Game, set and match! MS sufferer Judy Turner takes up tennis and smashes wheelchair fears

Judy Turner suffers from multiple sclerosis but she is still mobile and fully able to use the stairs. However, she felt it was important to plan for the future and this involved finding a solution which did not require the need to move house.

Judy, 65, bought her modern barn conversion property in Rose-On-Wye in Herefordshire only three years ago and was not keen on moving to a bungalow and compromising the lifestyle she was comfortable with.

The most obvious answer would have been to install a stairlift, but there were a number of reasons why Judy was not keen on this idea.

Being a former nurse herself, Judy felt that once wheelchair-bound, the stairlift would not be a safe option. Transferring from the chair to the lift and back again could prove very difficult – if not impossible; even with help from a carer.

In addition to the logistical concerns, Judy did not want to compromise the beauty of her home. The aesthetics of the stunning oak staircase in her home would be completely spoiled by installing a stairlift. Furthermore, with the stairs turning in two places, stairlift installation would be far from straightforward and costs could quickly escalate significantly.

Instead, Judy, decided a Stiltz Home Lift would be the best solution for her. With no noisy hydraulics or supporting walls required thanks to the lift’s unique drive system, the lift could be installed almost anywhere in her home. Judy chose the Stiltz Trio Wheelchair Lift as it will be big enough to eventually accommodate a standard-sized wheelchair.

“I needed a lift because I have MS,” Judy explained. “I’m still mobile and I can still use the stairs but I wanted to find something that meant, when I do ultimately need a wheelchair, I can still use the upstairs of my home.

“I’m a former nurse so I know from an occupational therapist’s point of view that a stairlift would have taken up too much room and not been safe, especially if I required a carer later on. My stairs are high and the staircase also turns in two places. I have a lovely oak staircase and a stairlift would have totally affected the aesthetics of the room, ruining the way it looks.

“I investigated the cost of moving house and worked out that buying the Stiltz Lift would be cheaper. It’s been the best decision. Having a domestic lift is practical, aesthetically pleasing and affordable. It has also meant my lovely stairs don’t need to be compromised. The lift has already made my life so much easier.”

Judy is proud to have her Stiltz Trio Lift ‘on show’ in the corner of the room next to the staircase. It travels up to the first floor and into the third bedroom.

She added: “I recently had friends over to stay and they all said how fantastic the lift looks. I know some Stiltz customers tuck their lifts away in a cupboard, but I’ve got mine on show as a centre-piece because I think it looks so good. My friends also said how useful the Stiltz Lift was for carrying suitcases and other heavy things in. That is definitely an added bonus. The Stiltz Lift is absolutely perfect.”