Floor Lift or Stair Lift?

[Jennifer51]

Sorry I could not work out how to start a new thread... I am looking for peoples experiences with stair lifts or through floor lifts. We were advised by OT to have a thru floor lift and understand the reasons why...but we really dont want all the disruption etc...Are we THAT crazy to opt for a simple stair lift. We have looked at the better suited models where the chair turns at the top and you can transfer sideways. We have bathrooms upstairs and down, so would only need to up and down once per day, and there would be no problem to stay upstairs some days..can make a small lounge upstairs. I do not want to sleep downstairs and loose all my upstairs to this disease. BUT are we being too silly to not go down the line of thru floor lift. we accept and are prepared to pay for help for my husband with the lifting etc. I really value other peoples perspective on this...I am still just mobile enough to use my stairs, but these things have to be organised some way ahead of the time I will need it... jennifer51

 

[Al]

Hi Jennifer. Friends of mine installed a stair lift in their home and then it became impossible for him to transfer alone. The Home Care workers couldn't help him with it because of liability concerns. The lift sat for months not being used. He had a hard time holding his back up on it as well. While more bothersome to install, I think a floor lift would be better in the long run as you could wheel the chair on and off and get longer use of it.

AL.

 

[Jennifer51]

thru floor lift or stair lift

Thanks Al...that is what we were thinking... I do have my husband at home full time and we thought that we could always get a friend or our adult children to call in and help...plus we are fully prepared to pay for daily help....BUT the back height of the chair has been an issue with all the chairs, and we did have concerns about that, and staying on it securely...but like everything else with this condition...until you get there you just dont know what you need...appreciate your advice.

 

[Al]

Hope you don't mind Jen but I thought you might get more answers if I made a thread for you.

AL.

 

[nspoc]

Hi Jennifer -

We installed chair lifts and they were OK for 2 years - but eventually Pat could not be transferred safely in them - a floppy back is really dangerous for the pALS and for the person helping with the transfer.

We had to have them removed. We now have a Savaria V1504-R lift. It is not cut through the floor - it sits on a stand with 4 large bolts that hold it steady. The mechanism is hung on a tower that holds the hydraulics mechanism. It has sides and 2 doors - but no top - not like a true elevator. You may have seen some small ones in churches.

Go to the Savaria website for pictures.

We would have saved ourselves $15,000 if we could have had advice on this - we did not know about this website at the time. Also - we thought we were looking ahead - Pat could walk at the time - but it is hard to imagine your needs that far in advance.

Go for some type of wheelchair lift - forget the stairlifts - too temporary, wasted money. Luckily we could take them out and install them in my parents' house ($2,500 later!).

Good luck - Beth

 

[mndireland]

Just a thought

I was just thinking if you already have a downstairs bathroom why not make a downstairs bedroom? If you have a lounge or spare room there would be really no heavy work involved, if not what about a small extenstion? We have a similar problem and at the moment we are getting our extenstion built, we need a downstairs bathroom and bedroom. I know cost can be a problem but does the state help with this?
It seems on a lot of sites this is a problem, maybe we are very lucky over here in Ireland, since my mom has been diagnosed, we have been supplied and fitted with handrails all over, a new electric recliner chair, electric recliner bed, a manual wheelchair, an electric wheelchair and lots of other things like walkers cutlery etc. This is all free of charge, obviously taken back when she is no longer with us, but all of this can be great. Also there are associations that help with these, at the moment the state is paying for our 30k extension! I have to say I have a lot of respect for our government for this nowadays! This is the good that our taxes go for.........:-D

 

[Al]

Jennifer is in London England. Do they have the same services as Ireland?

AL.

 

[rose]

Jennifer is in London England. Do they have the same services as Ireland?

AL.

Dublin is part of the UK, so probably (?) the same, Al ~ although if it were Belfast it would be different for sure ...

 

[Jennifer51]

stair lift of thru floor

Hello MD ireland.
I appreciate your thoughts on this subject.
We DO have a downstairs cloakroom and it would be really simple to add a shower to it, at very little cost...but we have a lovely home, and had started to update it last year before the beast arrived (lived here for 30 years) . so I have a lovely new bedroom, indeed the whole of the upstairs has just been completed (6 bedrooms) and I dont see why the beast should take away my enjoyment of all this, and I dont WANT to live downstairs... I would rather live upstairs and only come down on the odd occassion..we can easily have another lounge upstairs..we have 3 bathrooms upstairs, 2 of which will be suitable for longer term needs. At the moment I am able to walk up and downstairs ok, but it is getting difficult, so we are only planning at the moment but will do whatever we need within the next month or two, most likely and these things take up to 2 months to deliver. We would not get state assistance for any of this as it is means tested and we are way above the levels when they would help...which is fair enough. We bought electric beds about 15 years ago, as a treat, so we are ok there...The MND association are supplying the loan electric riser chair, the loan litewriter and they would supply a loan stairlift IF we had straight stairs, which we dont. The local authority have supplied the loan basic wheelchair...which I only need for things like airports or long distance at the moment. And they will supply all bathroom needs, like grab handles, shower chairs etc. I WANT to, and WILL go upstairs, so will have to sort this out. I think we both know that the thru floor lift is what we should have, we are just trying to tell ourselves that we CAN manage with a stairlift....but no matter what the Occupational therapist or the salesmen say, we really appreciate the views and experiences of the real people who HAVE to deal with this. Thanks for thoughts on this
jennifer51