Give the world a lift

Recent stairlift convert Cilla Shiels says there’s still a stigma attached to having one, but she believes that familiarity may breed less contempt

In today’s modern world mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs have become commonplace in towns and cities throughout Great Britain. Disabled people can stop in a disabled parking bay, hire a scooter and tootle around their town enabling them to shop independently. 30 years ago disabled people were pushed by willing helpers or relatives with strong muscles or by costly council support staff. Or the more likely alternative would be that they’d have stopped at home. The immense benefits to health and well-being in accessing the community and thereby maintaining independence and dignity is certainly immeasurable.

The same foresight and vision could be applied to the installation of stairlifts in the home. Stigma is still attached to having a stairlift fitted.

To often they, and the people who use them, are still the butt of jokes by otherwise supposedly socially aware comedians. Having one is seen as being the harbinger of signs of old age – though what’s wrong with something which will probably overtake most of us – when in fact, they can be an essential tool for anyone who needs one to overcome difficulties in climbing stairs, to access the whole of their home without the necessity of moving lock, stock and barrel away from the familiar community they enjoy living in.

Recently, we had the experience of deciding to have a stairlift installed in our home rather than moving, and it flagged up the fact that we still have a long way to go with discrimination over disability and old age.

The technician from a reputable company installing the lift, although excellent at his job at which he could not be faulted, asked me in an embarrassed whisper “Is the stairlift for your husband?”

Once again, and as so often with many things to do with disability, we face the ignorant attitudes towards things which are unfamiliar. Stairlifts are sniggered about in this way because they are mainly associated with age and disability. If all new homes were fitted with stairlifts as part of the design it would ensure everyone who had disabled friends and relatives visiting their homes that those visitors would be safe, whilst maintaining their dignity.  They would also be much more commonly seen with the result that people would simply become more accustomed to them.

Perhaps tomorrow’s architects may have the vision and foresight to include a method for getting up stairs in all new properties. And after all, even young married couples will eventually age and perhaps suffer the effects of advancing years or maybe even have a stroke. In that event moving wouldn’t always have to be the option they would have to take at that time in their lives.