Does any body else caravan with a quadraplegic partner or am I in a minority of one. I yes what modifications have you done to your van.
Cheers
Big Al
Cheers
Big Al
Caravanning for the Disabled
- Thread starter alan_5084900
- Start date
hi alan our very good friends have been caravaning for years he is disabled without the use of his right side of his body has a special pedal in the car and a handel on the steering van's with a large twin axle and he can reverse it any where he's brillant we did over 3000 miles this year in europe and will be going again next he won't let anything beat him the van is standard apart from a special matteress it's a fixed bed all the best peter
Hi Alan, We have a disabled family and our son aged 32 is profoundly disabled, we have made a few adaptations to our van and the main thing is a very strong welded set of steps to allow us to carry him in and out. I have fitted a Fiamma security lock over the door which swings and locks into place, this is a perfect handrail for supporting ourselves as we carry him in. We have investigated modified caravans but find that the cost of these are sky high, I hope to modify a caravan myself when I have the time. Our daughter is also disabled and when we go on site we tow with a VW T4 camper, this is fitted with a Ricon side lift for wheelchairs, our daughter sleeps in the campervan.
This is a very difficlt situation because we, like you, want to give our disabled loved ones the benefit of caravanning and the outdoor life, I assume that like us you also find the disabled toilets and showers being used by non-disabled people.
This is a very difficlt situation because we, like you, want to give our disabled loved ones the benefit of caravanning and the outdoor life, I assume that like us you also find the disabled toilets and showers being used by non-disabled people.
Whilst I wouldn't want there to be any barriers to prevent people with disabilities enjoying the outdoor life, I wonder whether adapted loos etc are designed EXCLUSIVELY for the use of the disabled, or whether they have been adapted to enable the disabled (along with everyone else) to use them. Genuine question.
Sorry - posted this in the wrong place!
Whilst I would never wish to deny any disabled person the right to enjoy the outdoor life in the same way as the rest of the population, I am unclear whether specially adapted loos etc. are EXCLUSIVELY for the use of the disabled, or whether they have been adapted to enable them to be used by the disabled, along with anyone else. Genuine question, as I have never seen a notice clarifying this.
Whilst I would never wish to deny any disabled person the right to enjoy the outdoor life in the same way as the rest of the population, I am unclear whether specially adapted loos etc. are EXCLUSIVELY for the use of the disabled, or whether they have been adapted to enable them to be used by the disabled, along with anyone else. Genuine question, as I have never seen a notice clarifying this.
Hi Alan,
Don't know whether the following web-site might be of use to you.It was set up by Angie who has a disabled son.Hope it is helpful for you.
www.caravanable.co.uk
Don't know whether the following web-site might be of use to you.It was set up by Angie who has a disabled son.Hope it is helpful for you.
www.caravanable.co.uk
Jo, thanks for your comment and I will answer in the spirit in which you ask the question:
We find that the facilities which are provided for disabled people at caravan parks are on the whole quite good, usually there is plenty of space for a carer to accompany the disabled person who may require personal assistance, (as in the case for my family). Quite often there is a short queue and my daughter cannot stand for very long so we take a foldable chair for her to sit on whilst she waits for the disabled facility to become vacant. On many occasions we have waited to find an able bodied person eventually leaving and on one occasion we were told by the previous user that she prefers using the disabled toilet as the room is cleaner and warmer that the main toliet block, (her words). On a lot of sites you need to use either the key issued by the site or a RADAR key which fits all disabled toilets in towns, shopping centres etc. My son and daughter cannot manage in a standard toilet cubicle as my daughter requires the handrail to sit and stand and my son needs to be lifted on and off the seat, also it's difficult for my wife to enter this smallish cubicle which is designed for one user at a time, at home we have a range if modifications.
In answer to your question about non disabled people using this specially adapted facility, obviously, yes they can, but at the inconvenience of people who genuinely require it.
Tony
As an able bodied person it appals me when I see people who have no need to using disabled facilities, likewise when I go to the supermarket and see rows of able bodied people parking in the disabled spots just because the are to dam lazy to walk, they would park at the checkout if they could get through the doors.
When I go away with the outlaws I am constantly ranting at them because they are the type who will use a disabled facility because "there is more room" my answer to them is "loose some weight you fat b****d" and you wouldn't need more room.
Oh and the other comment I had to deal with this year from them was " well I have not seen any disabled people on this site so it doesn't matter" absolutely no excuse in my book.
As an able bodied person it appals me when I see people who have no need to using disabled facilities, likewise when I go to the supermarket and see rows of able bodied people parking in the disabled spots just because the are to dam lazy to walk, they would park at the checkout if they could get through the doors.
When I go away with the outlaws I am constantly ranting at them because they are the type who will use a disabled facility because "there is more room" my answer to them is "loose some weight you fat b****d" and you wouldn't need more room.
Oh and the other comment I had to deal with this year from them was " well I have not seen any disabled people on this site so it doesn't matter" absolutely no excuse in my book.
sometimes people have disability's that you can't see like my son if you seen him he looks perfectly normal and is not in a wheelchair, he has autism,and we have to take him into the disabled shower as he cannot wash or dress himself so we need the extra space in the disabled shower.
l would not be so quick to judge other people.
l would not be so quick to judge other people.
