Lonely Gran

[CountryLifeMummy]

My Gran is lonely and I don't know how to help. She can't get out without someone to drive her but doesn't feel confident to get a taxi so it has to be me. I'm happy to take her out but I have my own commitments and can only make it twice a week. I feel guilty about this but it is what it is unfortunately. During school holidays I can manage 3 days. The difficulty is that she wants to go out and about. She doesn't like people to come to her flat to have a cup of tea as she thinks that's boring. I feel so sad as lonelyness is awful but I just don't know how to help. Thank you

Do you think it would increase her taxi confidence if you did it with her a couple of times?

Why won't she use a taxi? If it's lack of trust then some firms have a text system that sends you the reg and driver name!! If she had a regular driver maybe that would work? My fiends nanna got to know her regular driver years ago and they shared picnics on the long journeys from up north to down here!! He was a major factor in her independence!!

My Nan had a bad experience with a cab service but she needed one to use for hospital appointments etc. I rang the local Age Concern advice centre and a few of the workers all suggested a firm they used. My Nan was very happy with them when used. Might be worth a go?

Thank you for your replies. It's the problem of getting around once the taxi drops her off which is worrying her. Her mobility is very bad and finds it hard to walk unless she is pushing a trolley around the supermarket or holding onto someone's arm. She also says that there's no point in a taxi taking her somewhere for lunch as there's still no one to talk to once she gets there.

Contact age uk who may have lunch clubs etc near her and often provide transport. Or churches?
You are doing do much for her! It is really worth getting some help in of some sort as the older the get the harder it is for them to accept it.

She sounds like my mother who has always had a busy social life and misses it when she can't go out.
My mother (when well enough) uses Age UK who do a mini bus service to the supermarket. The driver helps them collect a trolley and then helps load shopping onto the bus at the end and he carries it into the house for her.
She also goes to every pensioner's lunch / coffee morning /knitting club that she can find. Sometimes by taxi but often there is someone else who will do lifts. When she was fit and mobile she was always picking up elderly folk to take to church .
Churches are a very good source of social life, most welcome all comers. My DM is CofE but is also a regular at the Baptist church. In fact they sent a pastor round to see her last week when she had missed two weeks coffee mornings.