A Cautionary Tale of Bath Lifts

 A broken neck (nearly five years ago quite soon) concentrates the mind somewhat when it comes to falls.  I remember that prevention of falls was a high NHS priority when I was a non-executive director of a Health Trust.  Falls, especially among the elderly, accounted for a huge number of hospital admissions - indeed, fatalities.   Easy to identify the problem but almost impossible to prevent them to any meaningful extent.  We are a poor design, top heavy and walking on just two of our four limbs.

We built-in some features when we adapted the tower, most notably the lift of course.  Since my big fall we have installed more handrails around the place too.  Still, some hazards remain - most notably getting into (easy just yet) and out of the bath - hard, inelegant, dangerous and bordering on impossible.

Baths are a bit old fashioned anyway, showers being quicker and, if brief, easier on water and heating.  Even so there's nothing more relaxing than a good soak in a bath.  For both of us getting out of the bath has become hazardous at best.  Yet the technology is out there to lower you into the bath and raise you out of it in safety.  We decided to go for it.  There are gadgets galore but the undoubted Rolls-Royce of them is the belt type electric bath lift.  All are expensive and the market (older people mainly) is vulnerable.

Most widely and very convincingly advertised is Aqua Lift.  Click here for a brochure the website said so we did.  Almost immediately the telephone rang, it was Aqua Lift.  Would we like a free home demonstration.  No obligation so why not?  Better still they could fit us in next day.  Good as their word their man, a smashing chap named John came and showed us the machine in a most expert and convincing 'dry demonstration'.  The machine was just the job.  It came to the price, inevitably.  I had done a bit of homework online and had been alarmed at the big range of prices for what appeared to be near identical products, differing only in the makers' name or so it seemed to me.  There is no VAT payable on the disability aid.  After a couple of phone call to head office the best price, with a substantial discount was an astonishing £2,316.25p.  That was today's price for an immediate order.  We wanted to do a bit more research, declined for now but promised to contact John if his price was competitive.  He said that he would have to return if was were to buy his Aqualift.  We shook hands and left it at that.

Aqualift head office telephoned next day to see how it had gone and reduced the price to £995, fitted. A lot less than half the price! We were tempted, naturally. However, not having been born yesterday, but being convinced by the excellence of the product, I took to Google. Amazon, not renowned for being the cheapest, had an identical looking gadget for £765, with the trade name Bentley. Probing further I found a Bentley online, brand new, for £745. Meanwhile on EBay there were second hand Aqualifts for next to nothing but caveat emptor of course.

We ended up getting a Bentley bath lift, postage free next day for £695 from a firm in Cornwall. I rang them first in an effort to see that they existed and had a very good chat about my adventures.

Well, it is fitted and today we both had baths. It works and is bordering on fun.

Down, Up, remote control, bath temperature and battery charge indication. Lithium battery is good for 20 or so downs and ups before recharging. I fitted it, being a fairly handy chap.

Bentley Bath Lift