Broken lift leaves elderly stranded

7:25pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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Elderly residents of a sheltered housing block have been trapped in their homes for a week because the lift is out of order.

Pensioners at Field House, in West Way, Botley, Oxford, have demanded action from the Vale Housing Association after the lift in the block of warden-controlled flats broke down nine days ago.

Many of the residents are unable to use the stairs to get from the first floor, and rely on the lift to allow them to use mobility scooters for trips to the nearby shops.

Eileen Cruickshank, 79, who suffers from emphysema, said: "The lift is absolutely crucial to me because I can't walk very far and I need to use my electric trolley.

"If it was not for my daughter I would have been in a dreadful position, and there are lots of residents who are in an even worse position.

"Vale Housing have told us that they are going to fix the lift, but this has been going on for too long now and there is no-one we can get in touch with."

Neighbour Olive Hockley, 78, who recently had an eye operation, added: "I need the lift more than ever since my operation.

"I asked one of the wardens to help me take my shopping trolley downstairs, which he was happy to do, but I found out later he had been reprimanded because he was told that was not part of his duties.

"We are lucky if we see a warden once a week and that is not sufficient if they are going to keep calling this sheltered housing."

A sign put up next to the lift informing residents that the lift would be "out of order this weekend at least" prompted the written response: "Liars - we are old, treat us like it."

Mrs Cruickshank's daughter, Amanda Frost, 45, of Cumnor, said: "There have been problems with the lift for the past three weeks and it has been out of order.

"I work as a home help and I don't think the level of care in this block is good enough.

"There is a warden but the housing association operates a rota system and the warden is often called away to a different location.

"Some of the residents are trapped in their homes and they can't even get out to the shops without the lift - the wardens need to keep checking on them to make sure they are all right.

"Field House has been running for about 20 years and when it first opened it was a real flagship place because it is in such a good location right next to the shops."

Graham Lees, a spokesman for Cotswold Lifts, said the company had hoped to fix the lift by Friday but was unable to get hold of a vital part, but that this was now being couriered to them.

Karen Blatchley, a spokesman for Vale Housing, said wardens visited residents on Friday afternoon to reassure them and to remind them that they could press an emergency button for 24-hour contact with wardens.

She added that the lift was due to be back in action by tomorrow evening.