Loved that zimmer!

greyheron

This was part of a reply I posted on another thread but I thought other people might be interested - and I'd be interested in any comments.

One of the problems we sometimes have is coming to terms with the 'aids' and other help we need.

I think of myself as a 'young' 64 and I was mortified by the prospect of having to use a zimmer frame after my knee op (TKT).

But when it came to it, I was so grateful for the fantastic support and confidence the zimmer gave me that it completely turned my feelings around.

With the physios, I progressed from the zimmer to crutches (and fairly quickly after that to sticks) after a couple of days. But I still kept my zimmer with me in my hospital room and used it in the evening when I was feeling tired or if I got up in the night to go to the loo. It became a good friend rather than an insult to my image! (But I didn't bring it home with me!)

To crown it all, when I got home I was looking through a mail order gift catalogue and saw a 'racing grannies' game - a pair of wind-up toys featuring a lady with a zimmer. I sent for one and now have one 'granny' in my office and one in my living room, reminding me that sometimes help comes from unexpected and sometimes even unwanted places!

Best wishes to all

Wendy

joanlawson

I agree with you that walking aids change from being your enemies to your friends. I am using a walking stick and didn't like the idea at all, but now I feel so much better with it. I must not take the risk of falling so I feel more secure with it. I bought a really nice stick with flower patterns on it so I regard it as a fashion accessory now

I've seen the racing grannies and I can understand that you find them amusing, but I'm not too sure about them. I wonder whether they mock older people in an unkind way You know the way that some people have no respect for elderly or disabled people and I question whether these novelty items (they aren't really toys) encourage that kind of attitude.

All the best
Joan

greyheron

joanlawson wrote:

I agree with you that walking aids change from being your enemies to your friends. I am using a walking stick and didn't like the idea at all, but now I feel so much better with it. I must not take the risk of falling so I feel more secure with it. I bought a really nice stick with flower patterns on it so I regard it as a fashion accessory now

I've seen the racing grannies and I can understand that you find them amusing, but I'm not too sure about them. I wonder whether they mock older people in an unkind way You know the way that some people have no respect for elderly or disabled people and I question whether these novelty items (they aren't really toys) encourage that kind of attitude.

All the best
Joan

Hi Joan

Yes, I agree about the 'racing grannies', I think in any other circumstance I would have found them questionable, and I certainly didn't buy them because of their amusement value but because they are a powerful reminder for me of a very significant piece of learning. I still have some doubts - which you have brought to mind again - that by buying them I was supporting a disrespectful attitude towards older people, perhaps if I'd thought that through a bit more carefully I wouldn't have done it.

It will be interesting to see if anyone else posts on this subject - I'm ready to 'put my hands up' if people feel I made the wrong decision ...

Thanks for your thoughtful response.

Take care

Wendy

michelle22

Wendy you post has made me laugh I use a stick sometimes two and sometimes crutches depends on the day and how I am feeling I hated using them at first now I go nowhere without at least one and I have no confidence without my trusted stick. they have like your zimmer become my friend

Michelle

colinone

Hi Wendy
It can be a daunting task when you first get your aids and it can be hard to except the fact that you need them. I was assessed for my sticks whilst in hospital and given the choice two sticks or zimmer so I chose the sticks. A couple of weeks later I was back at home and the OT called to assess me at home. Now my bed does all but make the tea, my bathrooms like “well its not like mine” I hated it and hated the changes. It was all going so fast. Anyway point being I don’t think I could manage now if I never had those aids. And it does make a difference.
Colin

vonski

Hi Wendy

I agree about the walking aids. I used a stick for many years but over the last few years have used crutches and a wheelchair. The wheelchair is best as I can run people over, good job I don't have a scooter

The racing grannies are good. I bought some for my gran a couple of years ago when she was 94 yrs. We laughed a lot, she still had all her marbles I think it depends on your sense of humour.

Love
Vonski x

joanlawson

vonski wrote:

Hi Wendy

I agree about the walking aids. I used a stick for many years but over the last few years have used crutches and a wheelchair. The wheelchair is best as I can run people over, good job I don't have a scooter

The racing grannies are good. I bought some for my gran a couple of years ago when she was 94 yrs. We laughed a lot, she still had all her marbles I think it depends on your sense of humour.

