Icknield, a special needs school for severely learning disabled children, ranging in ages from three to nineteen, seems to have overcome a small, logistical playground design problem that was poorly implemented at inception. Stannah, a local company that has long since supported the school, had successfully raised money from local businesses to give the school its current Cognitive Learning Specialist status, supplying the funds necessary to remedy the problem. The status gave them an additional funding of £300,000 in total over the next 3 years.

When Stannah asked if there might be any other help it could offer, this poorly architected playground problem, a storage cabin that prohibited free access to a marked pathway in the playground where the children traversed on their bikes, on foot, or in wheelchairs, was mentioned. The problem could be solved by simply moving it just 90 degrees to stand alongside the track instead of in the way of it, making life easier for the special needs students and the caring staff.

Gary Woods, Stannah Premises Maintenance Manager, had previously considered several ways to ameliorate the problem, but was overcome with obstacles each time. In the first place, the cabin was exceptionally heavy, weighing 2.2 tons empty and 4 tons full. The weather was also uncooperative, and snow made the situation seem almost impossible to rectify. Stannah came to the rescue with the kindness and help of a father and son team, Brian and Jim Bailey, contracting suppliers for Hannah who run Meon Valley Crane Hire, the crane being the very piece of equipment necessary to solve “the smallest of problems.” Along with some minor tree pruning provided by Stannah’s maintenance team to make room for the new positioning of the cabin, with precise direction to relocate the suspended structure, it was finally placed perfectly.

The “smallest of problems” revealed the smallest of treasures, and a lost teddy bear was found in this concerted effort that became the happy mascot of the whole endeavor. It is clear that these special needs children and young adults are considered a very important part of the community, not only by the special needs staff, but by many others who contribute their time and efforts on their behalf. They are the ones who turn the tides of problems that seem insurmountable to “the smallest of problems.”

Leckhampton Court Hospice, a converted medieval manor, can now transport patients in a proper manner with a modernized walk-through lift. Although scenic, the Cheltenham branch of Sue Ryder Care could not maintain its nationally renowned standards of elder care while trying to use the old, closed two person lift. Stannah Lift Services sent its Bristol team to do the renovation on the Grande II manor.

Up To Code

If Sue Ryder could not bring the slow, one-opening lift up to date, they risked being in violation of lift requirements listed under the Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA). But more than that, the Sue Ryder workers were concerned for the patients well being. Patients that have died need to be transported down to the chapel and the only way to do that is by the lift. Providing a walk-through lift means that deceased patients can be moved with dignity and discretion.

The manor received its grading status from English heritage, which decided that the manor was ‘particularly important and of special interest.’ Just gutting the lift was out of the question for the Stannah team. In the end, they were able to utilize the original guides, lift car and sling. By synthesising the old and the new, Stannah was able to keep Leckhampton up to code and keep its Grade II English Heritage Status.

Behind the Scenes Uses

The new lift was not just for transporting deceased patients more discretely or to keep its code. The lift also now can easily transport people to the ground floor reception room and to the chapel. If deceased patients are being transported to the chapel, the door facing the reception area and the general public can be locked to avoid any awkward moments by hospice visitors.

Steve Kirkwood, Hopsice Head of Support Services, is thrilled with the results. “The need to develop our facilities meant that our original passenger lift couldn’t provide the sensitive service required. As Grade II Listing made the installation of a new lift impracticable, Stannah Lift Services’ thorough refurbishment has given us the ideal lift for the job. Going on its present performance, our modernised lift is set to provide a flawless service for the foreseeable future.”

Good hygiene should not mean compromising safety. For young and old, the simple answer to the jeopardy of bath safety is a bath lift. Bath lifts are a necessity for individuals who have difficulty with mobility. Bath lifts are also a good way to stabilize a young child and avoid unnecessary injury that can occur in the slippery area of a bathtub.

What To Look For When Purchasing A Bath Lift

The first and most important detail of a bath lift is its construction. It should be fabricated from material strong enough to support the weight of an average adult. Also, look for bath lifts with sturdy suction cups on the bottom of each leg of the lift. These suction cups secure the lift to the tub so that it remains stationary while in use. It is advisable to choose a bath lift that has side arms so that there is additional aid to help balance the weight of the individual as they enter or exit the bathtub. If the bath lift isn’t equipped with one already, look for a sleeve that slips over the arm of the chair in which to store soap, shampoo, shaving razor and a washcloth. This prevents the need to extend the reach for these items, thereby avoiding accidents while it keeps them ready to use and makes the bath lift experience more enjoyable.

