The Spring 2015 edition of One Voice carried two first-rate articles about stairlifts, including Ann Craig’s account of buying her stairlift. The following are a few random thoughts about my experience.
1. Making the decision. This took some time, climbing the stairs had become gradually more difficult, but when is the right time to take the decision? I wanted to continue climbing stairs as long as I could, but the balance though was safety, so after a serious fall we made the decision to do something.
2. Install a lift or move. A bungalow would make life simple, however the decision was easy for us. We like our house, and for reasons of family and children, we need to live in the area for the time being and bungalows locally are in short supply and expensive.
3. Beware of free independent stairlift guides. I sent for a free guidebook advertised in the back pages of a newspaper. I was looking for a stairlift so it seemed like a good idea. Within a few hours I was receiving sales calls, some assertively, even aggressively seeking appointments. By contrast I contacted manufacturers and local suppliers directly, all of which were very helpful. By the way, the guide had no more useful information than any of the brochures.
4. What to do about the door at the bottom of our stairs. The position of the door meant that the rail of our straight lift would be a trip hazard. The solutions were to have a folding rail or a moving rail. The latter seemed like the best option for our household. The system works well although it makes an annoying beep when it moves. It is another moving part so it does need some maintenance so for piece of mind I have kept a service contract.
5. Style. The numbers of options of colours and designs are sadly very limited, so we decided the colour we liked best and redecorated. We needed a new carpet, so we had this fitted before the lift was installed. We keep a spare piece in the attic to make good when we move house.
All in all, the stairlift has made my life much easier and there is a sense of freedom. I can access upstairs again during the daytime and can again carry things up and down stairs. Little things, but it makes such a difference.
Different conditions, different backgrounds and different experiences.
Showing posts with label Stairlifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stairlifts. Show all posts
Monday, 1 August 2016
Thursday, 30 April 2015
I really didn’t want a stair-lift – Anne Craig
By 2007 I was struggling with the 7 inch risers on the stairs in our home and I knew I had to do something.
I tried everything to avoid having that stair-lift! I investigated bungalows in the vicinity, to discover that anything with a similar square footage to our home would cost at least £100K more. Then I researched a proper lift for our home, to discover that it could only be built onto the outside and in the process would block the main access into our garden. The lift was quoted at about £17K and with building costs it was just not feasible. Then I investigated a through-ceiling lift, to discover that it was around £9K and I would lose some of my lounge and – shock horror – my dressing table in the bedroom, with nowhere else for it to fit! No way!!
So I reluctantly started researching stair-lifts. Only to find that in 2007 there was only one brand that could deal with the 2 bends in my stairs. The company was ThyssenKrupp, a Dutch company which at the time sold their Flow 2 range through Acorn. Curved stair-lifts cost more, have to be individually manufactured and have to be more engineered than a straight lift. The cost was £7,500. Gulp. There was a small range of colours but since I was having to redecorate anyway I tried to make the chair look an integral part of the hall stairs and landing. No easy feat!
The chair, which has a safety belt, swivels round 70° to negotiate narrow, steep and bendy stairways and rides on a tube which is securely anchored by 7 metal stanchions along the length of the staircase. As you can see from the photos, it intrudes into the stairs to allow the chair itself to go up and down without touching the walls.
The seat itself is powered by a battery which is automatically recharged when docked at the bottom station. The seat armrest controls take 2 LR14 batteries. Since it is powered by batteries, the stair-lift can be used during a power cut. If the batteries fail, the emergency cord can be pulled out and the chair can descend so you don’t get stuck. There are additionally 2 wireless “call and park” remote control handsets which each take 2 LR14 batteries.
