Using an RV to transport wheelchair bound mother across country

Parent Cafe
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<p>My sister lives in Virginia, and my mother is currently in Houston, Texas. My sister has a crazy idea to transport my wheelchair bound mother up to Virginia to place her in a facility up there by using an RV. She would like us all to accompany her, make it a family “adventure”, and thinks it would be the best option to get Mom up to Virginia. </p>

<p>At first, I scoffed. Mom has to use the bathroom just about every hour. However, right now, she is in a diaper in skilled nursing care, so maybe I could put her in an adult diaper for the trip. Since we would be in an RV, we could share the driving and make it straight through, without having to stop in a hotel. We would stop for meals along the way, and have easy meals in the RV.</p>

<p>I know, Virginia is a long way, but even Houston to New Orleans is problematic. Because of her size, I don’t think we could get her on a plane. She weighs over 350 pounds and cannot even transfer from her wheelchair to a chair at this point.</p>

<p>Any opinions on how to transport my mom, or any tips/links on moving disabled people over long distances?</p>

<p>Sure, I know there’s ambulances, but I can’t imagine they’d be willing to drive my Mom from Houston to New Orleans, much less Virginia.</p>

<p>And if you think the RV method is totally undoable, can you make any suggestions for other means of transporting her?</p>

<p>Other than her wheelchair status and obesity, my mom is in excellent health, no heart problems or breathing problems. She is wheelchair bound because of breaking many limbs and having plates and screws, and has never gained full mobility after short rehab stints. So, I’m really not worried about Mom having a heart attack along the way. I’m not being flip. I’m just stating the fact that her size is really the big deterrent here.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for any help.</p>

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<p>Purchase all 3 bulkhead seats, 2 for mom and one for the person accompanying her.
I have been on flights where the patient has been on a gurney setup with curtains in a middle row. It may be a bit pricey (but probably not more than renting an RV and gas). Check with airlines.</p>

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<p>OP- have you tried contacting the Houston Area Agency on Aging-(713) 627-3200? They might have some ideas.</p>

<p>I know from my experience with my mother- she has a hard time climbing stairs so we try to stay away from them. The steps on an RV can be worse than regular stairs so I would look into the type steps that the RV has. Plus the bathrooms in an RV are not known for their roominess. Even if your mom is in a diaper, she will still need to clean up and that requires room.</p>

<p>I would look into non emergency medical transportation services. You may have to pay more but it might be worthwhile and a lot less stressful for you and your sister.</p>

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<p>Some airlines will allow a [“customer</a> of size”](<a href=“http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/extra_seat_policy_faq.html]"customer”>Customer of Size Information | Southwest Airlines) to purchase two economy class seats. However, getting into an airplane lavatory would likely be a problem.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into those. Keep them coming!</p>

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<p>We used an ambulance to transport our mother to a different state, about 10 hours trip. I rode in the back with her. There was a driver and an medical helper. Maybe they were both EMTs. We only stopped for gas/rest rooms/McDonalds. I have no idea what it cost, but the service is definitely available.</p>

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<p>I got a quote back from one company that I found through a google search, and just the trip from Houston to Louisiana will be about 3200. I can’t imagine what it will be to Virginia, which is at least twice, if not three times as long. I did email them back for a quote for that. </p>

<p>I may look into the airline option as well, though we would probably need medical transport to and from the respective airports.</p>

<p>When my sister suggested this, I did tell her it would cost thousands of dollars to do this. I thought I was exaggerating.</p>

<p>I’m in a pickle, though, as I cannot leave my Mom in Houston much longer. </p>

<p>Any other suggestions are most welcome!</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

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<p>Have you checked with her insurance company to see what, if anything, they will pay for? If she is going to an assisted care facility of some sort, they might? My mother’s transport was at least partially covered.</p>

<p>It does sound to me like medical transport by air would be best given the distance.</p>

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<p>Have you checked out this link for non-emergency medical transport services?
[Non-Emergency</a> Medical Ground & Air Transportation](<a href=“Non-Emergency Medical Ground & Air Transportation”>Non-Emergency Medical Ground & Air Transportation)</p>

