©InfoWith the help of the Red Cross, Margaret Findley, 86, is recovering after she was knocked down by a bike on her way to a bus stop, and broke her arm.
She says: “I was walking down the road and I saw a young man on a bike. He was coming fast, so I thought: ‘I’m going to get out of the way.' I remember seeing the wheels, but I don’t remember any more until I found myself flat on my back. He was going so fast, the impact must’ve knocked me out. I ended up in hospital with a broken arm, scratches and bruises.”
While in hospital, Margaret was selected as a good candidate for Red Cross’ care in the home service. She says: “I’m grateful for the four visits I’ve had, because it was somebody to talk to. It was nice to know somebody cared. You could talk it out and get rid of it – you have to.”
Margaret lives in sheltered housing, but her tight-knit community has experienced five deaths this year. Although she has a caring family, Margaret believes the extra support the Red Cross provided is invaluable. She says: “You can often talk to strangers more than you can talk to your family, because you don’t want to worry your family.”
Rebuilding confidence
Margaret is determined not to brood on the incident. She says: “I’m still here and my arm has healed.” However, despite her positive attitude, she says: “The memory probably lasts longer than the fracture, because you’re more cautious. I used to walk straight up to the bus stop. I don’t any more – I cross over and go the other way.”
The Red Cross is helping Margaret to start to move on. She says: “I’ve made myself go to that particular bus stop. The Red Cross visits helped me – they gave me the confidence to try.”
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