Part of the GET WISE series from BHTA is a guide to help you make the right decision buying a stairlift.
There are currently over 23 million households in the UK, many in buildings more than fifty years old and most of which contain steps. This isn’t a problem when you have no difficulty climbing stairs, but if – for whatever reason – even a couple of steps becomes a major barrier or physical hazard, your own home can suddenly quite seriously disable you. When this happens, you are left with four choices: do nothing, all too quickly losing the ability to live independently in your own home; you can re-organise the house in order to live and sleep downstairs; you can move to a bungalow or ground floor flat; or you can install some form of domestic lift, such as a stairlift or a through-the-floor lift. This last option is likely to be the least distressing, the most practical, and financially prudent means of ensuring you retain as much independence as possible.
Choosing your stairlift Who to turn to?
When installing a domestic lift, your first move should be to get an independent assessment of your daily living needs by a BHTA stairlift member. Occupational Therapists (OTs) and other healthcare professionals can often offer independent advice not only on potential access solutions, but also on the variety of grants and funding options which may be available to help with the cost, which will be financially means tested. Independent Living Centres can also help. This discussion will help you to decide how best to solve your problems and you’ll be in a much better position to get the support and facilities you need.
Click below to continue reading the BHTA guide to buying a stairlift.
https://issuu.com/bhta/docs/gw_tbas_2020?fr=sZTQxYjIzMDg5ODU
Source BHTA
