Positive experience on trains!

[gremlindolphin]

Just had to share that we took my mum in her wheelchair on a train for the first time! It was so easy!

We went to the theatre in London and I worried about it, but I pre-booked help with Southeastern Trains and they dutifully turned up with ramps at our station, phoned ahead so someone met us at Waterloo and the same on the way back. They were lovely! I know they should be but I was just pleasantly surprised that the system worked so well.

thats great grem, thanks for passing that on, sure it;ll help one of us with the oldies!

BTW I find pushing my mum in a wheelchair hurts my back, have you any tips?

No tips re pushing I'm afraid!

I am grateful that I am quite fit and strong as wheelchairs are heavy to push and handle into the car etc.

I once pushed Mum up the hill at Scotney Castle in Kent and thought I was going to have a heart attack!

She does have an electric wheelchair for use in her nursing home and is amazing at using it but doesn't use it most of the time.

my mum refuses to use the electric ones

I could take her out a bit more but pushing her along kills my back so I dont do it unless its at the shops where its all flat

You can also book a meet and help with changes service for elderly people - my Aunt used it recently, and it took a lot of the anxiety out of a long train journey (for her and her children!).

It is amazing how much help there is out there if you are organised and ask ahead.

I chased the wheelchair people for 9 months to get Mum assessed for her electric wheelchair - she is amazing at using it, the instructor said she was the most natural person she had ever seen with it, she has had 5, hour long lessons, I have been with her practising countless times and my children have built her obstacle courses to navigate all of which she does brilliantly.

The problem is that she can't see the point of it. My view is that it would give her a tiny bit of independence to leave the dining room when she wants to, go get her post from the office or just decide to be not in her room without having to get someone to push her. I have said to her that I won't keep on reminding her to use it (I have been nagging up until now thinking that once she gets used to it she will want to use it) and I don't think she has used it for about 2 weeks.

I guess it will have to go back which makes me sad but it is really up to her isn't it, I can't force her.

Regarding tips for pushing wheelchairs ,you may know this already but I was amazed by how much easier it is to go up a curb if you press down with your foot on the little horizontal bar just above each back wheel .

gremlin don't give up yet ,the wheelchair sounds fab and you're so right about it giving her independence .
Talk to the staff ( as senior as possible if necessary ) will they encourage your mum to use it ?
They'll need to help with charging it won't they ?
And can she transfer ok in and out of it ?
Will opening doors be ok ?
Let us know how it goes .