<p>On the RV -
It might work as long as you can figure out how to get her in and out of it. You’d have to check specific ones out for this. You could probably talk to an RV rental place about getting a wheelchair in/out of it since they probably get that question every now and then. It’d be pretty tough to pull a wheelchair with a 350 pound weight in it up some steps so you need to make sure however you do it she remains safe. I know there are some lifts made for this purpose but I don’t know if they can be rented but the RV place may know.</p>

<p>Once in the RV you need to make sure there’s enough room to maneuver wherever she needs to go in it.</p>

<p>With the RV you could bring a bedside commode and your mom could probably use that so she wouldn’t really need to get into the bathroom. </p>

<p>Also, if you have the RV, why not sleep in it rather than pay for motels along the way? It might be easier for your mom to just stay there and you could probably sleep in it also. Just an idea.</p>

<p>You could also cook in the RV and save some money that way as well.</p>

<p>A handicapped accessible RV as an example -
<a href=“http://www.hwhrv.com/physically-challenged.asp[/url]”>http://www.hwhrv.com/physically-challenged.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Check out this place in Houston that rents handicapped accessible vans. Maybe it’s an option - </p>

<p>[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.handicapvans.net/]handicapvans.net[/url”&gt;http://www.handicapvans.net/]handicapvans.net[/url</a>]</p>

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<p>Montegut - This trip would be quite an “adventure” IMHO. Moving my Dad around was a struggle for my brothers and I … and he was only half your Mom’s, um, presence. I checked into wheelchair-capable vans for rent in Houston. It looks like $125/day plus $0.35/mile … and you’d probably need to return the van to Houston. With ten minute breaks every hour, the drive would be nearly thirty hours … yikes.</p>

<p>I guess my only constructive suggestion would be to have a strong helper along when you make the trip. As my Mom used to say “I can’t pick your father up anymore. I can’t even hold him up.”</p>

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<p>My sister’s RV suggestion was to avoid having to pay for motels and meals along the way. Mom would want to get a hot meal once in a while, so we would get take out.</p>

<p>I’m doing some googling and even gotten some responses, but I really welcome all of your suggestions.</p>

<p>I’m starting with a Houston to New Orleans quote, then asking for Virginia if I get any bites.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all your help, and again, keep them coming!</p>

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<p>Since my brother lives in Houston, I may be able to have him do the driving to and fro. My sister in law will have a fit, but if it means getting my mom out of Houston, she would probably go along with it. </p>

<p>I’ve bookmarked the wonderful sites y’all have referenced, and will have something to talk to my siblings about when we clean out Mom’s old room at the assisted living facility this weekend.</p>

<p>Thank you again for all your help. You guys are great!</p>

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<p>

Pretty much all RVs have stoves and microwaves so you could use for the hot food that and avoid fast food junk food and save more money as well.</p>

<p>On the van - these appear to be smaller family owned businesses so maybe you could contact them with your particular need, i.e. a drive from Houston to Va and back, and get a fixed price for it rather than having to pay their stock daily and mileage rate. they may be open to some negotiation.</p>

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<p>I’ve been looking into this for my mother. A friend suggested a medical transport bus (google medical transport) and it’s possible that the new care facility might share the cost of transport.</p>

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<p>I’d be seriously doubtful that your mom’s hygiene needs could be met in an RV; I’ve never seen an RV with a wheelchair-accessible bathroom much less one that would handle a wheelchair and an aide. </p>

<p>The airlines have special services desks specifically to help handicapped travelers like your mom. Here’s the link to American’s:
[American</a> Airlines Offers Accessibility And Assistance For Customers With Disabilities](<a href=“http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/customersWithDisabilities.jsp]American”>Special assistance − Travel information − American Airlines)</p>

<p>I’m not sure which airline(s) would be relevant for you, but this is an approach very frequently used even with passengers who are quite ill or infirm. The total time involved is SO much less than driving, and I’d guess it would be less than the cost of renting an RV and paying for gas and trip costs. </p>

<p>Air ambulance services often make arrangements for stretcher transport on commercial planes, but if she doesn’t need that, I’d just go through the airlines directly and try to find a non-stop flight that is not the last flight of the day.</p>