How to tell a parent they’d benefit from a stairlift
Discussing with your parent(s) about their mobility and your stair concerns can be a difficult but very necessary conversation to have.
One of the hardest parts about growing up is watching your parents age and with an increasing number of older people opting to stay in their houses for longer, there may come a time when you need to have a frank conversation about if their house is as accessible as it once was.
Many ageing people simply learn to live with the difficulty’s stairs bring and alter the way they tackle them (sometimes without even realising it). For the people looking in however this can be difficult to see and with that comes a constant worry about their loved one’s safety within their own home. Nobody wants to be told that they can’t live independently anymore or do the things that we all take for granted but there comes a time when safety must be the priority.
So, how exactly do you start the conversation in a respectful way whilst getting your concerns across? As a stairlift company with over 35 years’ experience we’ve picked up a few pointers along the way.
Here’s our advice on how to tell a parent they’d benefit from installing a stairlift in their property.
Do they definitely need a stairlift?
First things first, are you really sure that a stairlift would benefit their situation? If you’re on the fence about this our ‘signs that it might be time to install a stairlift’ blog article can help.
Do your research
It makes sense to do your own research first because once you start the conversation with your loved one, they will probably have questions or concerns. If you can’t answer these, they may not take the conversation seriously or dismiss the idea altogether. Try to gain a basic idea on the options available for the type of staircase they have, a rough cost and the benefits a stairlift could offer.
Start the conversation
This can be the hardest part; you don’t want it to come across as an ambush, but you do want to get the seriousness of the situation across. Choose a comfortable atmosphere for your chat. It may be worth scheduling in the conversation, so it’s best for all family members and doesn’t come as a shock. Keep a level tone of voice and listen to your parents’ views.
Express your concerns
It is important to express your concerns and how you feel. If there is resistance to the idea it is important to remain calm and appreciate that it is a sensitive topic. Give them time to process it and think about it for themselves.
Have some examples to hand
If your parent is keen to explore the possibility of a stairlift it would be handy to have some options ready to show them. Images and videos are a good start usually as they can see how it would fit in to their own home.
Recommend an expert
The next step would be to contact a stairlift expert to assess their home and offer the most appropriate stairlift solution. We’d recommend finding a well-established company that has a proven reputation.
Have you had the conversation yet? Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a friendly, no pressure chat about your current situation and how we can help. We are a family run stairlift business and have been established for over 35 years, trading from our Woodseats showroom in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
We offer stairlifts and stairlift services to Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham. Chesterfield, Peak District Derby, Mansfield & Nottingham.