Stairlift experiences

Mojisola

Buzby wrote: »

I bought one for my Mum, it cost all of £350 and was an excellent buy. It appeared on eBay and the caveat was that I had to remove it from a house in Newport (300 miles away). This was achieved with basic tools and it gave excellent service.

There appears to be a belief that fitting a stairlift is the exclusive domain of specialist companies - yet if you can lay laminate flooring or are moderately hand with tools, you can save a fortune.

If you buy a second-hand stairlift like this, make sure it's one designed to be on the same side of the staircase as you will be fitting it.

Most stairlifts only have the sensors that stop it in an emergency on one side. It's possible to get a foot trapped - or a worse accident - if it doesn't automatically stop when something comes between it and the stairs.

ronmiel

It will be harder to find a secondhand one for a staircase with a bend in it. We managed to find a straight one for my husband to use in our other house, it was on Ebay and cost £60, my son fitted it.
As the seat folds up there was no problem with able bodied people usinf the stairs.
It was one of the most useful things we bought and my husband had lots of use out of it and so did I. It is especially useful if you only have an upstairs toilet.

badger09

ericonabike wrote: »

My mother-in-law is 84 and living alone in her own home. She is reasonably spry and mobile, but the stairs are gradually becoming more and more of a challenge. And so we are starting to think about stairlifts - a subject of which I know nothing, save for the name Stannah!

Sshe lives in an end terrace house, with a dog leg staircase starting from the hall. right next to the front door.

I'd appreciate any experiences or advice that forumites may have, on the likely cost, feasibility and useability of these devices. She was in hospital recently to have a pacemaker fitted and they gave us a list of local suppliers, but I'd prefer to have at least some background knowledge before asking anyone to quote.

My 89 year old dad in law couldn't climb their stairs, which sound similar to your mum's. We used this company and I can't praise them too highly.

http://www.directstairlifts.co.uk/

We chose to rent (the Brooks Lincoln), rather than buy and were happy with the cost £299 to install (and remove) and £39.50 per month. Both dad & mum in law found it easy to use.

Sadly dad in law had to go into respite care in May last year and died shortly afterwards and mum in law is now in a care home, so we needed the stairlift for less than a year. The men who fitted and removed it were punctual, polite and made no mess. Their website is also very helpful

[Deleted User]

I recently had a stairlift installed its a Minivator and its been great and the company Handicare were amazing and nothing was too much trouble for them.My stairs being an old cottage have a 49% incline so because of my mobility problems I had been going up on my hands and knees and coming down on my butt (pretty undignified and very uncomfortable) I only wished I had got one sooner.Its made such a difference to me being able to go up and down stairs as I want to and not just putting it off until I had to.They weren't cheap but as my stairs are straight up when it gets to the top it swivels round and I just stand up at the top.
I had my bathroom changed and adapted as well so I now can walk in my shower rather than climb perilously over the bath edge and wobble about hanging onto a rail to have a shower.The local council quoted three year waiting list for the bathroom and two years plus for the stairlift even though the O/T had reccomended both for my safety.
Luckily I was funded by my late OH Masonic lodge and they were fantasic and within a month of two chaps coming to see me the go ahead was given and my lift was installed and the bathroom renovated.Its made such a huge difference to me and I am far more able to do things indoors without my DDs worrying about me having a fall or not being able to get in and out of the bath easily.I am one very happy old dear and having these things installed has made a huge impact on my daily life :):):)

Mojisola

JackieO wrote: »

Its made such a difference to me being able to go up and down stairs as I want to and not just putting it off until I had to.They weren't cheap but as my stairs are straight up when it gets to the top it swivels round and I just stand up at the top.

My parents had a stairlift fitted because Mum needed it but Dad said he hadn't realised how he'd been avoiding going up and down the stairs. They both said having the stairlift had given them back the full use of the house - before they were upstairs at night and then restricting themselves to the downstairs in the day.

It also changed their attitude to all the aids that are available. Mum was very reluctant to use anything because she felt that it was "giving in" - the improvement in their lives when they got the stairlift made her realise that the OT's mantra of "these aids preserve your independence" was actually true.

zaksmum

My old Dad got a stairlift which he was delighted with as he could get upstairs without struggle.

He went into hospital four days after it was fitted and never came out again.

The stairlift had to go as it was in everybody's way then - my sister and her family lived with Dad.

The company who fitted it came out to remove it and offered my sister one tenth of what they'd charged my Dad for it. She had no choice but to accept.

Mojisola

zaksmum wrote: »

The company who fitted it came out to remove it and offered my sister one tenth of what they'd charged my Dad for it. She had no choice but to accept.

That's disgraceful.

She could have sold it privately for more than that.

John_Pierpoint

Most of these high mark up gizmos: Stair lift - Bath Knight - etc. simply plug into the nearest 13 Amp socket so do not need to be fitted by an electrician at vast expense.

Ah well all I have got left is a mid blue motorised tip, up/down & support your legs, chair - ideal for falling asleep in front of the TV .

I have tried an advert in the local paper and one chap was very keen, but his huge backside was too wide to fit comfortably.

Any suggestions for the best way to sell it - Measuring 52" high x 33" deep x 28" wide, I think it will just fit into the back of my Mondeo estate car.

zaksmum

Mojisola wrote: »

That's disgraceful.

She could have sold it privately for more than that.

She could have, but she was mourning our Dad and in no frame of mind to have people traipsing through the house haggling with her over the stairlift.

Mojisola

zaksmum wrote: »

She could have, but she was mourning our Dad and in no frame of mind to have people traipsing through the house haggling with her over the stairlift.

I understand that. I didn't mean she should have - I meant it was worth more than the company gave her.

I expect they play on the fact that people are grieving and just want the stairlift out of the way when they make these low offers.