My wife has difficulty with the stairs due to her MS. There's ten to the landing, then a left-hand turn and a further three to the first floor. She says she can manage the first ten OK, but it's those last three that are the hardest. I offered to get her a stair-lift, "after all one for just three stairs shouldn't cost much," I said. Actually, she's refused the offer of a stairlift several times. !, because she thinks having one is "giving up" and her lack of mobility will increase. 2, She says she couldn't stand the mess and disruption of it being fitted. But she may re-consider at some time.
I have to agree with your wife DR. We have 14 steps but I don't want either the mess or the increased lack of mobility either. I may struggle but I do get there in the end and the bed is up there for me to fall into.
My house is one level, but there is a long walk from the driveway to the front door, going around a sunroom. Over the years, moles have tunneled under the pavers, sinking them, and tree roots have pushed others up. I'm trying to find a contractor to take out the pavers and install a cement walk, which rises gradually to the deck, is wider, smooth, and curves without corners. That would help a lot, especially if there is an emergency or if access is needed for wheelchair or walker. Plus it will eliminate a tripping / falling hazard.
About 15 years ago, when my parents were still alive, I lived in a two story house. I asked them to move in with me, and looked into installing something like this for them. My mom was afraid of it, and they didn't want to move. So I never tried it. Edit - here is another one. They do cost a lot of pesos.
Listening to everyone over here just got me thinking about something, which I hadn't explored in a long time. It's about exoskeleton suits. So why spend money on installing stair lifts, when we can have something which will give us mobility everywhere else? Even in the garden - Especially in the garden! I do remember from my childhood, that my mother too had great difficulty going up and down stairs during her battle with cancer. Everything else she could manage, but stairs had become a challenge for her. Of course, those were the mid 1980s, and I was very young at the time. So I couldn't build anything for her. Now I can, without any problem, however she isn't around anymore - So no point... But I do remember envisioning an exoskeleton suit, which those with mobility issues could use to their advantage - Technology has progressed a lot since the 80s. So when I searched for it right now, just look what I found. The future is here, NOW!
Chinese have already done it... So eventually we all will be living like the Jetsons. And this is the world's shortest escalator.
