She had motorized chair and was told she could not come to that facility with the chair. They provided her with a regular wheelchair that has near met her needs as she is an obese woman. This is now going on 4 years that we have been begging them for a chair that meets her needs
Patients generally aren't allowed to bring assistive devices from home because of liability issues, but this should have been told to you and alternate, acceptable arrangements made at the time of admission.
If this has been going on for 4 years without resolution, have you thought about looking elsewhere? And if you do, be sure to address the motorized wheelchair issue.
If the mechanical wheelchair they are providing isn't working well enough, then use her funds or family's funds to purchase one that will. They are available on line and can be shipped directly to the NH.
I would have a meeting with the facility social worker and ask for clarification. If she says it's a state reg, ask to be shown the reg. Find out if what is actually going on is that the staff thinks she lacks the cognitive capacity to use one safely.
You can request that the Nursing Home ombudsman in your area get involved in this.
And I can understand why..... I've seen my Dad wheel a shopping cart in the grocery store, no way would I want him to try to drive a motorized wheelchair/scooter in a home where elders live.
But a total ban? I would make a formal complaint.
But I am sorry that your mother is being isolated as a result of losing her chair; and I would be pushing the facility on this point. If a resident cannot move around unaided she must be assisted - it isn't acceptable for her to be left shut away in her room.
When they said nowhere on campus was it for outdoors as well. In my book motorized carts come under the same heading as those tiny "shopper in training grocery carts you see the little rug rats careening aound with.
oK ths granny was never a fan of small kids let loose. I kept my toddlers in harnesses tied to the shopping cart. Got lots of funny looks from older ladies with freshly blued hair. "Poor little darlings" Not one of my children ever destroyed a store is all I can say. yes one of them was asked to leave ballet class and was not allowed to go to preschool unless I stayed the whole time.
Anyway I totally agree with not confining a resident to their room just because they can't use their own chair. Many people seem to be able to get around just usein their feet in a transport chair. this lady is reported to be obese so would need a very wide chair which may be part of the problem.
I imagine that a NH can make any rules they choose about what to allow as long as they follow State guidelines for standard of care.