87 year old Stairlift turned down by Council, need help in appeal

[Deleted User]

Moving is not easy for a person of this age. My 82 year old father had Parkinsons, it gradually got worse and worse, he fell more than once or twice. He didn't have the option of putting a stair lift in (upstairs flat with very steep stairs) so he was virtually housebound. He was found very nice sheltered housing accommodation. But he couldn't cope with the idea of moving, although everyone else could see that this made good sense. Unfortunately, he killed himself. He was affected mentally in the end. He just couldn't cope anymore, the choices he had he didn't want.

I have also seen elderly people totally go downhill after moving, mentally in particular.

This has to be born in mind when recommending a move. What makes sense to us can be very very difficult for an elderly infirm person. Its not just losing most of their 'stuff' its that the world can become a frightening place when they have realised there is so much they can't do anymore. Moving them to a new place can be a challenge too far.

What do I wish after all this happened? That it had been possible to put support in to make his last year or two (it wouldn't have been long) comfortable. Yes, councils and social services are short of funds, but this man had worked all his life. He deserved better than the option he was offered. The world became a very scary negative place for him in the end.

The daft thing is, at the time I couldn't help him, I had two very needy special needs children and couldn't drive. Now the youngest is in a special school so I am free in a way I wasn't then. I could help him myself more now. Its only six months later.

Gers

It's a very difficult decision which is not easily made.

My experience is with my Dad who was in a three apartment council house when he was taken ill with pancreatic cancer. For two or three years he and I discussed him moving into sheltered accomodation, we filled the forms in twice and he ripped them up twice. Eventually he agreed and stuck to it.

On the day of the move he toddled off to meet his mates in the pub, myself and other family did the moving out and moving in and Dad came back from the pub to his new home. He loved it! Often spoke about how he wished he'd moved earlier. No stairs, close to shops (and said pub) and someone just keeping an eye for him.

He only lived another 18 monthsafter that, however he had a good 12 months of happiness in the new place. He didn't like the warden calling on him every day so the council installed a pad under the carpet between his bathroom and bedroom so they could tell if he hadn't got up. Worked wonders.

Yes, memories are in places though one of those places is the heart.