DSC_8624We recently received a call from a Lady in Dublin’s North side to book a transfer, accompanied by a Healthcare Assistant, for her elderly mother. We went through our pre- transfer enquiry and booking process to evaluate the client’s needs. It became clear that person being transferred was in her ninety’s, was living independently, had had a recent respiratory illness and was struggling with daily living. The booking was for a respite spell in a Nursing Home in North County Dublin.

On arrival at the pick up location at her mothers home we met our client and her mother. She was a tiny little old lady who was frail and moved with great difficulty. She was also on oxygen.

We sat down with mother and daughter and discussed the journey ahead. It became clear that this old lady didn’t have a wheelchair and used a walker with a basket to hold her oxygen tank as she moved around her house. I suggested we phone ahead to ensure the respite care provider could provide a temporary wheelchair with an attachment for the oxygen tank. This call was made and the Nursing Home confirmed that such equipment was available.

We then offered our client’s mother the use of our on board wheelchair and confirmed that we could secure her oxygen tank in our vehicle which is equipped with a purpose built oxygen tank holder, exactly for such transfers. Our client and her mother were very pleased that we were able to provide this equipment and accepted our offer of assistance.

DSC_8486It turns out that our client’s mother had been a bit dubious about accepting the two weeks respite and had resisted it on the basis that she would not have been up for the journey. Having settled and secured her in our vehicle, offered her the comfort of a fresh blanket and a bottle of water, the daughter good humoredly joked with her mother about her earlier fears regarding the journey. Her mother smiled and said “ CareCabs is the only way to travel in future”