"dave" wrote | An elderly grandparent can no longer manage to climb the stairs in his | house so we are looking at getting a stairlift installed. There are so | many companies out there offering rental as well a buying I'd appreciate | some first hand comments/experiences from the group. | As the cost looks like a few thosand pounds we can't afford to get this | wrong eg poor quality, lack of spares etc etc.
I used to work for a Social Work department (a few years ago) and they had a limited number of contractors they would use. The only one I remember was Grorud Lifts of Co Durham. Try googling for them. Otherwise ask the SW occupational therapists dept for their approved contractor list and advice.
| The stair layout is 2 steps up, 90 degree turn, 10 more steps, another | 90 deg turn and two more steps to the landing. I see there are curved | lifts available as well as straight - he can manage the 2 step parts | so we could get a straight one. However could be false economy if his | abilities diminish.
I think so, it might be best to assume he will have at some point to transfer to/from a wheelchair at each end.
Have you considered whether a downstairs room can be changed into a bedroom and a downstairs cloakroom have a shower added? This may make care easier than having to use a stairlift, and a shower room may actually add value onto the house, unlike a stairlift which won't.
Or even, dare I say it, move into a bungalow or retirement/sheltered housing (not a 'home' but his own property, albeit one that has an alarm button and possibly a warden). This would also relieve him and you of some of the burdens of maintaining a house and probably allow him to maintain more independence longer. He can also be much more involved in the decision making if it's done by choice rather than necessity. My mother moved into a bungalow when she retired and with hindsight it was a wise move as she has been able to manage despite periods of infirmity. It would have been much harder in a two-storey house.
From a financial point of view, selling the house, buying a retirement property and disbursing the surplus (if any) to relatives now may be much better than waiting until the vultures move in demanding he sell his house to pay for his care.
Owain