While many people will think of a stair lift being useful for an individual with a physical disability and immediately make this connection between the two, there are other uses for stair lifts where mobility issues might not occur in the direct sense of physical disability but still problems due to other diseases like Alzheimer’s.

There can be added challenges when an individual with Alzheimer’s might be reluctant to use a stair lift and understandably it may lead to frustration for the person with the disease, there is also the added difficulty that once a person with Alzheimer begins to use it (if you can get them to) will they continue to do so as time passes.?

Clearly an individual with Alzheimer’s will not be expected to learn to use it on their own so there still needs to be assistance in that aspect and if the user can be convinced to use it regularly then it will increase safety and make things slightly easier for both the Alzheimer’s sufferer and those living with and/or caring for the person.

I think that there could be a risk of a stair lift being  installed prematurely though and it is probably a good idea to see how a person gets on with things first as each person is different, some people can deteriorate more quickly than others and if one person is still managing the stairs well enough for the time being then it would probably be best to carry on this way until difficulties begin to arise.

I dont think that there would be any benefit from having a stair lift installed earlier, unless there was an indirect benefit by getting one installed sooner like taking advantage of a deal or the installation falling in line with other changes to a persons home that might make sense to those involved.

While there is no way of knowing if an Alzheimer’s sufferer will use one once it is installed, you can at least avoid creating unnecessary obstacles for the person by hesitating a little before making the decision to have one installed.

The exercise that an Alzheimer’s sufferer can get is still important and as long as they and those assisting are not taking unnecessary risks by still walking up and down the stairs then this approach should be maintained until the situation becomes more challenging.

Question

I have an Invacare Electra scooter when I try to charge it the green light flashes and when I try to use it,it doesn’t go very fast and doesn’t go for very long is it batteries or something else as I had a similar problem with a Sterling Star and bought new batteries but still it only went a few hundred yards

regards

Laurie

Although many entrances to businesses on the high streets throughout the country have good access, with ramps, permanently open (during business hours) doors, sometimes quite wide too, and automatic doors at others, there are still some places that have rather heavy doors that even a standing person with no mobility needs can sometimes struggle with.

Heavy doors can even be a challange for mothers with pushchairs and baby buggies.

Some banks have heavy doors that can be difficult to push open on your own, especially if the entrance and exit is made up of two narrow doors which can be awkward if you’re trying to gain access in a wheelchair, mobility scooter, or are using crutches or a walking stick(s)

When actually inside and ready to exit it can often be a bit easier if observant staff spot that you might appreciate some assistance while leaving, but often this is still after you have struggled in the first place to gain accesss to a bank and other businesses that may have these heavy and difficult to push open doors.

Although many businesses have improved accessibility, there is still room for improvement, especially as mobility scooters are a much more common sight on the streets.