Impact of our wheelchair loan Economic resource savings Janis was discharged with a walking Her husband thinks that, without £469 frame and crutches. Her husband the wheelchair, they may well have felt that the wheelchair allowed his needed to attend A&E, as Janis Avoided cost of staying in wife to return home earlier, avoiding had stumbled a couple of times on hospital orthopaedic ward one an extra day or two in hospital. the crutches. He feels strongly that extra night and day = The occupational therapist said: the wheelchair had a significant “It’s also important because it gets and positive impact on maintaining £469 resource savings to service users fit to get home and his wife’s emotional wellbeing and NHS hospital services not stay in hospital, it helps them quality of life, and possibly led to a (based on £3,283 average cost of elective speedier recovery as a result of the inpatient episode, divided by seven days, recover more comfortably in their mobility it enabled over many weeks. assuming one week-long episode before own environment, and helps them discharge; PSSRU, 2014) participate with other people. I’ve He stated: “She would definitely have known families where a child’s been got down and depressed over time, stuck downstairs for months on end so having the wheelchair meant we without a wheelchair available, and didn’t need any further help to deal not been able to just get out and with that emotional stress. I’d score get fresh air… This can create even it 11 out of 10 for the impact it’s had more stress and it can be an awful on maintaining her quality of life. And strain on emotions.” mine!” The wheelchair helped Janis get Janis’ husband wants to encourage around the house much more easily others in a similar situation: “Don’t than relying on crutches, which hurt hesitate to contact the Red Cross her knee and ankle. As it was a and ask, it can make a world of self-propelled wheelchair, she could difference. Especially if it’s not a wheel herself to the kitchen, garden terribly wealthy area, so in deprived and toilet, and do day-to-day tasks areas [it’s] even more essential to by herself. She and her husband have one to save more suffering… said, “It enabled having a bit more especially if you need it for longer capability and independence… it’s than you first think.” reduced feelings of isolation for both of us for over four weeks and even longer, so there’s more freedom for both of us. Without it we would have been really stuck.” After ten days, she was able to use the walking frame to get to the car, but still appreciated having the wheelchair. Even after eight weeks it was of great value to the both Janis and her husband since it gave them more scope for mobility than the crutches or walking frame. Janis’ husband said, “It’s fantastic that the wheelchair is also foldable – because then we could fit it into the car and go out of the house to visit friends, and daughters, and go shopping, and generally go for longer distances. Our granddaughter rode along on her knee which she loved. We didn’t have to leave her stuck at home.” 25