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It is probably just a phase, he will most likely forget about this after awhile. I would play along with him and say, " oh yeah, that sounds fun" I would not go buy it, just wait it out. He will probably forget about it in 2 weeks. Change the subject, distract him with a new topic.
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You do NOT get a mobility scooter to do what he wants to do. It is for home use only - and that only if he can operate it properly. If he wants to go places, someone will have to take him. DO NOT GET HIM A SCOOTER - It will end in disaster if he runs around town.
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Isthisrealyreal Oct 2020
Riley, I see mobility scooters all over my city. They are not all for in home use only. Some are big 4 wheel drive things that can go faster than someone walking.

I live in a bike friendly city, so most roads have safe lanes for "pedestrian" traffic. It touches my heart when I see people that I know would otherwise be isolated in their homes. They do serve a good purpose, under the right conditions.
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With your Dad’s memory issue I would recommend that you do not get him a scooter. But if he insists then take him to a mobility store so he can test drive various scooters. 
If he still wants one and you think he could use it at home, make sure the scooter is small enough to fit through doorways. Scooters are set at 4 or 5 MPH, and are not meant to be driven on the streets with auto traffic. They must be used on the sidewalk, unless you live in a very small community with light traffic and no sidewalks. A 4-wheel scooter is less likely to tip over than a 3-wheel scooter. To keep the batteries in good condition the scooter needs to be recharged at least every other day even if not used.
I’ve been using a scooter for 5 years and love my independence. My small town only has a post office, so I don’t travel far. It’s mostly used at home. Since Covid came along, I lost my housekeeper, and have had to learn to sweep, mop, and vacuum my home while on the scooter. I can still drive my car, but cannot walk. Transferring from car to scooter can be a challenge. Other times I can put it on the lift on my car and go to town and shop several stores or visit museums and other events. Senior transportation is another way to get to town with a scooter. 
Good luck. I know how your Dad feels.
There are many different scooters available. Prices start about $700.00 and up over $4000.00.  Pride and Golden are both good brands.
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Invisible Oct 2020
Thank you for your comments. I wish I HAD gotten my Dad a scooter as I think he literally died from boredom and the scooter could have at least given him a little more independence. With the need to keep it charged, etc. it is unlikely that a person with memory issues will just take off on their own. But with a companion, at least you can ride/walk beside them instead of having them feel so much at the mercy of whomever is pushing the wheelchair.
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Jewelly: Absolutely do NOT get him a scooter. That is an accident waiting to happen. Being unsteady on his feet is akin to being unsteady on a scooter. The answer that you're seeking is that he hasn't possessed a DL for a decade. It's a NO.
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Well that first sentence says it all. Safety to OTHERS in public, as well as dad 's safety takes precedence over fun, leisure time, boredom. I know he can use it in the home. He doesn't want to. He wants to use it in public.
He can't see, can't hear, and is unsteady on his feet. Can't operate a washing machine and doesn't remember where he is going. O_o
So yor going to turn him loose on the streets? He could crash into something, not hear pedestrians, ram into them, or traffic, and fall getting on /off. No way should he have a scooter! A plethora of safety issues. What if he falls and breaks a hip? Runs into a car, child/pedestrians? Its more like-how long till the first accident. And the legal issues of turning him loose. They could come after you too.. Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!!
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No way would he need to be turned loose on a scooter in a street with cars. I don't even think it's legal to put it on the street. I believe they are only allowed on sidewalks and not all sidewalks are in good shape. I wouldn't risk it.

How often do you think he would go? Maybe load a little money on a credit card and attach it to an uber account. He could call someone to order the uber so he could get to the shops. If he's not that far from the shops, maybe a cab. If this is something regular he wants to do, maybe he has a friend who you could set up a deal with to take him on certain days of the week - might walk around with him - or have a prearranged time to be picked up. Just pay the friend enough to make it worth his while, for time and gas.
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NeedHelpWithMom Oct 2020
It doesn’t seem sensible for him to ride on a scooter.
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There is no way a person with memory issues should be driving a scooter.

You say they are mild memory issues but all it takes is a matter of seconds to have an accident. This is a safety issue.

Sure, it’s sad that you can’t please him by not allowing him to have independence but safety has to come first.

Best wishes to you and your family.
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Revisiting this since it is a big deal for our family. My FIL has one of the mega-scooters - 4 wheels because he is a very large man. That thing has serious speed. And a back up beep!!  Between the size of the scooter and his size, together they are a very large obstacle.
About 5 years ago, he road it into the hospital (FYI, he can barely even get the thing in the house, forget about actually using it IN the house) from the car, for a surgery where the surgeon swore to him he would WALK out ( that in and of itself is another ridiculous story). He could not even walk back to the pre-op and all of their oversized wheelchairs were in use, so they stored his scooter back behind the 'medical personnel only' doors. 12 hours later, imagine that...he ISN'T walking out of the hospital as promised. He is being admitted to the hospital until they can find him a rehab (where he would stay for nearly 3 months to get even a tiny bit of mobility back...sorry....bitter about that one...it was elective) Anyway, we had to gather the scooter. My SIL and I had never even been on one, so please queue comedic music as we tried to navigate that thing from the surgical ward to his room in the same hospital. I had absolutely no idea how fast that thing could be, how to stop it or how much room it actually took up until that day. Getting on and off of elevators...you'd better hope you get one alone LOL.
In our history with it, he has nearly run over small children backing up, cars have had to slam on brakes in the parking lot because he will ride directly behind parking spots at full speed without looking at reverse lights. In his mind he has the right of way - which ok I guess....but he doesn't do any due diligence to protect himself.  He ran over my foot in an elevator (thankfully he caught just the toe of my boot and didn't actually hurt me, I managed to jerk my foot back as it was happening). He has left more tire marks in the oddest places. That thing is a danger I promise you. But he is so heavy at this point that pushing him is a lot of work in a wheelchair. Most hospitals don't have the oversized ones readily available - we usually have to ask for one if we are not taking him in with the scooter.
And as big as it is, (it weighs a lot) and as stable as it is - on 4 wheels and a big base....it can STILL turn over and has.
I've very biased I guess. I know they fulfill a purpose and they are lifesavers for a lot of people. I'm not going to lie and say we are not 100% dependent on his now. But if you can avoid it, please do. They are often much more trouble than they are worth and the more dependent, the more interventions you need to continue to use them. When you get into the 4 wheel, bigger base, stable ones...a lift of the car is usually necessary. Then it was a lift to get it from the garage to the door level. The thing can't be used in the house, so there are walkers EVERYWHERE to get him from point A to point B, a lift to get him upstairs of course. And the benefits don't necessarily outweigh the loss of mobility that comes with sitting down and being able to move quickly versus using a walker and having to expend energy. I'm not a huge fan!
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