Sharon
Ok Point taken but if I saw two people emerging from a disabled toilet I would use my common sense and assune that there was a perfectly valid reason for this. Not so when you see (as is my case) a perfectly healthy person hogging facilities which they have no right to IMHO
Ok Point taken but if I saw two people emerging from a disabled toilet I would use my common sense and assune that there was a perfectly valid reason for this. Not so when you see (as is my case) a perfectly healthy person hogging facilities which they have no right to IMHO
LMC produce a caravan ex-works with features especially for the disabled. The following page shows the layout of their model 560ROL:
http://www.lmc-caravan.com/webcontent.omeco?FOLDERID=648&PHPSESSID=fe08aad771fdbcc59ac5160d840f2d11&EVENT=item&ARTICLEID=472
http://www.lmc-caravan.com/webcontent.omeco?FOLDERID=648&PHPSESSID=fe08aad771fdbcc59ac5160d840f2d11&EVENT=item&ARTICLEID=472
graham, sorry l was not geting at you personally, it is just the amount of times while l am out with my son that l get comments about us using the disabled bays and toilets all makes me angry.
hi Sharon, We to have a disabled son of 30yrs and sometimes on site his dad takes him to the disabled shower and people look at them like they have no right to be there. He to looks normal. He needs help showering and dressing so the room in the disabled shower room is ideal. I am also in a wheelchair so my husband then goes along with me again to the shower room but this time the looks are more of sorrow than the discusting looks he had 10minutes beforehand. Also we are members of the Camping and Caravanning Club who will give you special membership for your son if you write to them. This then entitles your son to go free on any of their sites. Well worth it if you use their sites. Good camping. x
lmaooo I was eating when I read your comment and nearly choked lolol I bet your inlaws love you heheh but I can see where your coming from.
hi erica, at least we are not the only ones that get stared at. on site l find it easier with the children they just come straight up to you and ask questions, like when my son who is 9yrs old,is on the park and is making a lot of strange noises and not talking to them. we adults have lost that ability we either stare or look away.
l will look into that with the camping and caravanning club.
l will look into that with the camping and caravanning club.
My wifes parents are both disabled. We go off as a family group of at least three caravans as father is agrophobic and is a cronic asmatic. Mother has had several mini strokes and arthritic.
I've adapted their van to enable a standard "London taxi" ramp to be used instead of steps for entry, which makes getting in and out of the van easy for them and the grand children.
Father being an ex lorry driver can handle the drive of the outfit solong as we are there just incase anything goes wrong like a puncture. You see his agrophobia centers around what can go wrong and that then causes a panic attack if the inevitable does happen.
Me. I'm an asmatic too and also suffer adult sleep apnea, which means that I have to sleep with an air pump and mask at night belting out about 15psi of air just to make sure I don't pop my clogs. Without it my heart rate can go well below 40bpm.
To look at me and father you'd not see anything wrong with us on the face of it, I still manage to hold down a three shift job etc.
We just carry on regardless and make the most of what we have.
Last year I planned a two week five site, 1100 mile tour of Scotland for four caravans and we all had a great time. Yes we had a few car problems along the way and a few bits go wrong on the vans but with our resourcefull DIY nature we conquered all.
People think we're loony pushing father in a wheel chair up mountains but hell, he has fun and so do we. We joke about their electric buggies that they should have four wheel drive. I've got a great vidieo of mother going over a cattle grid on her buggy when the others left her to her own devices for a few mo's.
Lifes too short to sit around festering. Live it to the max, solong as your happy that's what matters I say.
I've adapted their van to enable a standard "London taxi" ramp to be used instead of steps for entry, which makes getting in and out of the van easy for them and the grand children.
Father being an ex lorry driver can handle the drive of the outfit solong as we are there just incase anything goes wrong like a puncture. You see his agrophobia centers around what can go wrong and that then causes a panic attack if the inevitable does happen.
Me. I'm an asmatic too and also suffer adult sleep apnea, which means that I have to sleep with an air pump and mask at night belting out about 15psi of air just to make sure I don't pop my clogs. Without it my heart rate can go well below 40bpm.
To look at me and father you'd not see anything wrong with us on the face of it, I still manage to hold down a three shift job etc.
We just carry on regardless and make the most of what we have.
Last year I planned a two week five site, 1100 mile tour of Scotland for four caravans and we all had a great time. Yes we had a few car problems along the way and a few bits go wrong on the vans but with our resourcefull DIY nature we conquered all.
People think we're loony pushing father in a wheel chair up mountains but hell, he has fun and so do we. We joke about their electric buggies that they should have four wheel drive. I've got a great vidieo of mother going over a cattle grid on her buggy when the others left her to her own devices for a few mo's.
Lifes too short to sit around festering. Live it to the max, solong as your happy that's what matters I say.
Hi Steve,
I,m glad you all get away and enjoy yourselves dispite your problems, it really gives me a tonic to hear that other people are making the most of their lives and not hiding away from the world.
We have a disabled son with learning difficulties he,s now 30years old, he loves to go caravanning and he,s the first in the car when we are off somewhere. I myself use a wheelchair and have an elecric one which I just love , it gives me the freedom I want and means I don,t have to really on my husband all the time without it I,d be lost.
So carry on enjoying yourselves and of course your caravanning. Good caravanning all disabled caravanners for 06. Keep up the good work.
I,m glad you all get away and enjoy yourselves dispite your problems, it really gives me a tonic to hear that other people are making the most of their lives and not hiding away from the world.
We have a disabled son with learning difficulties he,s now 30years old, he loves to go caravanning and he,s the first in the car when we are off somewhere. I myself use a wheelchair and have an elecric one which I just love , it gives me the freedom I want and means I don,t have to really on my husband all the time without it I,d be lost.
So carry on enjoying yourselves and of course your caravanning. Good caravanning all disabled caravanners for 06. Keep up the good work.
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