David is a bright, gregarious man in his early 70s, who until the beginning of last year enjoyed a lively social life despite needing to use crutches and a wheelchair when out and about.
After a long stay in hospital at the beginning of 2023 his mobility problems had rendered him bedbound. He had been told upon discharge from hospital that he would receive an orthopaedic chair at home, but this had not happened and ten months later he had still not left his bed once.
A Community Co-ordinator visited David and could see that there were complex challenges in providing him with the equipment and support he needed due to access to his first floor flat.
Whilst the coordinator investigated solutions they arranged for David to have regular home visits from a befriender and other members of the local community, to have access to the home library service, and to be provided with technology that would enable him to participate in groups and stay in contact with friends virtually, using video calls and chat messaging.
Meanwhile the Coordinator followed up clinical referrals that had been made, speaking to the hospital, his GP, Adult Social Care, the local physiotherapy teams, occupational therapy, David’s care company, the teams tasked with assessing equipment and care at home and, eventually, the company that provides specialized equipment in Kirklees, Medequip.
After liaising with ergonomics specialists and the equipment provider and visiting at home to assess how we could achieve a result, we came up with a compromise: a way to deliver a chair that could be dismantled and reassembled.
A chair was delivered and assembled just before Christmas, and the following day a Coordinator, David’s carers, and the moving and handling team visited to trial hoisting David into it. It was the first time he had been out of bed for ten months. From his chair he was able to look out of the window and watch what was happening in the street outside. For David, the difference it has made is not just a matter of variety. He felt that within 24 hours the change in posture was improving his freedom of movement and the flexibility of his legs. He now has hope that he will one day regain his mobility.