Easier everyday life with stairlift. Tommy Jørstad found the stairs to be a major obstacle in his daily life. His balance was poor and his knees were at risk of failing. However, with the bedroom and bathroom on the 2nd floor, the stairs had to be overcome several times a day. “I was simply afraid to use the stairs,” Tommy Jørstad tells us in his living room.
Next to him is his walker, which is a great help with household chores. But on the stairs, it is not helpful.
The former master carpenter in the municipality of Malvik in Sør-Trøndelag in Norway suffers from Meniere’s disease, which causes severe vertigo attacks. In addition, he has osteoarthritis in both knees and hips. Climbing the stairs to reach the bedroom or bathroom eventually became a struggle.
“I have to plan excursions in terms of climbing stairs,” he says. “It’s especially bad when my foot has to take the first step downstairs. If my knee fails or I feel dizzy, it can easily happen that I fall.”
This means for Tommy an everyday life marked by carefully planned drinking breaks and other tasks, as he cannot go up the stairs frequently during the day. But the possibility of getting help from outside did not occur to him. It was his doctor who suggested to him the visit to the municipal care transition service.
The care transition team of the municipality of Malvik is an interdisciplinary team that works closely with patients. They assist with home modifications. When they visited Tommy, the team quickly realized that the stairs were a challenge and that they might have a solution.
“We immediately saw that Tommy’s method of going up and down the stairs was not very good. His body became stiff, which made him even more insecure on the stairs,” says Martin Tjugen, occupational therapist of the care transition team.
“If you have to use the stairs in the morning to go to the bathroom, any uncertainty can negatively affect the activity level because you hesitate to take the stairs, which prevents you from doing things,” explains the occupational therapist of the Malvik community, Oda Helen Græsli.
“For this reason, we were very pleased when we found a solution that we believed would work,” says Martin Tjugen.
The solution that Martin Tjugen had in mind was a stair climbing aid that supports the affected person when climbing stairs, but does not take over all the work.
“I heard about the TOPRO Step stair climbing aid as a student and realized early on that this could be a good alternative to stair lifts. We took Tommy to the Ladesletta Velferdssenter in Trondheim, where the stair climbing aid can be tested,” says Tjugen.
“I immediately recognized that the stair climbing aid was clever and that I could use it well. It is especially difficult to go down the stairs. With the support of the stair climbing aid, I can lean against the handle when I am unsure, and that gives me good support,” says Tommy.
The stair climbing aid TOPRO Step can be a good alternative to stair lifts or home renovations.
“Ultimately, one could say that there are people who have the possibility to continue living at home,” says Solrun Matberg.
“In any case, it is about giving people the opportunity to walk on their own stairs, which benefits their health and gives the user a sense of achievement,” says co-founder and CTO Ingrid Lonar.
In addition to the two who monitor the installation at Fredrik Okkenhaug, the company has two more employees. Eirik Gjelsvik Medbø is a co-founder and marketing chief. Additionally, they have a sales manager named Jörg Radtke in Sweden.
He stands up and walks to the stairs. Two rails were mounted along the wall. He folds out a handrail and grabs it with both hands before starting to push. Then he goes step by step. The ascent is quick. He stops at the top landing and turns around.
“This part was the worst for me,” he says, taking the first step while holding onto the handle.
“Now I feel safe. If my legs should fail, I can hold onto the handle of the stair climbing aid with all my weight without falling forward. It feels secure and I no longer hesitate as much when going down the stairs. I don’t need it every time, but it is a good help that allows me to live in my own house,” he says smiling.
“By the way, it’s very good that young people are interested in this kind of thing and smart enough to develop something so functional,” he adds.
The care transition has given many patients the opportunity to stay at home and take care of themselves for longer. Elaborated needs and clear goals make it possible for training to be systematized and quality of life to be improved. This is how the care transition team in the community of Malvik in Sør-Trøndelag works every day.
In Malvik, the team focuses on important activities for the individual.
We capture the entirety, needs, and environment of the patient. Sometimes it is enough to rethink, and in some cases offering aids is a wise thing to do. With the stair climbing aid TOPRO Step, we can now offer assistance that contributes to daily living and allows the patient to live at home. The stair climbing aid TOPRO Step can also be used for the stair training of those who need it.
TOPRO Step Informatiosvideo
To carry out an on-site inspection and receive a quote, make an appointment with us. Once you have accepted the quote, we will carry out the installation, which usually only takes a few hours.
TOPRO Step is TÜV-tested and certified and meets all functional and safety requirements.
TOPRO Step is designed so that it can be easily adapted to your staircase. It can be installed on straight stairs, curved stairs and stairs with a landing.
Ask your health insurance company about the possibility of cost coverage or possible subsidies. Please note that these options are country-specific and individual.
TOPRO Step means TOPRO quality. When you buy a TOPRO Step, you receive a guarantee of up to 5 years.
We measure success by satisfied customers, which is our top priority. We already have over 4,000 satisfied users throughout Europe.
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Do you have any questions?
Would you like a free and personal consultation? Get in touch with our TOPRO Step experts and book a free, no-obligation appointment directly at your home.
TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 – 16:00 o'clock.
TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 – 16:00 o'clock.
Do you have any questions or would you like to test the TOPRO Step stair climber?
We have compiled all frequently asked questions on the FAQ page
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Jakob Rønningen had no objections when the stair climber was ready for use in the care home. “The device looks good and is robust. I felt safe,” he said after walking up and down the stairs once.
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