Mobility

[Foxone80]

My wife is 77 cannot walk l have 2 ceiling hoist to move her from downstairs bed to rise and recline chair she has not been out only in wheel chair with taxi to hospital.for 2 years I would like to take her out and have a bit of independence as we can't go any where other than to the hospital in a taxi with wheel chair ramps and lifts, could you please advice me on how I would go about maybe getting some sort of suitable mobility vehicle yours sincerely Mr John fox

[maggi999]

Hello, I hope it's alright to call you John.

Unfortunately John, as your wife is over 65, she will not be able to apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which has replaced disabled Living Allowance (DLA), this is the process normally followed to obtain a mobility funded vehicle. The DSS considers that elderly people will naturally develop mobility problems and so do not make the same provision as for those who are disabled as younger people.

Due to the fact that your wife already has hoists and a rise and recline chair, can I presume you have a social worker from you local council Adults Services?

If so, maybe they can advise and assess your wife for any further mobility aids such as a mobility scooter or electrically propelled wheelchair to help her get around.

I expect your wife is entitled to a free bus pass? As she is clearly unable to make use of this, she can exchange this via your local council for 'taxi vouchers'. Basically, you complete a form and hand in her bus pass, in exchange for vouchers that give you a quantity of 'half price' taxi journeys. It won't be an unlimited supply but it helps with some of the cost of taxi fares. there will also be some sort of 'Ring and Ride' system in your area to provide a minibus travel service for mobility impaired passengers and their carers.

Are you claiming Attendance Allowance for the time you take providing care to your wife? Again, your social worker should advise you about this. AA gives your wife around £220 every four weeks to pay for those services that make life easier - transport, having the garden done, paying someone to do the shopping etc, so that you and your wife can use your available energy to get some quality of life.

If you don't have a social worker, your must contact you local council Adult Services to get some help.

Best wishes John, hope you manage to get some more help

[swallace in reply to maggi999]

THANK YOU Maggie 999.

Good Luck John

[lharris]

Do you receive a mobility allowance? If not it may be worth looking in to. Once you receive this benefit you can look in to the motability scheme:

motability.co.uk/

where you can lease a car/scooter in exchange for your motability allowance.