Platform Lift Keeps Care Home Residents' Dignity on a High

Disabled access is essential in publicly accessible buildings, particularly in care homes where elderly residents often have from mobility problems. movemanSKG recently supplied a platform lift to Bradstowe Lodge in Broadstairs, Kent. The unit brings the home into line with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and helps residents maintain their dignity and independence.

Bradstowe Lodge is owned by Kent Old People’s Housing Society. It provides 24-hour care and offers meals, washing, ironing, bathing and entertainment services. Residents live in comfortable rooms on the upper floors, which the home recently refurbished to a high standard.

A traditional passenger lift provides access to most of the rooms on the first floor, but to reach others you have to climb a slight gradient. movemanSKG installed a short-rise Prima platform lift halfway up this gradient to make it easier to ascend.

"Maintaining people’s dignity is one of the foremost priorities of any care home", says David Titherington, Bradstowe Lodge’s General Manager. "We assist residents as required, but they value their independence and wish to move around the premises without an escort when possible. Bradstowe Lodge features a range of access equipment, including handrails, ramps and lifts. The aim is to keep residents dignified and comfortable."

"movemanSKG’s lift is extremely compact, which means it fits in the limited space available. Importantly, it features ergonomically-positioned, user-friendly controls that enable residents to use the lift without assistance."

Bradstowe Lodge’s Prima platform lift carries 225kg and incorporates a wheelchair access ramp, which folds up to form a wheel-stop when the lift is in motion to prevent wheelchairs rolling off the platform. Other safety features include a manual lowering facility and an upper landing gate that locks automatically when the platform is at the lower level.