Chatty Cafes

My friend is one of the 'chatty crew' and loves doing it. She gets out of the house and just likes people, so it suit's her. Also gets to know new people that visit the café.

there is a local park with a chatty bench and a cafe which asks for volunteers to get people to speak to each other. I now live in Wiltshire - so as expected neither are well used. When I lived in the midlands I've met lots of people and made friends using the bus but not on the train

Hi Celieanne86, that is very sad. If you ring your Adult social services and ask for an assessment, they may be able to arrange a slope or rails outside your front door so you can get out and about. There are taxi services which are happy to ferry disabled people and their wheelchairs out and about or local community buses that stop outside your door Also, do you have a local Day Center, maybe ring them and arrange to go once or twice a week, some Day Centers can arrange transport. (May try a bit of wheelchair yoga) Unfortunately, you have to be proactive as these services don't know about you. Don't worry about being fearful of them, they aren't going to put you in a home or take over.. They are there to help and try to prevent more falls and hospital admissions.

Do you have a community taxi or bus service in your area, celieanne86?

You may be able to find a way to go, even if if meant buying a portable ramp.

Celieanne86 - my late DH had lots of aids from the local Adult Services. We had a stone flag installed on the outside of the back door threshhold because he had fallen over this a few times. Could you have a ramp fitted? The Adult Services lady was very helpful and generous, suggesting aids we'd never heard of. She said they want to keep people in their own homes for as long as possible. There was no charge for anything. My Catholic church has a Society of St Vincent de Paul. The members visit people in their homes or in hospital when requested, organise an annual lunch and an annual coach trip (all free). They will visit anyone who requests a visit, regardless of religious faith or non at all. There is no religious pressure whatsoever, they are simply happy to help. The SVP has a national website outlining what they do. I do hope you find some help to make life easier. [flowers}

Sorry, not sure where my flowers are. Maybe the florist is closed!

Thank you Grandmama for your suggestions. How ironical that you would suggest SVP help as 40 years ago thst is exactly what I was involved in. Visiting people in their homes, giving lifts whenever needed and taking parcels and monetary gifts out st Christmas. Sadly our Catholic Church is closed now and the wonderful community spirit has gone. I have a good social worker who has helped with certain aids but she seems to have gone very quiet at the moment, I think I will give her a call and tell her I’ve been on gransnet as she was the person who told me about it 😊