Hi, I am at stage where I can still go up stairs using handrail and can unsteadily walk about 50 yards.Presently I live in a two story house in a nice area, have room for an extension(which I would have to finance myself,woes of still working!),close to preschool which my daughter will hopefully attend next year but do wonder should I be looking for a bungalow. When did anyone decide it was time for first floor living?
If I was you I would think long term. If you built an extension… Your house would work really well for you when your daughters older? I suppose it depends on the set up of your house. I’ve always lived in house with stairs but my hubby has always lived in a bungalow. Maybe if you moved to a bungalow that you like now it would be better than moving to one when you felt like you really had to. I’m not helping am I! Lol
Hi Rose Bit of a dillema really isn’t it. Here’s my slant on it we live in a four bed sem 2 floors, it was originally 3 bed but we had an extension built to enable us to have a wetroom (far easier for me to use) I have two handrails on the staircase to help pull me up it. The only thing I desire now is a downstairs loo and I do have somewhere in mind for that. Hehe We live in a picturesque location and I always said the only way I’m leaving here is in a box lol If stick comes to lift I’d have a stairlift fitted to get me up & down if needed. Think long & hard sometimes it’s better the devil you know & all that, do you have good neighbours, is the school good enough for your daughter etc etc. Good luck with whatever you decide. Sue x
I think stairs are an asset - you want to keep going up them as long as you can … However, don’t be too sure you will be able to have a stair-lift put in if you can’t get up the stairs any more. Two MSers I know have been told they can’t have them because of the danger of muscle spasms making them fall off the seat
Hi Rose,
I lived in a house that I liked in an area that I loved but was forced to get a bungalow so that I could use a wheelchair indoors.
I miss my house but I have to say that bungalow living is fabulous. It’s only a couple of steps from here to anywhere. Much easier. My situation is very different though, I only had to choose for myself – I don’t have a young family to consider.
Sewingchick is right about the chair lift in that OTs don’t like to recommend/fund them for people with MS but I know lots of MSers use them. (I suppose it depends on your symptoms)
If you have a husband or friends and family to help you move in the future I would probably go down the adaption route because who knows that might be enough to sort you out forever. It wasn’t possible to extend my house so I didn’t have that option but I think I would have done if I could.
Jane
I moved out of my house to a bungalow because the stairs were becoming too much.
Now I struggle with steps anywhere and wish I had persevered for longer.
I also found out (after selling) that there is a “through-floor lift” which allows a wheelchair user to get upstairs.
I am also having to fund a wet-room and extension myself, so know where you are coming from with your working comment.
If you are happy where you are, my vote would be to stay put.
Hi, it is a dilemma, but particularly right now, with a slump in the housing market. Bungalows have always been a bit more expensive than houses and are rarer to find.
I live in one, but when we came here we had 2 daughters, so we added a loft conversion. Back then I had no health issues. When they left home, we moved upstairs, but we had no loo up there then and it was a pain going down to the only loo. So we moved back downstairs again.
I love having our bedroom downstairs, opposite the wet room.
If i have a day in bed, I dont feel shoved away upstairs.
I have heard that some councils wont put stair lifts in and make people have a thru the floor lift installed. it takes up a lot of valuable floor space.
Financially, it may be more viable to add the extension and of course, there`s no hassle with trying to sell/buy.
Have I helped you make your decision?
luv Pollx
Hi
There are a lot of things to weigh up, some of which may be:
neighbours/friends
schooling for your daughter
ease/practicality/cost of an extension/alteration
finding a suitable new property
cost/hassle of moving
There are no easy answers. I am currently facing the same dilemma, let us know what you decide.