Daisy Kay and her family recently went to Florida to visit her cousin, and they took her 88-year-old grandmother. And on the way down they stopped in Savanah, GA, a side-trip that required quite a bit of walking.
“We realized that we were going to need some way to get her around where ever we went just because she wasn’t able to walk and keep up with us,” said Daisy. “When we were leaving out of Savannah, I started looking up places to rent a wheelchair. Our initial plan was to rent a wheelchair to get her around.”
Without any idea of where to begin, Daisy looked up the Board of Disabilities in Jacksonville, FL. “I called and asked where I could get a wheelchair. We are just here for the weekend, and where could I rent one. They referred me to an organization that had a loaner service. I called the number, and they asked how many days do you need it, and I told her. She then asked if I had someone who could be there by five o’clock. I said I think so.”
“They told me that all they needed was a name, phone number, and an address. They asked about the type of chair we needed and if it needed to be lightweight or something that she could move around. I told her that a transport chair would be great. The organization had it all set up so that we could pick up a transport chair,” said Daisy. “We just had to return it afterward, no cost, no big fuss. It was easy to go get it and use it for the weekend.”
According to Daisy, it was a blessing. “My cousin went and picked it up, and we went to St. Augustine on that Sunday and spent the day. Without that wheelchair my grandmother would not have been able to go to St. Augustine. We pushed her around and walked around four or five miles around downtown St. Augustine. There was no way she should have made this trip and kept up with us, and see everything and participate in the activities without that wheelchair.”
“This experience helped me see the impact our Caring Closet will have on our community. I hope that it is impactful for the people in our community, and for people visiting. Not everyone has the means to bring a wheelchair with them. They may not have space in the car. And it may only be a temporary need. My grandmother walks with a cane, so on a daily basis, she doesn’t need a wheelchair. On something like our trip, where there is a lot of activity, she can’t keep up. She had a hip replacement.”
Daisy hopes people donate to The Caring Closet as well. “People should donate so that they can help others in situations like this. There are so many life situations where people may need equipment on a short-term basis. Donations make that possible.”
The Caring Closet is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and other times by appointment. To donate equipment or inquire about the availability of specific equipment please call 803-329-1500 or email CaringCloset@HospiceCommunityCare.org. For more information Hospice & Community Care’s Caring Closet visit here.