Diary of a benefit claimant.

You just need a bit of moral and physical support to help get your strength and confidence back. Easy to say, I know.

I've become an absolute sap!
Always moaning on about my ruddy ailments.
I'm sick of hearing myself, honestly.

Well, why not prioritise the worst ones and not mention the minors ?

I'm not going to speak about any of them anymore, I've decided. Lips. Sealed.

MissAdventure

I have been thinking about a walker type thing.
I think it would be enough if I could stop and rest every few minutes (standing, because I'd never get up if I had one with a seat)

There is also nowhere at all to put a scooter here; no garden, no shed.
Plus I really want to be able to practice walking but feel safe.
I have only fallen into my wardrobe so far, but I'm nervous of falling because I can feel I'm doddery.

It's as if I'm living a nightmare, suddenly.

I'm having trouble coming to terms with it, really.

Would a walking stick help?

The hospital gave me one.

A huge wooden one.

A walking stick means that instead of you being supported on two legs that you are effectively using a hand as a third leg.

If you ask, the hospital physiotherapist might give you a walking stick free.

I suggest getting a thick sturdy one if you can, not some skinny song and dance man one.

I mean the stick is skinny, not the .... oh!

I seem to remember that there are walking sticks with a tripod at the base, so it will stand up on its own.

You could have a walker thing as well.

I am no expert on these but I think that they come in two types, a fixed frame, no wheels, that the user plonks forward, then walks forward, then repeat et cetera et cetera.

Ones with four wheels on.. I don't know what the fittings are called, but the wheels are each of a free rotating column.

Those without wheels tend to be lighter. Often used indoors for shorter distances but could be used outdoors too.

You are not limited to having one type, you could use whichever is best for any particular task.

Thee are at least two possibilities.

One is that the hospital or occupational health woud provide you with one or more of them.

The other is that it might be worth asking if there is a grant to provide you with the money to buy them.

Just mentioning, for some things at least one company offers what they call a white glove service. This is that if you are buying something which is "oh assemble this yourself at home oh oh oh" (akin to "just pop in" ) the white glove service is that someone delivers it and assembles it for you in a room of your choice.

Always remember please, if you don't ask then they might not know your need.

StarDreamer - well said ! If you don't ask you don't get.

Lol at your skinny song and dance man thingy !

Baggytrazzas wrote StarDreamer - well said !

Thank you.

> If you don't ask you don't get.

Quite possibly quite often, but not necessarily.

I had not thought of having a walking stick. The hospital physiotherapist asked me if I would like a walking stick and I said "Yes please.".

I'm not his favourite person because i have kept telling him i don't feel well for the last two years.

I'm a bit afraid of him now. I can just sense his eyes rolling and hear the gentle sighs...

It sounds like he needs a quick talking-to, along the lines of you having genuine illness which makes life difficult, you are not making it up, and it's time he did his job and took you seriously.

Whether you say that or not, would it help if you write what you want to say then read it out or give it to him to read?

MissAdventure wrote I'm not his favourite person because i have kept telling him i don't feel well for the last two years.

While your appointment is taking place it is his job for you to be his favourite person.

Baggytrazzas

Hi, you could phone the surgery and ask for an appointment with the nurse, and ask him/ her about your mobility issues and potential aids. She might still need to refer you to gp but you'd be more confident if you met him knowing what was more feasible.

Ah, AND well worth bold capitals, if a nurse has referred you to the doctor then the doctor might well take the matter much more seriously. A row with a patient is something a doctor may go "oh oh oh she's ..." about. A row with a nurse would be a very different matter and something a doctor may well wish to avoid.

I'll try to remember that.

Usual start off about me not being a clinican and this is not medical advice. This is just something from my experience. It may or may not be suitable for you. Yet I will post it here then if you wish you can ask your medical advisors about it.

In physiotherapy rooms - they call them the gym sometimes - but it is not like an everyday gym - they sometimes have a bicycling machine.

This has no wheels but it has pedals, but the patient sits in an ordinary chair in front of it as it has no seat. It is powered by mains electricity.

The usual use is to set it at some amount of resustance, level, up hill, down hill, I don't know the details. The idea is that the patient pedals against the resistance and it strengthens muscles.

HOWEVER, they can have it as zero resistance and it just gently pedals with the patient making no effort at all. The patient's feet strapped to the pedals with velcro.

I had a couple of half-hour sessions on it, it was great and I found it really helpful.

