Why can’t things just be a little bit clearer?’ asks Jacqui

Hello, it’s Jacqui from Stockport.
Well, when I got my new, electric-powered wheelchair, I did read all the instructions and I went on the website and read them, but do you know, my mind with the Dementia is not always able to take in the instructions and even recipes I can’t read anymore because I will leave something out – I’m banned from the kitchen.
So, I’ve been charging the wheelchair and when I’m charging it I switch it on, because then I can see the battery’s going di-di-di-di-di-di-di, di-di-di-di-di, the colours and everything, so I think that’s ok. But then the other day my friend charged it, put it on charge and she didn’t have it switched on and I said ” Oh, it’s not going to charge like that!”
Well, she said “Really?” so that prompted me to go and have a look again and nowhere on the YouTube or in my little book does it say you have to switch it on. I suppose if you had to, they would tell you, but I don’t know, I’ve been doing it like that for a year now.
So I emailed the Sunrise Medical whatever and to ask them and something I’ve learnt now is when I email people, I should really say to them, “I have Dementia and it’s difficult for me to follow guide books and instructions for me,” because the nice lady sent me a guide for charging.
Well, that didn’t help me because it didn’t say clearly that I must put the battery on or off, that’s all I want to know – do I have it on or off? Ohh! So, what I did was, I emailed about three times, saying I don’t understand the book and then she – all I want to know is do you put it on or off – and then she answered kindly and said, “No, you must have it off” and I said, “Oh, my crikey, what have I done now? All this time I’ve been having it on!”
So now I emailed back and said “What, have I broken the (inaudible) now, the battery, because I’ve been doing this for a year now, with it on. But the thing I’ve learnt is, when I first contact these companies or – and I’m asking a question, I should say to them at the beginning, ” I have Dementia, can you clearly answer my question?” or something like that. Sending me a guide just doesn’t work for me. Something I should be clearer in the future is to what my circumstances are, then they are on a better footing, in order to answer me. I think that’s better.
See you all,
Bye.