Bath lifts

stickywicket

Do you use one? If so, info, please.

My local Adult Social Care has always provided mine. For about 20 years my first one – a Big Bertha of a lift with a large, very heavy compressor that sat in the hall - raised and lowered me without fail.

Then it died. In the 8-9 years since then I've gone through 3, all (I think) either Aqua Joy or Neptune. One just failed to hold its charge so would deposit me in then refuse to let me out. The other two had flimsy hinges on the flaps that one sits on to get onto it which simply broke. I am never more than 10 stone and they're supposed to take up to 22 stone.

On Tuesday we move. On Monday my current bath lift goes back to Adult Social Care. Yesterday, I rang my prospective Adult Social Care Dept. to be told (kindly but firmly) that they had a waiting list of 6 months for bath lifts.

I shall be taking my clothes pegs with me but I will not wait 6 months for a bath. I'm willing to buy a lift but they are expensive things and I can only do it once, not every 2-3 years when they conk.

My questions are:

Do you have one? For how long? What make? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to safely get onto one of those cushion ones or one that looks like a strong, rubber sheet. I need one with a back. (And, preferably, a guarantee and service warranty.)

theresak

Sorry to hear that, Sticky - not what you needed to hear at the beginning of your new venture.

I'm afraid I'm unable to help as I've never had a bath lift - we had our bath taken out and a big shower cubicle put in its place quite a few years ago now.

I hope you can find a solution. We've never had anything from Social Services - money being always tight up here - but the Rapid Response Team followed me home, literally, from a spell in hospital and fitted a bed rail & chair risers & gave us a shower stool.

GraceB

Sticky, here in Kent if a client moves out of the county and has ongoing needs a referral is made to the Local Authority where the client is moving to. All the information is passed over (i.e., equipment issued and support given) and that's meant to give a heads-up to the new Authority who are becoming responsible for the individual. You may want to speak to your current contact to see if they can help in any way with this.

I can't help re actual recommendations I'm afraid. You may remember I have a shower cubicle now. I hope you get something sorted soon.

And good luck with the move. I hope it goes well but please make sure you don't overdo things!

GraceB

dreamdaisy

I cannot help at all as I've never used one - we have a bath but that's his preserve. I wonder if there are people who can come out and offer independent advice on such matters? I know there are companies such as D*lph*n who deal with bathing matters. I think Grace has given you some useful advice which may be worth persuing. DD

stickywicket

Thanks, Grace especially.

I did ring my authority and it was they who told me that the wheelchair would go up with me and any subsequent repairs would be dealt with up there. However, they said I should contact my new Adult Social Care people myself re the bath lift.

I guess a 6 month waiting list is exactly that and can't be changed. As I said, I'm happy to buy one but I want some security with it. I can't keep on buying them.

Numptydumpty

Six months without a bath! I think you'll be high, but not in a desired way!
My bathlift is an "aquajoy" it's from my local authority, but I think you can buy them personally. Sit on the side, get your legs over, press the button and it lowers, press another and it rises. It works for me, oh and it has a back which reclines, all at the push of a button.
Will forum members get free nose pegs?
Numpty x