Our application for the power chair
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40192)
Canada
April 16, 2009 6:53pm CST
Yesterday we filled out an application for the power chair and now she comes back today with the "they will not issue you one unless you are in it for 8 hours." Now my husband has arthritis so bad his hands are calcifying, and he cannot get out of the house without help. A walker is not enough. And so now except for the medical appointments, he is housebound.
I can now understand why when I see people in powerchairs at the Mall, they are never out of it. And many of them have the use of their hands and arms. So what about those who cannot? They are just as disabled as someone who broke both his legs or is a paraphelegic.
So now we might have to look into buying one outright. That will make it difficult as we are already planning to get our house fixed up.
2 people like this
9 responses
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
17 Apr 09
It seems to be one thing after another..I am hoping that he will be able to get that chair. He might be able to be in it since if he cold go he would be in it more doing things getting out doing stuff. I am sure that not every one is in one for 8 whole hours all the time..Maybe you should check out the Scooter store where they say you will get one free if you are turned down..that is what the commercials say anyhow.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
19 Apr 09
Well, I hope for the best to happen and that if it doesn't that it be deductible for sure. Every cent counts these days and with the prices sky rocketing it will be harder to live even if it is deductible that money will be gone a year before you gt it back..
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
21 Apr 09
My husband was always a stickler in checking the prices and he does not believe prices have gone up. So I do hope we get the powerchair, that is the Jazzy, paid for by the Disablity people. I do not want to go through a year of "we can't afford that, or "we can't afford this." I went through all that when we were paying for the house.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
17 Apr 09
I know we might be able to get one at our Canadian Health Care Services, but do not now if they carry the brand we want. We are able to rent a fold up wheel chair for the time being, but the trouble is if we have to buy the POwer chair ourselves that is income tax deductible, we will have to put the outlay first and then wait until next year around March or April before getting the refund back.
Whereas if the Disability council pays for it now, we do not have to worry about putting out that expense.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
17 Apr 09
I agree..one little white lie won't hurt and if it makes you feel bad..then you can always ask for forgiveness afterward..cause he might just use it more then you both think when he realizes how much freedom it will give him to do and go places..
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
17 Apr 09
after all, if he can get out and get to the street, he might very well be out helping you by holding some of your harvests just to be outside, they make those easy to use and you can do it with very little hand movement if they make a larger toggle for him
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
17 Apr 09
He takes him half an hour to get from our house to the street, and we do not live on a large estate. So do they expect him to stay in the house until he can no longer even walk with a walker? Does not seem fair to me. We can rent a folding wheel chair here and get him down the ramp and even before the ramp is built, someone can help him down, but it needs two strong people. He is not that large, medium boned and I weigh a little more, but I am not that strong.
I just hope if we have to buy a powerchair ourselves, it is income tax deductible.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
17 Apr 09
Do you have a therapist? They would know how to write it up so that it will go through. Look into different agencies to help you. What state do you live in? Is he on government insurance or private? I will try to find some info for you.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
17 Apr 09
My husband is trying to walk but it takes too long. I takes us half an hour to get from the front steps down to the road. And not only that, they expect him to belong to a lot of clubs and go out all the time. But he cannot go out there if he cannot get out. So we are stuck.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
17 Apr 09
You are talking about a motorized wheelchair? How can he NOT be in it for 8 hours a day? He isn't now because he can't get around without it. If he had it, he could wheel around and actually do a little living! That woman is insane and heartless. Can't you get his doctor to intervene and maybe write a prescription for one?
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
18 Apr 09
That might help. But our doctor seems to think if you work hard, you can do anything.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
17 Apr 09
I don't really understand this. does he have to use it eight hours a week or something? Is he able to use it on his own? It all sounds whacky to me. But then government can be whacky., He needs it so why can't he get it?
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
18 Apr 09
No it is eight hours a day and he has to go to a lot of social dos, that require that he be wheeling around all the time. I do not think that him going to the Mall and chatting with his old railroad buddies, or visiting the family good enough. So now he has to join clubs and that means I will have to go, so I lose out on myLotting, and writing my novel, etc. At least that is the impression I got.
Yet I bet there are people who get approved with no problem, but then not many had a deli bating stroke in their early 60s, and who had severe arthritis to boot. Most of them can use their hands well.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
18 Apr 09
Oh this is awful! why do they put on all of these restrictions? It is cruel. A person may not want to join the clubs etc and should not be forced to.* hours a day is a ridiculous restriction. I am so sorry for you. I wish that I had an answer to help you
1 person likes this
@ErrollLeVant (4353)
• United States
17 Apr 09
I don't know much about the power chair situation, but I was wondering if a doctor could prescribe one and have insurance or medicare pick up the cost, or part of it.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
18 Apr 09
He has to recommend it and if you cannot get around much, you are supposed to get it, but the standards are way over the top. You have to be in it eight hours a day for you to get it free off the bat. Otherwise you will have to pay up front and then get it income tax deductible and that means we will have to wait until next April.
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
24 Apr 09
Yeah, it gets expensive. Almost 3 years ago, one of my step-daughters was in a near fatal car accident and is now paralized from her waist down. The cost of the adaptations she had to pay was really something. It's really sad and unfortunate how people with these challenges have to pay so much just to get the care they need.
