A stairlift story: how St John helped Pat

Sunday 21 July 2019

Pat is a retired nurse from Guernsey who was finding it more and more challenging to enjoy life at home, until she got a Stannah stairlift from St John HealthCare.

Like many, she was experiencing health problems which were starting to make it more difficult to get around her home.

“I’ve lived here for 50 years and we brought up all our family in this house. I love my kitchen, conservatory and garden. I love my longue and I love my bedroom. It’s just a shame they are on different levels!” she said.

"About a year ago I was starting to get a lot of pain in my legs. My joints are just getting older, but I would be in tears by the time I got to the top of the stairs. I was also getting out of breath. Now I don’t get the pain and I have peace of mind.”

So Pat had two stairlifts installed, one from the kitchen in the basement to the ground floor and one up to the bedrooms on second floor. She and her husband opted for two slightly different designs. One operates on a straight rail, the other is curved.

Pat's stairlift. 

“I had a choice of colours and design, so we were able to choose one that looked good and was practical in a tight space.”

The St John team are trained to visit your home and carry out an assessment of the stairs, then once your stairlift has been ordered and delivered, the installation can be completed in a day.

“The men from St John were very good. They didn’t think they would be able to fit a stairlift into our narrow staircase, but they managed to get one that fitted nicely. It caused very little disruption putting it in. I thought they would attach it to the wall, but in fact it is bolted into the stairs.”

The stairlift has let Pat continue to live in her family home. 

As the Channel Island agent for Stannah St John HealthCare can supply stairlifts from just £3,000. They also offer a maintenance and repair service.

“I never thought the day would come when I needed a stairlift, but I was in so much pain and breathless. I knew I couldn’t have coped for much longer. The thought of moving house was too much. The stairlifts are a much easier and cheaper option.

“It is very easy to use. There is a control on the arm rest and a remote button too. Thanks to Alan and the crew from St John. They have been really helpful and I can’t fault them.”

A spokesperson for St John said if people find that their stairs are affecting their everyday life, it might be time to 'think about a simple and effortless solution'.

Pictured top: Pat in her home.