Stairlift Advice

pjq

I have been Googling stair lifts ( chairs to transport people upstairs ) and see that the main makes for a straight stairs are Acorn , Bison and Stannah . We need this for a relative who has respiratory problems and will soon need a lift to get upstairs , to save ourselves time and aggravation we have decided not to look for grant assistance .
Any advice from people with practical experience of such equipment would be appreciated .
pjq

soccerc

We got ours, a straight stairlift, direct from Fannin Medcare without grant assistance.

They worked out a couple of grand cheaper than the grant assisted installation rip off merchants.


01 4664130

snorlax

you should still get a health professional to advise for this-My day job!

(this is free..refer the client through a local health centre ..if the persons over 8O they will automatically become a priority two). there are lots of different things they could recommend (wether you get it privately/ through a grant)..e.g there is a minimum stairway width.. is it likely to block a door..what sort of controls to use..a powered swivel seat is good...what type of seat you require..battery back up system if there's a power cut.are there other people using the stairs...

you also may be able to claim VAT back through an M1 (21%)..

Also Fannin's actually provide all grab rails for the HSE and are trying to get into the buisness so are undercutting the competitors. If you get the access directory 2008 you can get a full list of all companies that do the lifts. Generally it's easier to re-sell straight lifts then curved stairlifts and they're also cheaper to install.

Specialist stair companies are better then companies that do both bathrooms and stair lifts..Haven't heard anything bad from irish stairways..make sure to get a warranty and remember that it will need to be serviced at least once a year. Had many clients who have had trouble with their lifts as servicing wasn't included in the price.

soccerc

snorlax wrote: »

you should still get a health professional to advise for this-My day job!

(this is free..refer the client through a local health centre ..if the persons over 8O they will automatically become a priority two). there are lots of different things they could recommend (wether you get it privately/ through a grant)..e.g there is a minimum stairway width.. is it likely to block a door..what sort of controls to use..a powered swivel seat is good...what type of seat you require..battery back up system if there's a power cut.are there other people using the stairs...

you also may be able to claim VAT back through an M1 (21%)..

.

Trying get OT services through a Health Centre is almost impossible, 18 months, even for a patient with a Primary Medical Cert.

Any decent stairlift will meet BS5776 as a minimum standard and that includes a battery.

The VAT element is only 13.5% on installed stairlifts and can be reclaimed in full if the applicant is again a primary health cert holder.

pjq

Thanks for the advice , I met 3 suppliers last friday and called Fannin this am , Fannin is cheaper than the others , but Dolphin can do it faster . I am still not clear on why Stannah chairs are so much more expensive than Acorn/Minivator ( €3900 versus €2200-2500) .
I understand that grants take months , you need an OT and the price goes up as Thimblefull pointed out .
pjq

snorlax

you go to a doctor if your sick.

you go to a dentist if you need a tooth fixed.

its at your descretion if you take your own medical advice and listen to commercial companies rather then the relevant health professionals.

The grant covers access to a private OT, you can look them up on AOTI.ie

we make recommendations FOR THE CLIENTS BENEFIT not for our own.

i Should hope a battery comes as standard on a stairlift, but does it come with a backup system if you have to get someone out of the house in the event of a powercut? if the person has arthritis thats progressive would a standard set of controls meet their future needs?

the above I mentioned does not neccessarily come as standard.

we suggest things for the clients benefit as believe you me clients needs change.

People are categorised according to their priority in the healthcare system and i v worked in it for nearly a year and have never heard of an 18month waiting list for anyone whos not routine. And yes i do know waiting list vary. the cost of an OT report is slightly over a hundred (privately} so its nominal in comparison to the lift itself.

Its up to you what you do but iv no intention of letting this forum turn into a place where a person is told not to go to the relevant heath professional when they should do so

. thread locked.