Amputee grandfather caught at residence as council refuses him a ramp
- Thomas McKechnie, 67, had a leg amputated final 12 months due to a blood clot
- The council don’t wish to pay for upgrades on his home and wish him to maneuver
An amputee grandfather claims his native council has left him caught in his own residence after he had life-changing surgical procedure final 12 months.
A fed-up Brucehill amputee says West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) has left him trapped in his own residence after refusing to put in a ramp.
Grandfather Thomas McKechnie, 67, misplaced his leg final November after creating blood clots. Following the amputation he has been unable to make use of the steps main out and in of his residence in Brucehill, Dunbarton.
The council mentioned it’ll supply Thomas and spouse Helen various lodging – however will not pay for any diversifications to Thomas’ residence, together with a brief ramp, while they await an appropriate home to grow to be out there.
That has left Thomas feeling like a prisoner in his own residence.
Thomas McKechnie, pictured, a retired ambulance employee from West Dunbartonshire has mentioned his native council has left him stranded by failing to offer him with a ramp to get in an out of his residence following an amputation final 12 months
Mr McKechnie mentioned he’s unable to go away or return residence with out help. He mentioned he needs his independence again following the life-changing surgical procedure final 12 months
He mentioned: ‘I’ve been to hell and again and I’m on the verge of tears on a regular basis as a result of I’m getting nowhere.
‘I’ve been combating for a 12 months simply to get out and in my entrance door.
‘I really feel like I’m being ignored. I’m battering my head in opposition to the partitions and going nowhere. It sounds ridiculous, however I really feel like they’re ready on me snuffing it so they do not need to go the expense of shopping for a ramp.
‘I must get out of the home. I really feel like a goldfish caught within the bowl looking the home windows.
‘When my spouse, daughter or grandson come down they will assist me. But when there’s no one right here I’m caught.
‘I’ve a proper to be allowed entry to my residence. And I haven’t got that. I’m relying on different folks. That shouldn’t be the case.’
The scenario has left Thomas completely reliant on members of the family to assist him get out and in the home in an undignified and difficult approach.
He defined: ‘A ramp would afford me the identical freedom that every one able-bodied folks need to get out and in of their entrance door to go to the park, go to the soccer or all the way down to the city. I am unable to do this except another person is in the home to help me.
‘At the entrance door we now have two concrete stairs and no handrail. I needed to get my spouse or my daughter to place my wheelchair out the entrance steps, face it on the home after which bump down the steps on my bum.
‘On the return it might be the identical. The chair would go into the home going through out the best way, and I’d bum my approach up the steps into the chair.
Mr McKechine mentioned he acknowledges his house is outdated and it might be too costly to retrofit it for his wants, however he mentioned he would really like a brand new residence within the space which was appropriate for his wants
‘A month in the past the Health and Social Care Partnership have been capable of present seize handles for the entrance door. They are for individuals who have legs however want a bit of additional assist for his or her higher physique to carry on to one thing.
‘That’s all that is been accomplished since my amputation. Not one individual from the council has come close to the home.
‘Occupational therapists have been out to evaluate the home they usually have reported again to WDC that it is not appropriate.
‘The occupational therapist has put in a report. I’ve two letters from two separate docs, the social work and others – all supporting the case that I must be out of the home as quickly as attainable. And if not, the home must be tailored so I can get out and in myself.
‘If I attempt to take myself out of the home alone then I’ll take a header. Plus there’s the danger if there is a hearth and I’m in alone. Then what is going to I do? Do I’ve to telephone the council and ask for a ramp as a result of the home is burning down?’
Thomas says he has solely been supplied one residence since his amputation – nearly 5 miles away in Bowling, which might have left his spouse, Helen, going through a prolonged commute.
He continued: ‘They aren’t going to spend cash to adapt the home. Which I perceive. It would break the bank as a result of it is an outdated home. I am unable to flip my wheelchair within the kitchen, I wrestle to get into the bathroom as a result of it is so small. But I can persevere with it as it’s.
‘About three months in the past we have been supplied a home in Bowling. It had a full, everlasting ramp. It had tailored worktops within the kitchen for a wheelchair consumer.
‘It wasn’t superb although as a result of Helen, my spouse, works 12 hour shifts on the Dumbarton Joint Hospital. It’s a ten minute stroll from the place we keep.
‘If I had taken that home it might’ve been one other hour within the morning and hour at evening for her. And the council accepted that.
‘A home throughout from me that was totally ramped lay empty for months and it went to another person, who was able-bodied, as a result of they have been thought-about extra of a precedence as they have been homeless on the time.
‘I am unable to perceive why it did not make sense for us to maneuver 100 yards throughout the highway and for the man to maneuver into our outdated home.’
And he defined his frustration after being instructed that the scenario might’ve been sorted faster if he refused to be discharged from hospital final 12 months.
‘When I approached the council for the primary time, I used to be instructed that I ought to have refused to be discharged from hospital till I had appropriate lodging,’ he mentioned.
‘Although based mostly on the whole lot that is occurred I might nonetheless have been sat on ward 46B on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital ready on a brand new home.’
And the scenario has left Thomas each upset and indignant, as he makes an attempt to get pleasure from his retirement.
He added: ‘I labored till I used to be 64, the final 20 years with the ambulance service. I took early retirement so I might get pleasure from myself.
‘It’s no one’s fault what has occurred to me, however the council have left me stranded in the home.
‘I’m no spring rooster, however aside from my leg I’m effective and dandy. I really feel fully deserted. Why ought to I’ve to get out and in of my home on my bum? It’s ridiculous and it makes my blood boil that I’m having to struggle for this.
‘It’s a continuous cycle I’m in of being instructed the identical story and getting nowhere. I really feel like I’m being handled like a clown.’
A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council mentioned they have been treating Thomas’ scenario as a ‘excessive precedence’.
She continued: ‘We totally sympathise with this tenant’s scenario and proceed to assist him whereas he awaits a transfer.
‘His case is being handled as a excessive precedence and we’re working to establish an appropriate property within the particular location he has requested. In the meantime, non permanent measures to make his present residence accessible are being thought-about with an occupational remedy evaluation deliberate and any suggestions actioned following this.’
MailOnline approached West Dunbartonshire Council for a remark.