How has it been? I have had the stair-lift for seven and a half years now so it has cost about £1K per annum so far. I expect it to last another 10 years or so with servicing at around £100 each time. It has stopped working 4 times. Twice because I hadn’t noticed the replaceable arm batteries were needing to be replaced, once for a mystery stoppage which the engineer fixed the next day (it happened late at night), and once because the main battery needed replacing (I was informed by Acorn that the whole main power unit had to be replaced at a £2K cost which was completely incorrect when I checked with ThyssenKrupp. Once I complained the matter was sorted out satisfactorily, but if I hadn’t investigated……)
The installation and call engineers need special training so on call out it is important to specify the need for a Flow2 specialist.
There are silly things that I find annoying. It is difficult to open the arm rest cover to replace the batteries, the footrest mechanism is weak (hubby has had to tie it up with a hidden plastic tag), the thing is a bit slow and it does take up a bit
of space at the top of the stairs.
But overall it does get me up and down stairs. I can carry things on it and it enables me to continue living in our home with its easy access, lovely garden and its short distance to the village with its independent shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs and a supermarket. A necessary evil!!
If you are ready for a stair-lift please speak to Sue Walker at the NMC, your OT or an Independent Living Centre before doing anything. It is a lot cheaper if you have straight stairs and you may be eligible for free support. (I was over the monetary threshold). Although I had no advice when I got my lift, the world has changed a lot since 2007!
I tried everything to avoid having that stair-lift! I investigated bungalows in the vicinity, to discover that anything with a similar square footage to our home would cost at least £100K more. Then I researched a proper lift for our home, to discover that it could only be built onto the outside and in the process would block the main access into our garden. The lift was quoted at about £17K and with building costs it was just not feasible. Then I investigated a through-ceiling lift, to discover that it was around £9K and I would lose some of my lounge and – shock horror – my dressing table in the bedroom, with nowhere else for it to fit! No way!!
So I reluctantly started researching stair-lifts. Only to find that in 2007 there was only one brand that could deal with the 2 bends in my stairs. The company was ThyssenKrupp, a Dutch company which at the time sold their Flow 2 range through Acorn. Curved stair-lifts cost more, have to be individually manufactured and have to be more engineered than a straight lift. The cost was £7,500. Gulp. There was a small range of colours but since I was having to redecorate anyway I tried to make the chair look an integral part of the hall stairs and landing. No easy feat!
The chair, which has a safety belt, swivels round 70° to negotiate narrow, steep and bendy stairways and rides on a tube which is securely anchored by 7 metal stanchions along the length of the staircase. As you can see from the photos, it intrudes into the stairs to allow the chair itself to go up and down without touching the walls.
The seat itself is powered by a battery which is automatically recharged when docked at the bottom station. The seat armrest controls take 2 LR14 batteries. Since it is powered by batteries, the stair-lift can be used during a power cut. If the batteries fail, the emergency cord can be pulled out and the chair can descend so you don’t get stuck. There are additionally 2 wireless “call and park” remote control handsets which each take 2 LR14 batteries.
How has it been? I have had the stair-lift for seven and a half years now so it has cost about £1K per annum so far. I expect it to last another 10 years or so with servicing at around £100 each time. It has stopped working 4 times. Twice because I hadn’t noticed the replaceable arm batteries were needing to be replaced, once for a mystery stoppage which the engineer fixed the next day (it happened late at night), and once because the main battery needed replacing (I was informed by Acorn that the whole main power unit had to be replaced at a £2K cost which was completely incorrect when I checked with ThyssenKrupp. Once I complained the matter was sorted out satisfactorily, but if I hadn’t investigated……)
The installation and call engineers need special training so on call out it is important to specify the need for a Flow2 specialist.
There are silly things that I find annoying. It is difficult to open the arm rest cover to replace the batteries, the footrest mechanism is weak (hubby has had to tie it up with a hidden plastic tag), the thing is a bit slow and it does take up a bit
of space at the top of the stairs.
But overall it does get me up and down stairs. I can carry things on it and it enables me to continue living in our home with its easy access, lovely garden and its short distance to the village with its independent shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs and a supermarket. A necessary evil!!
