Keeping People in Their Homes

Case studies show the versatility and benefits provided by Flow X stairlift solutions.

submitted by Access BDD

Access BDD & EMS Lifts’ Stairlift Solution for Valerie 

Valerie Smith from southeast England and her late husband avoided having to move house thanks to the installation of a Flow X stairlift by Access BDD dealer EMS Lifts.

Valerie’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and as his condition deteriorated, he found the stairs harder and harder to manage. Valerie said: 

“The thought of moving house when one of you has a condition like Parkinson’s is very daunting, and although a bungalow would have made life easier, it was just too much — so we decided to look in to stairlifts instead.” 

As soon as Valerie and her husband made the decision to invest in a stairlift, they knew they wanted to collaborate with a company that was based locally to ensure that if there was ever any issue, they would be able to resolve it quickly. The staircase at their home was not a traditional one as it incorporated two returns, and having worked for many years in interior design, Valerie was very proud of the decor in her home and wanted to ensure the stairlift would blend in. After speaking to EMS Lifts, Valerie and her husband visited their showroom to try out different models, and as soon as they tested Flow X, they knew they had found what they were looking for. “The fact EMS Lifts had a showroom was great, as it meant my husband could really get used to the Flow X and be certain he would have the confidence to use it at home,” Valerie said.

As with many people, Valerie and her husband were slightly concerned about the inconvenience and potential mess that would be involved when it came to installing the stairlift, but they need not have worried. “When the installation date arrived, the EMS team were on-site at the agreed time, the installation took less than a day, there was no mess and it blended in so well you hardly notice it,” she said, adding: 

“The Flow X is terrific, and without it, my husband would have been confined to living either downstairs or upstairs. The entire process — from our first enquiry to installation — was great, and we were very happy. In fact, I have decided to futureproof the house by keeping the stairlift so I will not have to move should I become less mobile in the future.” 

Matt Armstrong, sales director, EMS Lifts, said: 

“It is always great to hear such positive feedback from a customer. We pride ourselves on offering every customer a personal service — with us, you are not just a number. However, we can only offer that level of service if we have the reassurance that the product we are installing in someone’s home is going to be reliable, and we certainly have that with Access BDD. The Flow X is a great stairlift, and due to its unique compact design and ability to turn and travel in even the most confined spaces, we have been able to install stairlifts where it would have previously been impossible. We have an excellent relationship with Access BDD as we share the same core values and ideas, and look forward to working with them for many more years to come.” 

In recent years, we have noticed a trend with more and more people looking to install a stairlift as opposed to moving to a smaller house/bungalow, a supported living development or care home as they want to stay in their family home.

James Dowling, Stairlift Solutions

Access BDD and Stairlift Solutions NI Help Sheelah

Sheelah has lived in her family home for nearly 40 years but noticed in recent years that climbing the stairs had gone from being a challenge to becoming a real problem. She said: 

“I was getting more and more out of breath climbing the stairs and realised something had to be done to resolve this. At my age, some people think the answer is to downsize and move house, but I really didn’t want all the upheaval that would come with moving house, and I didn’t want to leave my family home.” 

Sheelah decided to speak to Stairlift Solutions Northern Ireland (NI), an Access BDD dealer based in Newtownards. James Dowling from Stairlift Solutions NI, said: 

“In recent years, we have noticed a trend with more and more people looking to install a stairlift as opposed to moving to a smaller house/bungalow, a supported living development or care home as they want to stay in their family home.” 

After speaking to James and looking at several options, Sheela decided to go for a Flow X curved stairlift. She said: 

“The Flow X had everything I was looking for. It is very comfortable and stable and blends into my home perfectly. I was also very impressed with the whole installation, which went very smoothly with very little interruptions. It has made a real difference to my life, and I couldn’t be without it. I would certainly recommend the Flow X highly enough to anyone looking to buy a stairlift for their home.” 

The Flow X stairlift from Access BDD is the perfect solution for both straight and curved staircases. The Advanced Swivel and Levelling technology (ASL) enables the stairlift to fit on narrow staircases as small as 610 mm by rotating and swivelling during travel, ensuring the stairlift is always in the safest and most comfortable position. With ASL technology, the footrest remains independent from the drive unit and swivels with the seat, ensuring better posture and reduced knee bending. 

The Flow X offers four rail options, including standard drop nose, vertical “short-start” drop nose, horizontal overrun and parking curve. Unlike other models, the Flow X has no visible mechanical parts. The Flow X can support a maximum weight of 125 kg and meets all the latest stairlift regulations. James said:

“As with Sheelah, a lot of customers like to visit our showroom, as we have a comprehensive selection of stairlifts which they can try out to see which one best meets their requirements in terms of comfort, user friendliness and design, and the vast majority end up going for a Flow X because it is the best option for them. Thanks to the Flow X, we can now install stairlifts in many settings where previously it was not possible due to the narrow width of the staircase. We have been working with Access BDD for seven years and the training and support they provide ensures that our engineers are confident when it comes to selling, installing and servicing, which is invaluable and provides addition confidence to our customers.” 

For more information on the full range of stairlifts, home lifts and platform lifts available or to find your nearest Access BDD dealer visit accessbdd.com or email [email protected].