The joys of bureaucracy!

Just looked up Ferret - £95 to use the software!!!!

All designed to stop you getting the help you need, Luckygirl

You just couldn’t make it up, could you?! Bureaucracy gone mad, as my late father would have said! Good luck with sorting it all out, Luckygirl! You’ll need the patience of a saint!

Lucky I can only repeat your words: unbelievable! Dealing with various authorities and companies, I'm amazed at the lack of coordination and knowledge between departments. I'm sure we didn't used to work like that!

My husband was very keen on ...Part M of the building regulations......there should be no steps to a new build front door. Not sure if that is where you need the rails but....just in case!

midgey - so glad your OH has a fascinating hobby!

In fact there is a ramp up to the front door as per regs. But there are steps up to the garage at the back.

How ruddy frustrating Luckygirl

Access to the garage should come under the same regs as the house IMHO

I have a vision of you racing a mini up and down steps as in The Italian Job!

Sorry
It's serious, not funny.

I hope you get it sorted out.

MIL was assessed in her home for some rails outdoors as her pathway had a 4 ft drop onto the main road, it took about 2 months for them to be done.

She was actually in hospital at the time, came home and there they were.

Maybe you have to wait for them to come out and check your home.

Yes - several people have joked about the garage having steps up to it and asked if it is easier to reverse up! The steps are of course at the back!

I could have chosen the house next to it (it is a new build of 8 houses), which has a downstairs garage (!) but it did not have such lovely views - being that tiny bit higher, the house I am having has lovely views.

I think this must depend on the area. When my husband developed Parkinsons, we were visited by an OT who arranged for railings to be put on the steps leading to the front door, indoor stairs and the loan of wheelchair etc, all very quickly and at no cost to us. We did pay for the main bathroom to be altered to accommodate his needs but, if we had not had the finances, that would have been paid for too. When he became more ill, we were loaned a hospital bed, and commode.

The rails were left, which was very useful when I had a knee replacement a couple of years ago. I was, at that time lent rails to go around my upstairs loo (bedrooms and main bathroom are downstairs) and a trolley to carry food and drinks from kitchen.

My husband’s assessment was arranged by our GP but, mine by the hospital. Have you contacted your GP?

I miss having lovely views.
The view from here is fine - trees and a couple of other houses but it's not what you'd call a vista.

Calli when we recently viewed a new modern retirement apartment, it had views of the back yard with the communal bins! At the moment we have sweeping views of the countryside, and it was more expensive than our semi! We are staying put!

Luckygirl when you are wheelchair bound you can become somewhat militant! Sadly he died in April....I shall carry on his war!

midgey - sorry to hear about your OH. I truly can imagine the militancy that might flow from being in a wheelchair. Often the help is out there but you have to fight for it, and wait for it, and then wait some more..........

My OH died in February, and, for the year prior to that, life was simply a long long battle with bureaucracy, during which I felt I might be losing my mind. For instance, it took weeks and weeks and much phoning and tearing out of hair to get a member of the B&B team (Bladder and Bowels) to visit re his night incontinence, as the district nurses (who were already visiting) no longer provide incontinence supplies. Eventually a lady came, on the Friday before a Bank Holiday, and gave him ONE conveen condom - one!!! - they are only used once. How many nights did she think might elapse before any more might arrive? She did not know - this had to go through the GP, who had to prescribe it, but only after she had sent them a letter confirming the need for it, and they had managed to order them in..............yawn!

Everything was fine once it got set up, but it took about 6 weeks, and a lot of bed linen washing and indignity before they materialised.

Why, oh why does it have to be so complicated!!??

This is why I am just going to buy stairlift and rails myself, as I do not have the emotional energy to enter any more battles of this nature - they are guaranteed to drive you round the bend!

Oh with you there Luckygirl, every single thing is a battle. Well done you for planning ahead!

Oh Lucky having to cope with the bureaucracy and bad management of resources as well as the worry about your DH's health. Doesn't bear thinking about!