In 2004, my husband Michael had an emergency operation for Crohn’s disease that went wrong. He was in hospital for 8 months.
When he finally came home, he was left disabled and was stuck at home, as you can imagine this was having a negative effect on both of us. Our GP and the carers organisation along with citizen advice, supported and helped us tremendously through those times.
Michael had lost his freedom and his independence. The solution was to get Michael out of the house to be more mobile by means of a mobility scooter. We started off on a portable scooter and the freedom this gave Michael was invaluable.
But to make Michael even more independent, we found that a bigger scooter would be better for him. Eventually we upgraded his mobility scooter to a 8 mph scooter, where he found he didn’t actually need me to be at home quite so much, because he could get into town, meet other people instead of being stuck at home with just 4 walls to look at. This enabled me as his carer to get a part time job, that helped my own health.
I was very fortunate to find a part time job at Active Mobility. Working at Active Mobility enabled me to enable my husband to be more independent. Having the right products around your home can make such a difference to your quality of life.
Due to Michaels lack of mobility he struggled with poor circulation and getting out of his armchair. So, the solution to this was a rise and recline chair, before working at Active Mobility no one had been able to assist on this before, and we didn’t know where to get the right advice. The chairs we purchased from furniture shops were just not right for him to get comfortable in, although initially they seemed to be ok.
Active Mobility sell rise & recline chairs, some built to your measurements, and considers your weight and height. We invested in a new made to measure rise & recline chair, and the difference to Michaels life was amazing, he felt comfortable sitting, being able to adjust the angle of the back throughout the day and having his legs raised just helped to alleviate some of the pain levels he experiences. On particularly bad days, when he struggled to get up from the chair, (because he tried not to use the raise function if he was having a good day) he can use the raise function to help him get up.
At night, Michael just couldn’t get comfortable or find the support he needed when in bed. We had purchased adjustable beds from bed shops, but they were not right for Michaels needs. Active Mobility sell adjustable beds, I was able to try these beds, and they are so well made, the manufacturer explained all the benefits of their beds and how the mattresses are made taking into account the persons weight, so they support you.
With the adjustable beds if you are uncomfortable lying flat, you can adjust the bed, so you are comfortable and supported. This has made an amazing difference to Michaels health.
Knowing where to turn to for advice can make a huge difference to your quality of life. For Michael and I, Active Mobility has made a huge difference, to make Michaels life easier to navigate. Active Mobility feel passionate about giving advice on products that can make a real difference to your life, and would like to help you in the same way, call us to see what products are available to make your life easier on 01789 298182. Even if you are not ready to purchase at this time.
Michael and I now have 2 beautiful black Labradors, that Michael can take out on long walks on his mobility scooter, if we hadn’t of taken those steps all those years ago, we wouldn’t experience the love and happiness that Sophie and Jessie give us, that enriches our lives. This is down to finding the right products that have helped us.
