CUSTOMER STORY ‘TRAPPED’ UPSTAIRS FOR 2.5 YEARS, BETTY FINALLY VENTURES OUT “Mum enjoyed her time in her flat and wasn’t really interested in going out.” A 95-YEAR-OLD woman has stepped out of her flat for the first time in two-and-a-half years after being ‘trapped’ in her upstairs home. Twenty five years ago, James Goodwin extended his home in Rugby, Warwickshire. He built a self-contained annex above his garage for his mum Betty. The home included a bedroom, living room, wet room and kitchen. James built a staircase inside the garage which provided access to the flat via its own front door. This meant Betty had her own independent living space, which was exactly what she wanted. As a safety measure, James also had a door built upstairs which connected with the flat so he could gain access to his Mum’s flat quickly if required. By late summer of 2014, it was becoming clear that Betty – who was experiencing trouble with her legs - could no longer use the stairs. James explored all the mobility solutions he could think of, including the possibility of installing a stairlift, but none were suitable. Betty was very comfortable in her flat and wasn’t particularly concerned about not going out. She enjoyed her time surrounded by her Kindle, books and games and relaxed by watching television. Reality hit home though when one year James and his family were invited to spend Christmas Day at his son’s house. He really wanted Betty to come to spend quality family time together, but Betty insisted she remain at home and stated she would be fine in the flat with a seasonal ready meal. This made James realise just how isolated his 95-year-old Mother had become, and prompted him to renew his search for a way to enable her to become more integrated into the family once again. “What if she fell ill” James explained, “How would we

After several more false starts with stairlift companies, James came across the Stiltz home lift. A Stiltz lift is designed specifically for domestic use and because of its highly flexible, modular sections as well as a remarkably small footprint, it can be installed almost anywhere in the home. On behalf of his Mother, James was able to secure a Disabled Facilities Grant from Rugby Borough Council to help with the costs of lift purchase and installation. James said “I hadn’t heard of home lifts but when I read about them I thought they’d be perfect for Mum. I contacted the council, they came...