Dad has mild memory loss (can’t work a washing machine or remember where he’s going), cataracts, poor hearing and is unsteady on his feet. He had his driving license taken off him 10 years ago. He’s now decided he wants a mobility scooter to cruise the narrow, steep roads with fast cars to go down to the shops. Very uneven pavements too. Should we discourage him? Do you need medical approval?
I live in a bike friendly city, so most roads have safe lanes for "pedestrian" traffic. It touches my heart when I see people that I know would otherwise be isolated in their homes. They do serve a good purpose, under the right conditions.
If he still wants one and you think he could use it at home, make sure the scooter is small enough to fit through doorways. Scooters are set at 4 or 5 MPH, and are not meant to be driven on the streets with auto traffic. They must be used on the sidewalk, unless you live in a very small community with light traffic and no sidewalks. A 4-wheel scooter is less likely to tip over than a 3-wheel scooter. To keep the batteries in good condition the scooter needs to be recharged at least every other day even if not used.
I’ve been using a scooter for 5 years and love my independence. My small town only has a post office, so I don’t travel far. It’s mostly used at home. Since Covid came along, I lost my housekeeper, and have had to learn to sweep, mop, and vacuum my home while on the scooter. I can still drive my car, but cannot walk. Transferring from car to scooter can be a challenge. Other times I can put it on the lift on my car and go to town and shop several stores or visit museums and other events. Senior transportation is another way to get to town with a scooter.
Good luck. I know how your Dad feels.
There are many different scooters available. Prices start about $700.00 and up over $4000.00. Pride and Golden are both good brands.
He can't see, can't hear, and is unsteady on his feet. Can't operate a washing machine and doesn't remember where he is going. O_o
So yor going to turn him loose on the streets? He could crash into something, not hear pedestrians, ram into them, or traffic, and fall getting on /off. No way should he have a scooter! A plethora of safety issues. What if he falls and breaks a hip? Runs into a car, child/pedestrians? Its more like-how long till the first accident. And the legal issues of turning him loose. They could come after you too.. Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!!
How often do you think he would go? Maybe load a little money on a credit card and attach it to an uber account. He could call someone to order the uber so he could get to the shops. If he's not that far from the shops, maybe a cab. If this is something regular he wants to do, maybe he has a friend who you could set up a deal with to take him on certain days of the week - might walk around with him - or have a prearranged time to be picked up. Just pay the friend enough to make it worth his while, for time and gas.
You say they are mild memory issues but all it takes is a matter of seconds to have an accident. This is a safety issue.
Sure, it’s sad that you can’t please him by not allowing him to have independence but safety has to come first.
Best wishes to you and your family.
About 5 years ago, he road it into the hospital (FYI, he can barely even get the thing in the house, forget about actually using it IN the house) from the car, for a surgery where the surgeon swore to him he would WALK out ( that in and of itself is another ridiculous story). He could not even walk back to the pre-op and all of their oversized wheelchairs were in use, so they stored his scooter back behind the 'medical personnel only' doors. 12 hours later, imagine that...he ISN'T walking out of the hospital as promised. He is being admitted to the hospital until they can find him a rehab (where he would stay for nearly 3 months to get even a tiny bit of mobility back...sorry....bitter about that one...it was elective) Anyway, we had to gather the scooter. My SIL and I had never even been on one, so please queue comedic music as we tried to navigate that thing from the surgical ward to his room in the same hospital. I had absolutely no idea how fast that thing could be, how to stop it or how much room it actually took up until that day. Getting on and off of elevators...you'd better hope you get one alone LOL.
In our history with it, he has nearly run over small children backing up, cars have had to slam on brakes in the parking lot because he will ride directly behind parking spots at full speed without looking at reverse lights. In his mind he has the right of way - which ok I guess....but he doesn't do any due diligence to protect himself. He ran over my foot in an elevator (thankfully he caught just the toe of my boot and didn't actually hurt me, I managed to jerk my foot back as it was happening). He has left more tire marks in the oddest places. That thing is a danger I promise you. But he is so heavy at this point that pushing him is a lot of work in a wheelchair. Most hospitals don't have the oversized ones readily available - we usually have to ask for one if we are not taking him in with the scooter.
And as big as it is, (it weighs a lot) and as stable as it is - on 4 wheels and a big base....it can STILL turn over and has.
I've very biased I guess. I know they fulfill a purpose and they are lifesavers for a lot of people. I'm not going to lie and say we are not 100% dependent on his now. But if you can avoid it, please do. They are often much more trouble than they are worth and the more dependent, the more interventions you need to continue to use them. When you get into the 4 wheel, bigger base, stable ones...a lift of the car is usually necessary. Then it was a lift to get it from the garage to the door level. The thing can't be used in the house, so there are walkers EVERYWHERE to get him from point A to point B, a lift to get him upstairs of course. And the benefits don't necessarily outweigh the loss of mobility that comes with sitting down and being able to move quickly versus using a walker and having to expend energy. I'm not a huge fan!