Wheelchair

 

 

              My late father hated using a wheelchair. He had difficulty walking. He could walk very slowly, but he always refused to ride a wheelchair throughout his lifetime.

              Honestly speaking as a caregiver, if he took a wheelchair, it made my life easier. Following his weak walking was harder. If he could go with a wheelchair, I could move at my normal pace. We could move faster. Furthermore, it would clearly explain that I was a caregiver. Other people could easily understand that I was a caregiver. Maybe I looked like a good man. Please imagine a middle-aged man who stalks a weakly walking old man. No one can understand what he is doing. He can be a suspicious man. He can be a robber. I’d always wanted him to use a wheelchair.

              Still, I think my father was right.

              For an old man whose condition has no problems, walking is good exercise. Walking increases healthy conditions. It makes one’s life longer. Caregivers should not take away that opportunity. If an old man has the willingness and ability to walk, the caregiver should not force the person to use a wheelchair. That might be seen as the caregiver’s selfishness.

              When I took care of my father, I never forced him to use a wheelchair. I just followed his slow walking. People used to stare at me. I think I was a good caregiver. I just watched over him, but people couldn’t understand. On TV or movies, caregiving is always outright, like steering a wheelchair and meal assistance, but based on my experience, most caregiving practices were not simple like those.

              My father passed away without using a wheelchair at all.

              When I age, I should avoid a wheelchair like my father. I want to walk as long as I can, but it could take up much of the caregiver’s time. Most caregivers might be busy, like I used to be. I hope I will be taken care of by not-so-busy caregivers in the future.

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