Anyone With Older Parents?

[MADCAT]

Hey all,

I went to the royal show on Friday, as I left my partner was driving us home, my mum called me... She usually never calls me unless something is wrong (I'm mums carer)

Mum called me saying that dad had been complaining about his leg hurting more than usual, his knee kept popping out, pins and needles, numbness etc.. But Friday, he couldn't walk at all, he had to physically lift his left leg and walk by lifting his leg as from the knee down he felt nothing... He went to the hospital and within 2 minutes they rushed to surgery because his foot was completely cold and had no blood circulation from the knee down...

After 3-4 hours of surgery and me balling my eyes out having the worst panic attack I got driven to my parents house... We got told he was going to lose his foot, or his leg... or his life. They had to move some veins and do some great re-work so everything so far is going as good as it can get!

As I got to my mum and dads house, I heard mum say "he's kept his foot!!" we all cried and hugged but we are all heart broken but trying to stay strong for my dad.

He's kept his leg but there is a long long road to recovery ahead...

My question to everyone here ( I won't post in any section other than the Stagea thread for my own reasons...)

Is does anyone with older parents have any spare walkers, canes, gophers for free or cheap or even decently priced...

he is possibly coming home tomorrow so we are moving the bed into the lounge room to help him recover and pretty much moving the whole house to adjust to his new lifestyle... (I live 15-20 minutes from them) Having a stagea and being mums carer already it wont be hard to help my dad get around and get him to his physio etc once he recovers... But needed NOW is a walker... I will be googling, ebaying, gumtree'ing etc... But I was just hoping someone else had something available ASAP.

I'm not asking for hand outs, It's just hard to afford these things on a pension aswell as both my parents on a pension. I've now started work as of the 20th to help buy all the things dad needs, rails for shower, etc etc.

So if you know of anyone with a Walker, Cane, Gopher or ANYTHING to help mobility that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

Kind Regards,

Josie.

p.s, sorry if I get in trouble for posting here, but Some members don't like me posting in "other" sections of the forums so I stick to the Stagea section.

[Daleo]

Hey Josie, sorry to hear about your dads brush with death there, sounds like he's very lucky to have a supportive family to help him.

The hospital should be able to point you in the direction of support services that may be able to help you, and a lot of pharmacies have gear available for hire in the immediate future.

Don't forget that there is financial aid available through the government, but generally there are plenty of hoops to jump through.

Don't pay any attention to trolls telling you not to post; they can get stuffed.

Best of luck with everything.

[MADCAT]

Hey Josie, sorry to hear about your dads brush with death there, sounds like he's very lucky to have a supportive family to help him.

The hospital should be able to point you in the direction of support services that may be able to help you, and a lot of pharmacies have gear available for hire in the immediate future.

Don't forget that there is financial aid available through the government, but generally there are plenty of hoops to jump through.

Don't pay any attention to trolls telling you not to post; they can get stuffed.

Best of luck with everything.

It's not the trolls that bother me, if they have enough time in their life to try and harass me, I'm honored.... haha

It's the fact I know a certain girl who spray painted my name at Eagle On The Hill, egged my supra, eggs my parents car and continue to do skids / burnouts infront of my parents house, Thankfully they are moving soon so the "trolls" won't be able to pick on my family anymore.

They have a hire walker thing, but they said his leg will get worse in the future so we want to buy our own..

The government has screwed us over a few times when its come to medical stuff, my dad had a remote chair to help him stand but gave him the MOST uncomfortable one so got used probably twice..

We are already looking at gophers and my partner being a diesel mechanic / auto elec we are already planning to add a stereo and some cool little gadgets to the gopher...

I love my dad, when he was younger he fell between the train and the track (he worked on trains) and had part of his hip put into his neck, he's always had health problems and 4 years ago my mum had a heart attack.. So this happening to my "strong" dad that could take on the world really took a huge blow to my family...

But life moves on and all we can do is make it suitable for him. We are moving the bed into the lounge (a small single one) and moving the tv so we can attach the computer to it so the tv will be his computer haha.. We are trying everything to help dad where we can, it's just money is the issue.

So I'm trying to sell my spare stickers on Gumtree and finding any car parts I have to make some money...

but will be looking into what the government can help with, without too many hoops or red tape...

Thanks for the kind words

Good to see some SAU people still are good people

[KiwiRS4T]

Sorry I'm too far away to help but when my mother started to have problems the local hospital has a responsibility to provide support services and they send someone to do an assessment and decide on x hours per week help if necessary and to provide handrails in the shower etc. Hopefully there is a similar system where you are. Good luck!

Bob

[66yostagea]

I just posted that my son got fired today for being back late from lunch after helping me fix my brakes.

I was crying because I had no shoes, then I saw someone with no feet.

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

This might be long shot but a very promising long shot...

I work at a Transfer station in Melbournes South east on the weekends

the amount of useful stuff people through out in insane, so we collect all the usefull things and sell it funds going to the council ( bit of a fail there) but at least perfectly good things dont get burried in the ground.

Surprisingly alot of mobility aids get chucked, from deceased estates, taking up space....

this stuff is brought from someones garage in there car and chucked into a skip or placed on the side and collected by workers... so its not dirty or disgusting..

Worth a shot at your local transfer station. As alot of it is next to nothing in price..

[GTR-N1]

This might be long shot but a very promising long shot...

the amount of useful stuff people through out in insane, so we collect all the usefull things and sell it funds going to the council ( bit of a fail there) but at least perfectly good things dont get burried in the ground.

Surprisingly alot of mobility aids get chucked, from deceased estates, taking up space....

this stuff is brought from someones garage in there car and chucked into a skip or placed on the side and collected by workers... so its not dirty or disgusting..

