Halloween Stunt Should Not Put People Off Stairlifts

Many people who need stairlifts try very hard to struggle without them and it is not hard to understand why. After what may have been decades of independent, mobile living, it can be hard to admit you need that bit of extra help.

A sense of stigma may attach itself to the notion of needing a stairlift, but it is important to overcome this and make sure you get a device fitted if you need one. Don’t be afraid to call in stairlift installers just because of what some people – or even sections of society – might think.

The sensitivity of the issue was highlighted recently by a video advert released by Safe Hands Support, a daycare centre in Stirling. Released, perhaps not coincidentally, at Halloween, it showed two young models in rubber ‘old woman’ masks ascending stairlifts, with the caption “Betty with her sister Elain”.

It drew a backlash from those outraged by the stereotyping involved, led by the charity Age Scotland. Its chief executive Katherine Crawford said: “The grotesque masks are so unrealistic and resemble a Halloween scene as opposed to an advert encouraging older people to use their services for day care.”

She added that Age Scotland has been trying for years to combat stereotypes about ageing.

In response, Safe Hands Scotland took the ad down and CEO Sylvia Wisna-Collins issued an apology on the firm’s Facebook page, although she insisted there was no intention to offend.

Explaining why the advert had been made in the way it was, she said: “As we respect the dignity of our clients we did not use photographs of those who did not wish to be published, hence the reason for using masks on willing friends.”

It may be the advert was misguided rather than malevolent, but either way, it is important that if you need a stairlift, you are not put off by foolish stereotyping or stigma.