Love
Vonski x

I hope I didn't come across as lacking a sense of humour, and I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's fun. Somehow, in the hands of a 94-year old or someone who uses a zimmer themselves, the racing grannies don't seem too bad, although I still think they are in bad taste.
The trouble is that they are often bought by people who think it is funny to mock elderly or disabled people. The general level of respect shown to we "oldies" in this country is often lacking. I even had to get annoyed with my own son when he complained about elderly people in the supermarket holding up the traffic by pushing their trolleys round slowly and getting in the way! I reminded him that he will be old one day!! In many other countries, eg. India, Italy, elderly people are held in high regard and looked up to because of their wisdom in old age.
I reckon you are a bit of a rebel, Vonski ! Am I right :?: I've got an image in my mind of you tearing around in your wheelchair casting caution to the wind, and why not? Long may you continue and I hope you will be like your gran when you are 94

All the best
Joan

greyheron

I hope I didn't come across as lacking a sense of humour, and I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's fun. Somehow, in the hands of a 94-year old or someone who uses a zimmer themselves, the racing grannies don't seem too bad, although I still think they are in bad taste.
The trouble is that they are often bought by people who think it is funny to mock elderly or disabled people. The general level of respect shown to we "oldies" in this country is often lacking. I even had to get annoyed with my own son when he complained about elderly people in the supermarket holding up the traffic by pushing their trolleys round slowly and getting in the way! I reminded him that he will be old one day!! In many other countries, eg. India, Italy, elderly people are held in high regard and looked up to because of their wisdom in old age.
I reckon you are a bit of a rebel, Vonski ! Am I right :?: I've got an image in my mind of you tearing around in your wheelchair casting caution to the wind, and why not? Long may you continue and I hope you will be like your gran when you are 94

All the best
Joan[/quote]

No, you didn't come across (to me at any rate) as lacking a sense of humour. I thought you very helpfully put an additional point of view that we do need to be alert to age-ism which I agree is a major issue in society today.

All the best

Wendy

vonski

Hi Joan

Sorry didn't mean to imply you have no sense of humour. Just bought these for my gran as I knew they'd make her laugh. I think laughter is very important.

What makes you think I'm a bit of a rebel, I'm really an angel Oh couldn't be the bit about mowing people down with my wheelchair could it

Love
Vonski x

lindalegs

Just a thought on the racing grannies....I think we all live in a crazy PC world at the moment and often those who are offended are those who are worried that others may be offended by something. :?

The greatest majority of people can laugh at themselves, if anyone were give me something that referred to my disability I really wouldn't mind - I can imagine how I'm described behind my back, I know that people see my disability first rather than me as a person - it's human nature.

..........and have you ever met a person over the age of 70 who thinks they're old - I have a dear friend who's 89 and he refers to the old dear in the flat below - she's probably around 65? :shock: :?

Luv Legs

joanlawson

lindalegs wrote:

Just a thought on the racing grannies....I think we all live in a crazy PC world at the moment and often those who are offended are those who are worried that others may be offended by something. :?

The greatest majority of people can laugh at themselves, if anyone were give me something that referred to my disability I really wouldn't mind - I can imagine how I'm described behind my back, I know that people see my disability first rather than me as a person - it's human nature.

..........and have you ever met a person over the age of 70 who thinks they're old - I have a dear friend who's 89 and he refers to the old dear in the flat below - she's probably around 65? :shock: :?

Luv Legs

At the risk of becoming a bit of a bore on the subject, I don't mind people laughing at themselves, but it's when other people laugh at them that I do mind. I notice that the manufacturers of the racing grannies didn't have the nerve to produce "Racing Disabled People in Wheelchairs". Why :?: Because they know that would cause outrage among most sections of the public, so why do they think elderly people who need to use a zimmer are fair game? Perhaps the racing wheelchairs will be next year's product :roll:

I agree that age is an attitude of mind. I am 65 and my best friend is 85. She is amazingly young at heart and I forget that she is 20 years my senior
Joan