Worth a shot at your local transfer station. As alot of it is next to nothing in price..

Very True!

I've been a carer for an old guy - 95.

I had to garage sell his stuff off, including a perfectly good wheel chair. And the person who bought that (for her husband) still wanted to haggle on a price of $50. I said, "the tyres are new lady and those tyres are worth more than the chair!!!" So she shut up and bought it.

Yes you can have that guy's spare walker for 'nix' Josie, but it's basic and too far away and costly to courier to SA

...but 1 chance in a million: anyone going from NSW to SA and can transport an inexpensive walker for free??? If so, PM me.

So yes, any garage sale where it's a deceased estate or the elderly are going into an aged care centre, is the way to go.

And rock up early!!!

Great to see that you love your Dad so much

Keep praying that he doesn't suffer pain.

BTW, Ginkgo Biloba herb increases peripheral circulation - so get some of that for him. I'm a chemist (retired), so tell him the chemist recommended it hehe...

[Daleo]

We are already looking at gophers and my partner being a diesel mechanic / auto elec we are already planning to add a stereo and some cool little gadgets to the gopher...

I love my dad, when he was younger he fell between the train and the track (he worked on trains) and had part of his hip put into his neck, he's always had health problems and 4 years ago my mum had a heart attack.. So this happening to my "strong" dad that could take on the world really took a huge blow to my family...

But life moves on and all we can do is make it suitable for him. We are moving the bed into the lounge (a small single one) and moving the tv so we can attach the computer to it so the tv will be his computer haha.. We are trying everything to help dad where we can, it's just money is the issue.

So I'm trying to sell my spare stickers on Gumtree and finding any car parts I have to make some money...

but will be looking into what the government can help with, without too many hoops or red tape...

Thanks for the kind words

Good to see some SAU people still are good people

I know exactly what you mean; my parents are aging, I see them slowly deteriorating. It makes you feel a little helpless; but the way out of that is to be a part of it, which is what you're doing.

The important thing is a positive outlook; if your dad has goals for his recovery, he'll do well. A loving family and their support (and a little arse kicking along the way) he'll be back on his feet.

If I hear of anything suitable in my travels; I'll be sure to let you know, and I'm sure others will too. Terry's advice is truly worth it's weight in gold.

[66yostagea]

You know I am 72.A bit old for a Stagea lover. Well just tonite there were five Sils, three Skys and two Stags at my place, and it keeps me young.

I am not sure what the neighbours think.

[TWOAR81]

Jodie, post or pm about your custom stickers... All proceeds going towards your dads ease of care.

I can see my parents going the same way.... Makes you think hey?

I'm after a great Dane sticker for the stags rear window in white.

Good luck to you and the family

Ps hard rubbish collection in se of Melbourne, lots of old speciality care products on the nature strip. (live close to a retirement village) find a schedule of your local collections then start a searching...

Edited September 17, 2012 by TWOAR81

[bigkevracer]

You know I am 72.A bit old for a Stagea lover. Well just tonite there were five Sils, three Skys and two Stags at my place, and it keeps me young.

I am not sure what the neighbours think.

Time to update the username then

[GoldZilla]

Have you thought about asking for help from your (or your parents') local GP or specialists? If you've got a good relationship with them, then there's a surprising amount of stuff they can either get very cheaply or, sometimes, for free when it's a requirement for your dad's recovery. Sometimes it's just a few small things, but then again over time that can add up to substantial savings which will help you be able to afford some of the more expensive items you might require.

Best of luck to your dad with his recovery, and to you and your family in the efforts to get him back to health.

[MADCAT]

Thanks everyone for the advice and kind words..

Dad came home today! I think he likes having the bed in the lounge room haha!

We will be contacting his regular GP and seeing what he is entitled to being on the pension.

Also, if anyone knows of any small four door AUTO run abouts with AIR CON I will be selling stuff off to be able to buy them a cheap auto car since mums heart problems she needs aircon and dads left leg he needs auto..

their current car is fked. It's a 98? Fairlane ghia, none of the windows work, runs fine still!!! But no aircon... so if anyone knows of someone wanting a parts car or thrash car we will be selling It for what ever we can get for it...

Adelaide only please.

But my mind Is all over the place so Ill re-read your replies later.

Thank you all so much. <3

[Bronx]

not to be a hijacker, but my parents are younger than me

[GTR-N1]

You know I am 72.A bit old for a Stagea lover. Well just tonite there were five Sils, three Skys and two Stags at my place, and it keeps me young.

I am not sure what the neighbours think.

If I was your neighbour, I'd refer to you as, "You old-timer" cause i'm only 63, and can still do 100m in 10sec (if I drive 99 of 'em)

[260tech]

Being an "old parent" myself I have nothing but admiration for your efforts on behalf of your parents' well being Josie. Great work. Sifting through the helpful suggestions posted above it seems to me your best bet in acquiring essential mobility items is to;

1. Locate/map-out retirements villages.

2. Check out local council collection times for "hard goods".

3. Get up early with your map & timetable & go for it.

4. Contact your local transfer station & give them a "heads-up" on your circumstances & what you are looking for.

Good luck,

GW

PS: If you end up with too much "stuff" (read......get good at it) you could recycle/tidy it up & flog items on Gumtree for extra income.............if that is legal?

[slidin32]

pm sent

[jaffadrifts]

also the retirement homes and aged care facilities in your area will have stuff from people who have passed on.

usually sell this stuff quite cheap too.

im a carer for my mother in law and can understand your worries, if anyone has an issue with you posting this kind of thing they need a smack in the face..... with a shovel.