If you are ready for a stair-lift please speak to Sue Walker at the NMC, your OT or an Independent Living Centre before doing anything. It is a lot cheaper if you have straight stairs and you may be eligible for free support. (I was over the monetary threshold). Although I had no advice when I got my lift, the world has changed a lot since 2007!
Stair Lifts
When you have a disability there comes a point when climbing stairs can become very exhausting and risky. When you get to this stage it is worth considering the options. You could think about moving (this can be very costly and you might not either want to, or feel ready to move to a single-storey property) or, stay where you are and consider installing a stair-lift.
Choosing a stair-lift
It is really important to choose a stair-lift that best suits your needs, lifestyle and works with your home. Stair-lifts can vary enormously in price.
Before placing an order it is advisable to have your stairs assessed so that you can choose the right stair-lift for your type of stairs. They will:
You can get either a straight stair-lift or curved stair-lift. Straight stair-lifts can only travel in straight lines and therefore cannot turn a corner or go around a bend. They can be more suitable for narrow stairs. Curved stair-lifts have tracks and are designed to suit staircases that turn corners. They tend to have a snugger fit.
Various chairs can fit on to either straight or curved staircases. Each chair has different features and benefits. You can opt for a manual swivel seat or a powered swivel seat.
When companies visit your home there should no pressure and no obligation. It is a good idea to have a second person with you, a PA, family member or friend. Some companies favour one maker of stair-lift, others do not. Remember to ask about a warranty and service plan. Local Independent Living Centres are also a good source of advice.
Delivery, Installation and After Sales
Delivery tends to depend on the type of lift you order. The more complex the order then the longer the lead time. Most stair-lifts only take a few hours to install but the more individualised the stair-lift then the longer it will take. Occasionally, slight alterations may need to be made prior to the lift installation. It is important to find out about what support is available should something go wrong with the stair-lift and also about servicing.
Benefits of having a star-lift
The thought of having a stair-lift can be daunting. However, try and think about the benefits of having one.
Choosing a stair-lift
It is really important to choose a stair-lift that best suits your needs, lifestyle and works with your home. Stair-lifts can vary enormously in price.
Before placing an order it is advisable to have your stairs assessed so that you can choose the right stair-lift for your type of stairs. They will:
- measure your stairs and the supplier will be able to tell you if you need to make any adjustments to accommodate the new stair-lift for example move a radiator.
- ask if you are left or right handed and suggest which side the controls should go.
- measure the length of your leg when sitting to ensure that you don’t graze your knees when going up and down. They will want to know your weight and will ask about your mobility.
- explore the option of adding power features which might be useful in the future.
You can get either a straight stair-lift or curved stair-lift. Straight stair-lifts can only travel in straight lines and therefore cannot turn a corner or go around a bend. They can be more suitable for narrow stairs. Curved stair-lifts have tracks and are designed to suit staircases that turn corners. They tend to have a snugger fit.
Various chairs can fit on to either straight or curved staircases. Each chair has different features and benefits. You can opt for a manual swivel seat or a powered swivel seat.
When companies visit your home there should no pressure and no obligation. It is a good idea to have a second person with you, a PA, family member or friend. Some companies favour one maker of stair-lift, others do not. Remember to ask about a warranty and service plan. Local Independent Living Centres are also a good source of advice.
Delivery, Installation and After Sales
Delivery tends to depend on the type of lift you order. The more complex the order then the longer the lead time. Most stair-lifts only take a few hours to install but the more individualised the stair-lift then the longer it will take. Occasionally, slight alterations may need to be made prior to the lift installation. It is important to find out about what support is available should something go wrong with the stair-lift and also about servicing.
Benefits of having a star-lift
The thought of having a stair-lift can be daunting. However, try and think about the benefits of having one.
- It will reduce the amount of effort required by you. This is particularly important at the end of the day when you are likely to be really tired as you climb the stairs to bed.
- As a result you will conserve energy.
- It will give you greater independence.
- It will allow you to go upstairs more often if you need to. There’s nothing quite like regaining the pleasure of going up and down stairs whenever you like.
- It will allow you to be with your family.
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