Local tip - disability aids

Everyday living
1

Hi, was at the local tip yesterday - having a good sort out after Christmas.

Man infront of me was throwing a rollater into the skip - followed by a collapsable wheelchair (thought I should ask to buy it from him) have awful trouble walking

but my family would have been horrified if I’d brought it home.

He then threw in lots of other things that would help a disabled person - walking frame, toilet supports, comode etc.

I got really upset.

When it came to my turn I asked the man who worked at the tip if all the things couldn’t be saved. He said second hand places

are very particular. We took some old bikes to the tip last week, they get collected and repaired and then sold again.

Still thinking today that I should have said something - such a waste - what do other people do with used things?

Just wanted to share it with you as I my family wouldn’t understand.

Jen x

2

Jen, l can understand your horror at seeing this. l know our local ‘tip’ do repair and sell items - mainly bikes and electrical items. But what you saw was such a waste!! Were these items ‘borrowed’ from social services/hospital and should have been returned? l have a friend who works for the Red Cross - and they loan out all such items - and l know she is forever having to go and collect them because people do not return them when they have finished using them.

l know in Casualty dept, people leave with crutches etc and never return them.

F.

3

Sounds like somebody died.

When you think of all there is to do when you are grieving perhaps I can understand this person going to the tip.
Dealing with the aids was probably just a step too far.
Perhaps they need to put something in the “what to do when somebody dies” leaflet that you get from the dr. to make it easy for people to recycle aids or return them to social services.

Jane

4

There is a problem returning mobility items. Why I don’t know ?.

My sister had a hip replacement approx five years back, on her discharge from hospital, the local health authority delivered to her a number of items, which she had not asked for, there was a commode, freestanding hand rails to go around the wc pan, a raised seat for the wc, freestanding handrails, to help getting in/out of the bath, and adaptation blocks to make a standard chair higher, plus arm crouches which were issued at the hospital, all items were brand new.

The only items she used were the arm crouches and the adaptation blocks for the chair, all other items stayed in the original packaging.

When she was feeling better she rang the health authority, a number of times to say the items were ready for collection. Thank you we will arrange collection, which never happened.

When my sister got to driving her car, she loaded up all items and took them to the health authority stores, sorry but we can’t take them in without paperwork, if you take them back home, we will arrange collection, you guessed it, nobody came to collect. I think, in the end she rang the Red Cross, who were only to happy to have these items, which she delivered to them.

Is it any surprise that health authorities, have trouble making their budget figures.

Take care.

Chris R.

I. El. (Eng). (Rtd).

I know its going to be a bad day when I get out of bed and miss the floor, today is such a day.

5

Hi , I can understand too, how upset you were at seeing this. I think it was probably someone just trying to get rid of stuff, and they didn’t know what else to do with it. By the way, well done on having a tidy out, I suggested one of those, but no one else was very enthusiastic! Cheryl:)

6

Hi Jen

What a waste, such a shame, especially as these things are so costly.

I am sure the Red Cross or a charity shop would have been glad of it. It is amazing what some people throw away.

Take care

Pam