when I'm hungry and can't figure what to eat and my leg hurts. :-)
I would check on things like that. You might be surprised. 211 and APS have found many things to do for my mother and then my brother with incomes higher than what is allowed for some things, but not all.
Maybe I missed it -- what is 211 and APS?
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