A chairlift for the home

[moonie]

A big debate in my family is whether we should install one of those electric chairlifts for my mother's condo. She presently has a place that is vertical (3 floors, and 3 staircases). She has a myriad of health problems now that she didnt have 6 years ago when she purchased the place. She has half a hip replacement, which has slowed her down alot, and it takes a lot of energy to get up and down the stairs. She just recently broke her tibia (im sure the darn Cumadin and other drugs she's on for her high platelet count has made her bones quite brittle) and is getting back on her feet.

Does anyone have experience with a chairlift for the staircase? You've seen those commercials years ago, where you sit on the seat and the thing goes up the railing of the stairs? I think my mother will NEVER use it, as she is one tough cookie and would be too stubborn to relegate herself to it. My sisters are awfully loud about getting it to be proactive. (dont get me started on all of that drama, too- the one way to cause family stress is to have an aging, unhealthy parent).

Love to hear your input

[Estonut]

If you Google "stairlift," you'll get a ton of hits. The one below was one of the first ones, and it seems to have a lot of information, including costs and ways to finance.

http://www.stairliftsusa.com/

[jaybee]

Moonie -

I have a lot of clients who ask us to make their houses more accessable. Some of them have these stairway chairs. Most never used them very much and all eventually stopped using them. The problem is that the people who need to use them are typically getting older and more frail as time goes on - so even if they were OK with using them they will reach a point where they are not comfortable using them.

I don't know if this is a viable solution in your mom's case, but the best thing would be to relocate to a single-level home that better suits your mom's needs. I have lots of older clients who go for months at a time without going to the upstairs portion of their homes.

[MarleysGh0st]

I don't know if this is a viable solution in your mom's case, but the best thing would be to relocate to a single-level home that better suits your mom's needs. I have lots of older clients who go for months at a time without going to the upstairs portion of their homes.

This sounds like the best advice, moonie. I don't think MarleysMom has been upstairs since her hospitalization, two years ago.

[IHateSeat9]

I'd volunteer, but people don't seem to get up once they sit in my seat....

IHS9

[kayrharris]

I tend to agree with those who question whether she will use it.
In my mother's case, she wouldn't be able to get in and out of the chair by herself
and would be scared silly that she would end up falling down the entire staircase
once she got to the top!

[mellytu74]

A former coworker's dad had one. He used it, she said, and it was a real Godsend because they lived in a rowhouse.

However, he was also a crusty old longshoreman and no chair was going to beat him.

She's the only person I know, however, whose parent actually used the chair.

We talked about getting one for TLAF years ago, when we anticipated she was going to live in her rowhouse the rest of her life. I think her case was similar to Kay's mom. She was scared silly that she was going to tumble down the stairs and hurt herself.

[BackInTex]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

[Boring Mini]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?!? Great flick!

My s-i-l's m-i-l has one and of course refuses to use it and ends up in the ER on a regular basis...

[Rexer25]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Don't forget Gremlins.

[littlebeast13]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Don't forget Gremlins.

Gremlins was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread, but I figured it would be in bad taste to mention it.....

Yeah, I know, like that ever stopped me.....

lb13

[Boring Mini]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Don't forget Gremlins.

Gremlins was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread, but I figured it would be in bad taste to mention it.....

Yeah, I know, like that ever stopped me.....

lb13

All I can remember about Gremlins is Zach Galligan. And he just...disappeared. I was a teenager--so sue me!

[littlebeast13]

Don't forget Gremlins.

Gremlins was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread, but I figured it would be in bad taste to mention it.....

Yeah, I know, like that ever stopped me.....

lb13

All I can remember about Gremlins is Zach Galligan. And he just...disappeared. I was a teenager--so sue me!

And I was Stripe for Halloween in 4th grade....

lb13

[Rexer25]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Don't forget Gremlins.

Gremlins was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread, but I figured it would be in bad taste to mention it.....

Yeah, I know, like that ever stopped me.....

lb13

Yeah, I thought it wouldn't be appropriate either, but when the thread drifted into movies...

[WheresFanny]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?!? Great flick!

My s-i-l's m-i-l has one and of course refuses to use it and ends up in the ER on a regular basis...

Joan Crawford was the crippled one.

Didn't Rizzo's mother have one in Kiss of Death?

[kayrharris]

Gremlin's scared the heck out of me. Reminded me of bats or
something.

[WheresFanny]

All I can think of is the movie with the witchy woman (Bette Davis?) using one of those.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?!? Great flick!

My s-i-l's m-i-l has one and of course refuses to use it and ends up in the ER on a regular basis...

Joan Crawford was the crippled one.

Didn't Rizzo's mother have one in Kiss of Death?

Now that I think about it, wasn't the whole thing that Joan Crawford couldn't get down the steps?

Maybe it was Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, although I seem to recall Olivia de Havilland being the mean one that was gaslighting Bette Davis in that one.

[secondchance]

Olivia DeHavilland is the name that popped into my head, as well...

[secondchance]

I just looked around on IMDB.com -- perhaps we're thinking of O.DH. in "Lady In A Cage," where she used an elevator to go up and down her three stories. Creepy movie! And who remembers her in "The Screaming Lady"? Another doozie.

but back to the original question... best of luck with mom's plight. Hope it works out for what's best for her needs.