Case study: Council reuses assistive equipment to help young boy with cerebral palsy
Daily life for one Doncaster family has reached new heights thanks to a local authority’s occupational therapy team optimising the use of existing equipment.
Brain injured at birth, five-year-old Daniel Bostock requires round-the-clock care support for his condition. He has cerebral palsy and a gastrostomy; his back arches, his legs do not bend, but his body exerts strong movement and his muscle pattern changes through the day.
Big for his age, Daniel had reached the point where it was no longer safe nor practical to carry him up and down stairs, whichever of the care team was undertaking the activity of daily living. His team ranges from a petite (4ft 11in) carer to his 6ft 3in father.
A new occupational therapist (OT) on the team was aware that Doncaster Council had some AAT S-Max Sella stairclimbers on its equipment list. Working with AAT’s regional assessment manager, one of the stairclimbers has been re-issued to Daniel, accessorised with a tilt-in-space seat to match his specific needs in terms of size and support.
The whole process – from initial assessment to provision of the stairclimber and full training for the care team – was completed in under three weeks, with no disruption or physical structural alteration to the family home and daily life.
It has meant the transfer of Daniel up and down stairs is now safe and easy. It has also enabled the family to enjoy life beyond the home, as the stairclimber can be packed into the boot for days out or holidays, regardless of access issues at destination. They’ve ventured to the Scottish Highlands.
Daniel’s mum, Jodie, explained: “The stairclimber’s a brilliant bit of equipment. It’s meant we can make it a really full life for Daniel. On a practical level, because of his health issues Daniel requires 24-hour care. The stairclimber is so easy, every one of us can use it. Crucially, it supports and holds Daniel safely and correctly. It just works for us.”
The Class I medical device is purpose designed with a compact turning circle to accommodate almost every type of staircase, including bends, and turns, and narrow flights. The battery-operated kinetic machine smoothly powers up and down stairs or steps, accommodating 300 steps from one charge. Integrated anti-tilt means it cannot be tipped over, and automatic braking ensures complete control throughout the step process.
A high balance point means little effort is required to manoeuvre it. The handle is fully and easily adjustable to whatever height is comfortable for the operator, whether Daniel’s smallest carer or his tall father. Rate of climb can also be set so that is comfortable for the operator and passenger.
When not in use, the AAT S-Max Sella stairclimber folds compactly away, minimising disruption and interference with daily living for the household.
As standard, the mobility aid includes an integral seat. Accessorised with AAT’s unique Universal Back, it further enhances reissue capability as the back delivers “cradle to grave” support being fully adjustable by width and height and seat depth providing lateral and asymmetrical trunk support and harnessing if needed. Alternatively, the S-Max can be fitted to a wheelchair.
Including client assessment and training, a stairclimber can be reissued for less than £1,000 and expediated within days, delivering optimal risk management or facilitating hospital discharge where mobility on stairs are a preventative issue.