Many of our customers tell us they wish they’d got their Acorn Stairlift sooner, so we asked what made them put it off?
Surprisingly, a high proportion said they put off getting a stairlift because it felt like ‘giving in’ to old age and declining mobility and ‘giving up’ part of their independence. Why surprising? Because investing in an Acorn Stairlift is the exact opposite of ‘giving in’ and ‘giving up’. Here’s why…
First let’s look at ‘giving in’ to declining mobility. You could lose mobility at any point in your life, perhaps through an injury or illness, and it might be temporary or irreversible. But most of us experience declining mobility gradually, as we grow older. It’s often simply part of ageing, or it could be linked to a medical condition such as arthritis or coronary disease.
Unfortunately, as your mobility decreases your risk of a fall increases, and a fall in older age can have profound and long-term health consequences. But we don’t have to ‘give in’ to declining mobility. Some people are reluctant to start using a walking stick for a little extra support, because they think it’s ‘giving in to old age’, but is it really? Or is it standing up to old age and choosing a trusty ally to help fight its effects?
There are lots of mobility aids that do just that – aid us in the fight to retain mobility and not give in. It could be a walking stick or frame, a mobility scooter or wheelchair. Yes, it might dent your pride a little at first, but it’s a positive step, and far better than giving in. And when it comes to climbing stairs, where a fall could be catastrophic, a stairlift is an indispensable mobility aid.
When declining mobility means you can no longer climb the stairs in your home safely, getting a stairlift isn’t giving in to the problem – it’s acknowledging it and taking action to overcome it.
So what about those who think getting a stairlift feels like giving up part of their independence? Again, they couldn’t be more wrong. A stairlift actually restores your independence at home and safeguards it for the years to come.
Declining mobility undermines your independence, even at home. Safety and independence are inextricably linked – if you can no longer do something safely on your own, then you can’t really do it independently. You might find yourself relying more and more on help from others to do things you previously took for granted.
But again, mobility aids are there to help – to keep you safe and, in doing so, protect your independence. A home stairlift is the perfect example. If you no longer feel safe and confident using the stairs in your home, then you shouldn’t be doing it independently, without support or supervision from someone else.
But with an Acorn Stairlift installed, you don’t need anyone else’s help. You can ride up and down the stairs in safety and comfort whenever you like. Getting a stairlift isn’t giving up part of your independence, it’s getting it back and protecting it for the future. An Acorn Stairlift is an investment in your continued independence at home.
So if you feel like getting a stairlift (or any other mobility aid) feels like ‘giving in’ or ‘giving up’ remember this – what you’re actually doing is fighting back against reduced mobility and taking back your independence.