Council tells disabled gran who has to crawl upstairs to bed she can’t have a stair lift and needs to move out
A COUNCIL has told a disabled gran who has to crawl upstairs to bed that she can't have a stair lift and needs to move out.
Santy Burns, 59, suffers from diabetes and painful osteoarthritis and says
she has to crawl on her hands and knees at her home in Huddersfield.
She said she also finds it difficult to reach the upstairs bathroom.
The gran said that before lockdown Kirklees Council promised her a stair lift.
Santy also claims she was promised a wet room because she cannot get into the bath.
She says she was assessed as being eligible for work on the house, but now she has been told none of it would be possible and that it would be best for her to move into a smaller house.
Santy told YorkshireLive: "They measured up a stair lift and said 'yes'.
I can't get into the bath and they said yes to a wet room.
"Now I can't have a stair lift. I am told it would cost too much."
Santy has also recently discovered that a town centre-based charity would no longer be providing electric scooters for hire.
She added: "I am now stuck in the house 24/7."
A spokesman for Kirklees Council said it had offered to rehouse Santy
to a more suitable property.
The mum-of-three has been asked if she wanted to move a council bungalow but she is very reluctant.
I have lived in this house for 40 years and it is where all my kids grew up
Santy
She siad: "I am not moving out of my house. My kids were born here and at the weekend I have my grandkids.
"If I moved I would not be able to have my grandkids stay. I had all
my hopes built up (regarding to house modifications)."
She added: "I have lived in this house for 40 years and it is where
all my kids grew up. I am from Dalton and this is my home."
Santy says she feels trapped in the house and is feeling depressed
about the future.
She is also faced with steps at the bottom of her garden.
She said: "I am stuck in the house. I have my dog, Missy, but I can't walk far.
I used to go to town two or three times a week.
"I used to book a scooter with Age UK for £5 but they have now closed
the shop. I can't get a bus because I can't walk from the bus. My
daughter does my shopping."
A spokesman said: "We are in contact with the resident to discuss support options that will help keep them well and independent at home.
"Following an assessment by our occupational therapists we have
offered to rehouse the resident to more suitable housing on medical
grounds.
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"Where mobility is an issue a single property often provides many
benefits that a stair lift alone.
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"A smaller property may also be a more manageable size to maintain.
"We are more than willing to work with this resident to find another
suitable property and would likely have some within the same area.";