How to Convince Reluctant Parents They Need a Stairlift
A stairlift can help many overcome the obstacle of stairs in a multi-level home. No-one knows your parents as you do, but here are a few ideas that might help. Learn how to approach your elderly loved ones to consider this solution.
A stairlift can transform and safeguard a person’s life, but those who would benefit most from using one are often the last to realize or admit it. People who struggle with the stairs in their home may need another voice to persuade them of the benefits of a stairlift, and that voice often comes from a concerned family member. There are several reasons why older people might struggle on with the stairs long after it’s become difficult or dangerous for them to do so. They include:
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Seeing a stairlift as ‘giving in’ to old age or affliction
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Simply being set in their ways
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Wanting to keep their independence and not rely on a machine for help
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Being part of a resilient generation who soldier on without complaining
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Being reluctant to spend savings they’d rather pass on to loved ones
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Believing they’re more physically capable than they really are and not realizing the danger they’re in on the stairs.
Sons and daughters of seniors are often the first to notice just how much their parents are struggling to get around, especially on the stairs. They also carry the burden of worrying about a parent falling on the stairs, especially if they live alone. But how can you approach your parents about the prospect of getting a stairlift without upsetting them? For many people, it’s a delicate area where you need to tread carefully. No-one likes to feel they’re being pushed into something, and feeling that way can lead a person to dig their heels in and refuse to budge. Similarly, no parent likes to feel they’re being patronized or fussed over by their own children, no matter how grown-up those children might be. Would you?
No-one knows your parents as you do, but here are a few ideas that might help. Above all, you need to be open and honest. Let them know how much it upsets you to see them struggling, and how much you worry for their safety. They might not even realize – just like you didn’t realize how much they worried about you when you were a teenager, or understand why. As life goes on, our circumstances change, and that’s the same for everyone. If our eyesight starts to fade, we take to wearing eyeglasses. If we struggle to hear well, a hearing aid is an obvious solution. It’s all about adapting to changing circumstances and finding new ways to overcome them.
Investing in a stairlift is no different; It’s not about ‘giving in’ to a growing problem. It’s about finding a way to overcome it. And relying on a stairlift isn’t losing your independence – it’s protecting it. People are living longer and most want to remain living independently in their own home. A stairlift can help achieve that by overcoming the obstacle of stairs in a home with two or more stories. If diminishing mobility is a slow and gradual process, your parents might not realize how much it’s affecting them. It could be easier for you to see it, especially if you haven’t seen them in a while. A home stairlift can futureproof a home against that gradual process, and even help to slow it down.
If it’s about the money, maybe you could help out your parents financially? If they’re reluctant to accept, why not do it as a gift for a birthday or other celebration? If they’re squirreling away their savings to pass on to you, maybe you need to let them know you’d rather they spent the money on improving their golden years? In fact, a home stairlift might cost less than they imagine. You can find out for sure by choosing a supplier that offers a free no-obligation home survey and quote for a stairlift designed to meet your parents’ needs and suit their home. There’s no reason you can’t be with your parents for the home survey – in fact, they’d probably appreciate your input.
Another option is to enlist the help of others who know first-hand what a difference a stairlift can make. If friends, relatives, or neighbors already use a stairlift, ask them to talk to your parents about how it helps them. Your parents might be more open to opinions expressed by people who are more like themselves in terms of age and life experience. You can achieve the same thing by browsing online through independent customer testimonials for leading stairlift companies. It might also help you find the right supplier, and again you parent might appreciate your help.