How Bath Lifts Are Necessary To Its Users

Bath lifts for the aged have long been a necessity in nursing care centers and for those in hospital. Mobile senior citizens love them for the ease of use. Restless children find bath time less fearsome thanks to smart mothers who rely on bath lifts to get through the bath experience. Patients with balance problems find bath lifts offer them more security than a safety rail in the bath and shower area.

A Reasonable Price For Safety And Security

With all of the advantages of bath lifts, one might expect this particular necessity to be expensive. Most people find that they are surprisingly inexpensive, considering the quality and durability that adds value.

In need of a face lift, of sorts, the Derriford Hospital, a large teaching hospital that serves Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall, recently had their bed lifts repaired. The hospital asked Bristol to refurbish both of the hospital’s 32 person bed lifts. Bristol, a branch of Stannah Lift Services, specializes in refurbishing lift systems of any type. The traction driven bed lifts inside the Hospital’s Terence Lewis building were completely overhauled as part of the hospital’s initiative towards continued excellence in patient care.

A high level hospital manager commented that one of the hospitals highest priorities is to ensure the safety of Derriford patients, and that ensuring that equipment as important as bed lifts function at their most optimal is an important part of the safety initiative. Thus, the hospital commissioned Bristol to completely overhauled the bed lifts, replacing everything: stainless-steel lift cars, entrances, controllers, and slings; every replaceable piece of the lifts were replaced with new components, helping to ensure that patients at in the Terence Lewis building are treated on safe beds. The revamped beds should now provide dependable, lasting service – something that is very important in an environment as fast paced and important as a hospital.

This highly sophisticated, and expensive, dual bed lift technology ensures that the hospital can provide superior service to their patients. Having the Bristol branch of Stannah Lift Services on hand to complete these upgrades has made hospital life easier for patients and staff alike.

Stannah Lift Services custom builds bespoke lifts, to meet any customers unique needs and specifications. Stannah also maintains, services and refurbishes every type of lift, including bed lifts, escalators, and moving walkways. While they specialize in repairs to the Stannah family of products, Stannah repairmen are adept at renovating lift equipment made by any manufacturer.

Whatever its impact on the rest of the country, the UK’s 1995 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) has been a huge boost for the lift industry. Even as the national and global economies have gone through a downturn, the lift industry has posted steady profits since 2000, especially after 2004, when the final part of the DDA went into effect. The DDA created a booming demand for lifts that has benefited all parts of the industry, from manufacturers to installers to maintenance. And while the boom has receded somewhat, the industry continues to benefit from strong demand.

In particular, the DDA has helped out small lift installers and contractors. This is because a great deal of the work created by the DDA is the result of building owners needing to retrofit small passenger lifts, platform lifts, or stair lifts to bring their buildings into compliance. These sorts of jobs are too limited to attract the attention of larger companies, and the small companies have stepped forward to fill the gap. Many are now advertising themselves specially as experts in satisfying the DDA’s requirements.

Besides the increased demand for lifts, the DDA has also created a demand for refitting existing lifts to make them more accessible, such as replacing existing controls with controls that are easier to read and use for the blind or mentally disabled, or adding hearing loops for the hearing-impaired.

The future continues to look bright. While demand for new elevators has dropped since 2004 as more and more buildings have been brought into compliance with the DDA, the new lifts installed will continue to produce revenue for the passenger lift industry in the form of maintenance contracts, which should continue to be lucrative for years to come. And new construction works will continue to need assistance from the lift industry in meeting DDA standards.

When we buy a property we ensure that all the amenities that a house needs to have such as the provision for an air conditioner, the provision for a chandelier, curtain rods or Venetian blinds and  plug points for all our gadgets is provided.

Going further when you know and have the intention of installing a stair lift in the days ahead as it forms a part of a home now-a-days and is no luxury, why not buy a house with stair lifts which may cost a little more as a package deal rather than having to purchase one and install it separately.

Like you invest money in a bank or a financial institution and also insure yourself for your old age purchasing a stair lift is in itself a wise investment and imagine if you are getting it along with your property which is an investment too. Investments that are very intangible so long as you do not use them become very tangible in the need of the hour. Even if you buy a house which does not have the stair lift installed but has a provision for making a fitment straightaway whenever required without making major changes it is a blessing.

