Transporting Wheelchair Bound Mum to Car

[Peachu]

My Mum is in a care home and is now wheel care bound. She has dementia and had a fall last year and has not really walked since.

As we are now allowed we would like to bring her in a car to our house for a short visit.

The care home think getting her into a car will be difficult, (although it does depend on who I talk to as to how difficult it may be)

Apparently she can stand but the say "her mobility changes" so it is a bit hit and miss.

Do any of you know how hard and what equipment, skills etc we would need to be able to transport her or am I asking the impossible?

Meant to add. If she hasn't been out for while be prepared for her to find it distressing. We had great plans for taking my dad out when he had settled into his home and he got very upset when we tried to take him into the care home garden.

Yes it is a change of scene but also to just be more homely if that is possible.

We have walked around the local area pushing her in her chair. It is not a great area to walk around tbh. Very rural roads and pretty hilly. We have made it to one park area which worked out okish. It was a bit off roady for her though.

Does your council offer safe handling courses? If your mum is shorter than you and doesn't suffer from any spasticity or rigour nor have any equipment "attached" (oxygen, stoma) its actually pretty easy for an adult in good health to move a shorter adult small distances, such as chair to toilet, if you know how best to do it. Weight makes less difference than height unless shes significantly heavier than you. If you have back or hip problems already or she's tall or heavy you'd need equipment to help though.

Chair to car depends on the car as others say. I second (more like fifth) the wheelchair accessible taxi though - better for everyone.

She has loved being taken out. She has always been an adventurous person and she still seems to have this feeling.

I was worried about going out with the wheelchair as they were pretty rough but she was loving it and wanted to go faster and explore way further than we did. However we are aware that this can change hourly.

I would go with the taxi and not even attempt a car transfer. You sound like a nice daughter

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Does your council offer safe handling courses? If your mum is shorter than you and doesn't suffer from any spasticity or rigour nor have any equipment "attached" (oxygen, stoma) its actually pretty easy for an adult in good health to move a shorter adult small distances, such as chair to toilet, if you know how best to do it. Weight makes less difference than height unless shes significantly heavier than you. If you have back or hip problems already or she's tall or heavy you'd need equipment to help though.

Chair to car depends on the car as others say. I second (more like fifth) the wheelchair accessible taxi though - better for everyone.

Ohh thank you. I dont know but I will go and research it now. She is tiny now, pretty frail and has lost a lot of height so yes smaller than me. With no attachments as yet.

My DH is 6ft and strong so for him I would think easy to carry her but not sure how safe but the training would be a great idea.

I agree with saraclara that with severe dementia she may not be able to carry out the movements necessary to get into the car because her brain can’t process them. Even sitting down on a chair can become a challenge.

But also agree the wheelchair taxi seems a safer option.

If the taxi isn’t allowed, you can also rent vehicles that take wheel chairs, but it might be prohibitively expensive just for an afternoon trip. We did it once for a weekend away and it wasn’t so much more than a regular car.

@GolfEchoRomeoTangoIndia

I agree with saraclara that with severe dementia she may not be able to carry out the movements necessary to get into the car because her brain can’t process them. Even sitting down on a chair can become a challenge.

Yes this is a concern. On each weekly visit I notice more and more how the dementia is affecting her physically. She now is constantly fiddling with her hands and if her foot goes of the wheelchair support she is unable to move it back on again.

I could have written your post. My Mum's care home have also said no to wheelchair taxi and my own home isn't wheelchair friendly, although we could access the garden easily. Similarly, the local area near the care home is boring for a walk but there is a local pub with garden we can sit in!

I did have to take my Mum for her second vaccine in my car (she moved care home after first vaccine and couldn't have the second in the new home as she'd missed it). It was an absolute nightmare getting her back in the car after her vaccine, I think she was more tired. I did it eventually with the help of a volunteer at the vaccine centre (social distancing out the window).

I think I'll wait until wheelchair taxi allowed before trying to take her to my home! Hope you have success!

Something l didn't know about wheelchairs when l bought one was 'crash tested " wheelchairs. The one l bought meant relative had to transfer from wheelchair onto the seat when using hospital transport vehicles. I later bought an identical one that had been crash tested so he could remain in it in the vehicle. The only difference was how the footrests were attached. Some sites selling wheelchairs sometimes put this on, l have since noticed.

I don't suppose taxi drivers bother about it??

Thanks to everyone for very helpful suggestions.

I would think hard before bringing her home as it might confuse her. My mum was in a nursing home in our village and we could have pushed her home if we'd wanted to, but didn't think it a good idea. Confusion, transferring to a chair, toileting. We used to take her out for a push instead. They were hoisting her to get her in the chair, with osteoporosis it was an accident waiting to happen. She had hospital transport for medical appointments and of course the GP went to the nursing home.

What sort of distance is it? As far as trips out near the home, you can get electric add ons for chairs now to help with hills

If you can't get her in and out of the car how would you get her on and off the loo?

I would consider starting with a quick cuppa in the garden (no inside access/ loo needed) then go from there x

Yes we had hope to do a quick garden visit, she can see the dogs (that see loves) and admire our garden (or not!).

Re loo being easier than the car as there will be more space for the wheelchair and the no issues with head room in getting her on the loo. Also two of us will be able to help on the loo but that will be harder in the car (I imagine)

Thank you all so much for your comments and thoughts you have highlighted issues I have not thought of and given me lots to think about and research.

Oh yes our Council does give free handling lessons but stopped at the moment due to Covid.....

I wouldn’t be put off trying peachu, if she finds it distressing all through this go maybe reconsider but give it a go first

My husband uses a wheelchair, and it's best if you have a wheelchair that has an arm that opens, we use a transfer board, you could ask if they have any. And you basically slide the person from wheelchair to car. Check out wheelchair transfer on YouTube. It's doable with the smaller cars. Then you good the wheelchair and put in the trunk.

Make sure they send a change of clothes. They may say she’s regular, but that doesn’t mean she won’t want the toilet, or that she will let you know when her pad is full

@MereDintofPandiculation

Make sure they send a change of clothes. They may say she’s regular, but that doesn’t mean she won’t want the toilet, or that she will let you know when her pad is full

Yes, and it is very important to realise that she might have an accident en route, either to your house or on the way back. When I transported my grandfather, I always put a waterproof mat underneath him. Was very difficult to get him into the car seat and make sure the mat was still in place underneath him.

Although if your grandmother is transported in her own wheelchair then that is less of an issue.