Stair Lift

[SLE-Warrior]

I have been having issues with my legs since February. I brought myself a walking stick which I been using. My thought process was the walking stick improve the pain and in time I won't need it anymore.

Unfortunately, I am still using it. This evening I had to drag myself upstairs and the pain is unbearable. The only solution I can think of is getting a stair left.

I have some questions which I hope someone can answer.

1. Will the council provide one or help with financial costs?

2. If I were to get one, how soon will be fitted? Can it be done with social distancing?

3. How much it cost if I had to fund it myself?

If anyone as stair lift or had a similar situation of getting one, I would like to hear your experiences 😊

[Roarah]

Have you tried any physical therapy? For me a chair lift would be a very last result. I account my walking with very little limp after my massive stroke to having great physical therapy and having to go up and down stairs regularly in my three story house. When I do not use stairs frequently, like on holiday, I find my stiffness and post stroke pain to be even worse. I fully believe in a move it or you might permenantly lose it mantra.

[whisperit]

Hello BOD

Stairlifts are great. Both me and my parents have been assessed for them and the process in both cases - with 2 different teams - has been one of the best experiences of care services we have each had.

The situation will vary between authorities - each one will have different protocols and thresholds.

In both my and my parents' cases, our provision came from different joint health/social care community teams (in Wales! It's not all bad here!)

In my case, the A&E discharge coordinator made a referral to the Community OT/social care team after I'd been admitted to A&E following a fall. The community OT visited me at home to do an assessment within about a week, and discussed my needs. The fantastic thing was, there was no arguing, no pleading - I just said "This is what I think I need" and she took a look round and agreed. Such a pleasant change to the situation we so often find ourselves in trying to pursuade doctors or PIP assessors to help us out with something. Anyway, on the stairs, we agreed I should trial a double stair-rail before going for the stairlift. She also ordered a bath hoist, raised toilet seats and perching stool. A bloke came to fit it all 2 days later. It took him less than an hour (I was gobsmacked) and it was all completely free.

For my parents, I did the referral myself, calling the local social services department. Again, it wasnt a difficult process. Their community OT arrived about 2 weeks later and followed a similar process. A bloke came to fit the stairlift within a few days. In this case, there is a charge. They could either have bought the stairlift outright (just over £1000 iirc) or rented with an option to keep it at the end (£30 a month, which they pay using attendence allowance). They also had other aids like a bath/shower seat, supplied free.

A couple of points 1. For the community OT referral, local policies will differ, but you will probably need some kind of official diagnosis or clear reason for needing it. 2. Stairs that curve are a lot trickier and more expensive for stairlifts 3. My parents have found the stairlift absolutely brilliant 4. I found it quite difficult to get an idea for prices from private companies. They tend to say "It depends..." I saw a "Which?" report that said average cost is around £3k 5. I'll say it again, both my Welsh local authority homecare teams have been brilliant!

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