As properties are generally inherited by the next of kin and the stairlifts you installed in your property will later be used by your next generation too there is a value attached to it apart from the price alone. Instead of buying fancy items that serve little purpose go in for an investment that pays you rewards in your old age.

Stair lifts can be used even when you are young but have either met with an accident or are so feeble that you can barely walk in the same floor where the question of climbing stairs is ruled out. It may just be a passing phase but could be very helpful.

There could be disabled people at home whose movement is decided by the wheelchair they use. If you live in a house that has stairs to reach the bedrooms, taking the wheel chair up and down could get too stressful for the person who is sitting in it as well as the person who is doing it regularly for them.

These people could find the chair lift a great blessing especially because they could operate this independently without having to bother anybody even if they are all by themselves at home. A wheelchair lift when chosen must be a quality one into which a lot of survey has gone before the buy.  This could be a great gift for the people you love who can’t make it as easily as you do up and down the stairs.

A chair lift comes in a variety of features and of all these, the vertical chair lift that resembles the mechanism of an elevator is most convenient. Also enquire on how many pounds, the lift can hold at one go. This is important as you could avoid accidents that are caused because you end up buying lower capacity lift for your needs.

The inclined platform lift is another kind of convenience most commonly chosen for the disabled and both the varieties come in different models and capacities.

Always calculate the total weight including that of the wheel chair when going to purchase a chair lift. With this installed, you can get the fear out of your loved ones and give them the liberty to go all over the house independently with a feeling of self reliance and satisfaction. Could there be anything better than this to show your affection to your loved ones who have almost given up!

Companies trading mobility aids for people with disabilities, such as stairlifts, mobility scooters and bath lifts tend to pressurize and bulldoze people into purchasing costly and inappropriate equipment without reviewing the user’s needs or situation, according to top reviewing organization Which?.

The mobility market is flushed with pressured sales tactics and obscure pricing such as “discounts” and “free gifts” as well as some companies even falsely using “expert opinion” to sell their products.

There seems to be more cases like these appearing all the time.  With companies  looking to save and cut back on spending some of these companies are turning to more and more high pressured sales tactics to get people to sign up for items they do not need.

It’s very important to have a full review to see if you need a mobility aid or you may be wasting your money.  Don’t by anything from salesmen that turn up at your door.

This has got to be the worse stair lift commercial ever made and there have been some pretty bad ones over the years. 

This gem from Acorn stair lifts pictures an elderly man who has no trouble jumping out of his new stair lift, in fact he looks like he has as much need for a stair lifts as the little boy.

I never saw this particular advert when they showed it on T.V but I can’t imagine it ran for very long, you can feel yourself cringing while you’re watching it.

Thankfully most stair lift adverts are found online these days, I doubt you will ever find one this bad.

Justice was served when a Plymouth man who has made thousands of pounds conning innocent pensioners was jailed for 14 months.  The conman had been posing as a stair lift salesman and convinced his vulnerable clients to order unnecessary and expensive equipment which he then never delivered.  He won the confidence of his victims by creating an air on non-existent professionalism, including the logos of major manufacturers in his adverts for instance, even though no contracts or agreements had been reached between Mr. Roach and the said companies.

The road to him being convicted began when Trading Standards became aware that something was going on. Tragically, an elderly couple had lost their life savings and, as a further proverbial kick whilst they were down, had been left without access to all the floors of their home.  This then led on to an investigation into the practises of Mister Roach by Devon County Council who said that he had: “”cynically set out to deceive the elderly and disabled”. The council went on to say that:  “He took large sums of money from people for stair lifts and then didn’t supply them. In some cases he also took away their existing stair lift leaving them with no means of accessing the first floor of their homes,”

The story raises the argument over whether or now older people are informed adequately about how to deal with people who may come to their door attempting to sell them illegitimate products. Perhaps campaigns which warn pensioners to always ask for Identification of any caller need to be stepped up and enhanced. Old people, especially lonely ones, are vulnerable to conmen and need help to be able to protect themselves and their money.

All in all Roach has been charged with 13 different offences, ranging from breaches of the Theft Act, the Trade Descriptions Act, the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act and the Consumer Protection Act. The move to prosecute may well come too late for some elderly people who have lost their life savings to someone whom they thought they could trust and who they thought would provide them with a much higher quality of life. However, at least a 14 month jail-term means that the conman will be off the streets and that he will not be able to destroy the lives of any more Devonshire pensioners.