A Conversation for Ask h2g2

What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 1

Wand'rin star

Irish hospitals no longer accept returns and I learnt this week that neither do English ones. My incompetent googling can't find a charity, so do I have to set one up myself or use them to grow runner beans up?
(feel free to discuss abstract as well as concrete crutches)smiley - starsmiley - star


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 2

Dea.. - call me Mrs B!

Where did you get them from? Did you buy or were given from somewhere? If you have no need then give them to nearest Red Cross who tend to loan them out to people in need. Failing that, ask your local Mental Health unit, I used to work in one and the patients made gorgeous wind chimes for sale in the workshop - cut down from old zimmer frames and crutches!


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 3

Mol - on the new tablet

We took ours to our local GP practice after they'd been kicking around here unused for over a year - as is the way with things, we could have done with them back again a week later when Sic broke her toe, but hey ho.

There is also a 'Relief in Sickness' charity in the village which might have taken them, I never thought to ask - I know they have two village wheelchairs which they lend out (eg for visiting elderly relatives).

Red Cross does sound your best bet though.

Mol


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 4

bobstafford

Charity shop St JOHNS or similarsmiley - smiley


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 5

~ jwf ~ scribblo ergo sum

smiley - doctor
I wanna know why they are not needed.
And who they are no longer needed by.
Good news/bad news?
smiley - erm
~jwf~



What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 6

Wand'rin star

Thanks for the concern jwf(help - there don't seem to be any squiggles on this keyboard). Broken bones have healed. The hospital that loaned them won't take them back as "we can't sterilise them" Pause for a group mutter about health and safety gone mad.smiley - starsmiley - star


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 7

Sho - employed again!

very glad to hear you don't need the crutches again. I'm guessing you don't really have storage space for them?

I'd try the nearest charity shop smiley - smiley


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 8

Wand'rin star

Actually, it's the Spearcarrier (in Ireland) who doesn't need them any more for his pinned ankle. I may need some after I get my hip replacement and was thinking of asking him to bring them over here to me as the charity shops in Dublin don't want them.
I have masses of storage room-both a large attic and a deep cellar. I also have a brick built shed that used to be a wash house, with a chimney over where the boiler used to go. I could hang on to them indefinitely, but it seems wrong to me so I shall definitely try the Red Cross smiley - starsmiley - star


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 9

Sho - employed again!

good thinking!


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 10

You can call me TC

Do they come in different sizes? I can imagine that your son is considerably taller than you are and that your feet might not even touch the ground if you used crutches that he had been using.

How about a home for the homeless? Depends what your village has, I suppose.

As for the hospital who can't sterilise them . smiley - shrug buy them a bottle of Dettol.


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 11

Wand'rin star

Some are adjustable. I had a practice go when I was in Dublin in case. All UK and Irish hospitals seem to refuse to take them back. I have visions of us all being asked to take our own disinfectant to hospital in the not too distant future.smiley - starsmiley - star


What do you do witj crutches you no longer need?

Post 12

You can call me TC

Surely the cost of a sterilising system for the crutches can't be more than buying new crutches for every single patient that leaves the hospital with their leg in plaster? Anyway - they only need cleaning, not sterilising.


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