An out of order lift has left an elderly woman effectively housebound for weeks on end and unable to leave her flat at a Penrith retirement scheme.
The family of 98-year-old Eleanor Gardner claimed she had to eat Christmas dinner in her flat alone as a result of the lift at the town’s Merlin Court retirement housing scheme being out of order – but the firm which runs the scheme said the lift was operational at this time.
The lift was mended in the new year, but has since broken again, leaving Eleanor stranded, and causing family and friends to be concerned about her health and wellbeing.
Son Steve Gardner has expressed his anger about the ongoing situation and has complained to Merlin Court’s parent company Anchor.
“Mum has had a letter pushed under the door this week to say it might take five weeks to fix the lift. Stair lift to be installed week commencing February 24,” Steve told the Herald.
“The thought of my elderly mother being effectively confined to her room until April is obviously not something I and other relatives are happy about. Due to her age and physical limitations, my mother is unable to use the stairs.
“The continued outage effectively confines her to her flat, preventing her from essential activities — grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, etc, and even just going downstairs to socialise with her neighbours.
“She had to have her Christmas dinner brought up to her where she ate it alone. This is not only a significant inconvenience but also a serious detriment to her physical and mental wellbeing. It is also a potential safety hazard should she require emergency medical attention.
“Frankly in a building of this usage type, with a single lift, a permanent chair lift should be installed anyway as a secondary method of exiting the upper floors,” says Steve.
Anchor contested the claim that the lift was out of order on Christmas Day and said it broke down on December 16, but was fully operational by December 22. It broke down again on January 28.
Carla Batey, area manager for Merlin Court, said: “As soon as we were made aware the lift at Merlin Court had broken down on January 28, we immediately informed our maintenance contractor.
“Replacement parts have been ordered, but the lift will remain out of action while we await delivery.
“Our residents’ comfort and safety remain our primary concern. The on-site manager has spoken with all residents affected and offered support with shopping and laundry.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and are doing everything we can to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.”
His concerns were echoed by Eleanor’s friend Margaret Barr, who has known Eleanor — who is originally from Melmerby — for over 25 years.
Margaret explained: “It has been really so stressful for her. On Christmas Day she was not able to get down because it had broken down, and then it was mended.
“This time it has gone on for a fortnight already, and is likely to go on for another fortnight, and she has become very stressed about it.
“What we want to see is them to put in a stairlift. So that there is a means of getting upstairs and downstairs.
“I don’t know what the fire brigade think about it? I am really concerned in case there is an emergency, because she is not the only vulnerable person on the top floor.”
Margaret says the situation has robbed Eleanor of her independence: “She obviously misses getting out and about walking around Penrith and meeting people. She is missing the contact with all the people she normally has contact with, and is unable to go to the shops for herself, for instance. She wants her independence.”
Anchor’s website states Merlin Court retirement housing scheme in Penrith offers 30 one-bedroom purpose-built properties for rent for people over the age of 55. “You will not need to worry about maintenance and repairs or gardening upkeep as we take care of those,” says the website.
Carla Batey, area manager for Merlin Court, told the Herald: “As soon as we were made aware the lift at Merlin Court had broken down on 28th January, we immediately informed our maintenance contractor.
“Replacement parts have been ordered, but the lift will remain out-of-action while we await delivery.
“Our residents’ comfort and safety remain our primary concern. The on-site manager has spoken with all residents affected and offered support with shopping and laundry. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and are doing everything we can to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.”
Anchor said the company was “exploring the installation of a stairlift”.