There is a low voltage safety system where the a wire goes to a belt that the patient wears and back, with a pin and inline socket half way along, so if the patient pulls it then the plug comes out of the inline socket, the circuit is broken and the machine stops.

The bit that jumped out at me there was the "no effort" part.
That's my kind of therapy!

The safest and best way to find the right mobility aid for you MissA would be to have an occupational therapy assessment. It’s part of the bread and butter of their role. It can be organised via your GP, but if it’s easier for you to do so, ask the practice nurse to suggest it to your GP. It’s better to be assessed, which an OT will do in your home and outside, than to choose an aid because you think it’s right for you as it might not be. The OT can also arrange for you to have a falls assessment done, which will result in some specific advice/classes/exercise or whatever you need to maintain or improve your walking. It’s really helpful if for example you have muscle wastage because you’ve been immobile for a while.

Thanks, casdon.
I'm sure that is part of the problem; the less I do, the less I can do.

Yes, I had training over falls, including supervised practice.

Basically crawl to somehere like the bottom of the stairs or your bed, then try to get onto it rather than trying to stand up where the fall took place.

Should have said - I’m not an OT, but I worked closely with them for a long time, so I know how they work. They can also help if you need home adaptations like an accessible shower, handrails to get upstairs, special cutlery due to issues with your grip, or whatever.

StarDreamer

Yes, I had training over falls, including supervised practice.

Basically crawl to somehere like the bottom of the stairs or your bed, then try to get onto it rather than trying to stand up where the fall took place.

I have had to do this for years if someone isn't around to help me get up.

I have moving and handling training, so I am aware of what to do, luckily.

I have been told I will get a raised toilet seat, and a guard for my bed.

It just hasn't come to fruition, yet.

MissA have you contacted a charity which deals with your illness . Charities which deal with a particular illness are a mind of information. Like I said in a earlier post the falls unit is attached to your council. If you phone them they will put you through to the department. If you have trouble getting off the toilet they will either put a frame round it or a handrail on your wall. Make sure it's at an angle so you can pull up . They can also authorise a stair lift. Handles outside your property etc. The community nurse can give you the walker with a seat. It has wheels with brakes and shopping bag . They can also give you a pressure cushion for your armchair and anything else you can think of. For my mom I got a pressure mattress for her bed and blow up boots to protect her heels from sores . Occupational therapy gave her some things as well. I had some things off them when my symptoms got worse years ago.

Falls unit helped my mom get attendance allowance.

I know I get sick of my body not doing what I want. This heat is making my balance worse and dropping more things . Not doing my memory any favours either. But talking to others with HPX it's happening to others so I a normal not weird like I thought.

Remember to keep hydrated everyone as that can make you feel worse. Also a bit of salt especially if like me you sweat . It's my face it drips with it. Heat ,illness and menopause don't mix plus hot flushes. ???

I am having a smoke alarm fitted.
Presumably so I'll have the reassurance of knowing I'm about to burn to a crisp because I can't get off my chair.
It's nice to be prepared.

This is an interesting website.

The text has a bit of a "Does he take sugar?" about it as it has

> If your loved one is starting to need a little more support while walking or moving around, ...

Nevertheless, not trying to persuade you to buy anything, I am thinking that you might like to have a look at this link as it shows a wide range of things that are available.

LINK > www.healthcarepro.co.uk/mobility-aids

I have bought things, mostly grabbers, from them.

Thank you.

I shall certainly have a look.
No point burying my head in the sand, is there?

Note that anyone with a disability buying aids does not have to pay VAT. The retailer should inform you, no paperwork needed.

quote

Individuals who are chronically ill or have certain type of disability can claim VAT relief on those products which qualify for VAT relief.

The VAT relief only covers items intended for domestic or personal use. A person is "chronically ill or disabled" if they:

*have a condition which the medical profession treats as a chronic sickness

* have a physical or mental impairment that has a long-term and substantially adverse effect on their ability to carry out day to day activities

* are terminally ill

It does not include a frail elderly person who is otherwise able-bodied or any person who is only temporarily disabled or incapacitated, such as with a broken limb

Please note that by claiming VAT relief you are declaring yourself or the person you are buying for as eligible. You should only claim VAT relief if you are eligible.

If you are in any doubt as to your status please check with your local HMRC VAT office who will be able to confirm your eligibility.

end quote

So it is worth looking at as it might apply to someone.

I got that text by adding an item for which it applied to the basket then clicking on a link about eligibility.