Mobility Aid Stigma: What Users Really Think and How to Move Past It

Stigma is the feeling that other people will judge you, pity you or see you differently because of something about you. With mobility aids, it usually shows up as worry that a walking stick, wheelchair, scooter or stairlift will make you look old, frail or less capable.

It matters because it changes behaviour. People who feel self-conscious about an aid often delay getting one, use it less than they should, or leave it at home when they go out. That can mean struggling on with tasks that have become difficult, taking risks on the stairs or going out less often.

In practice, the stigma people fear is often much bigger than the reaction they actually get. Most people barely notice a walking stick or a stairlift, and friends and family are usually relieved that someone they care about is safer. But the feeling is real, and understanding where it comes from is the first step in not letting it hold you back.

We carried out a survey of mobility aid users, receiving more than 350 responses, to find out how widespread the feeling of stigma really is. The findings were fairly clear:

• One in three felt a stigma. 33% of users said they felt there was a stigma attached to owning a mobility product.
• Two in three did not. The majority of users did not feel stigmatised, which is worth remembering if you are worried about how you will be seen.
• Mobility scooters attracted the most stigma of any product.
• Younger users felt more stigma than older users, with the feeling declining steadily with age.
• Most users felt attitudes were improving, and that stigma was becoming less of an issue over time.

Our survey was carried out in 2014, and the direction of travel it showed, towards greater acceptance, has only continued since as mobility aids have become more common and better designed.

Mobility scooters attracted the greatest stigma in our survey, and the likely reason is visibility. Scooters are used in public, on pavements and in shops, so their users are seen by strangers every time they go out. People tend to feel most self-conscious about aids that others can see them using.

Aids used at home are a different story. A stairlift, a riser chair or grab rails are seen only by the people you invite into your home, who are usually family and friends who care about you. That is one reason stairlifts tend to attract far less stigma than aids used in public.

The type of aid also matters. Products that look clinical or institutional tend to feel more stigmatising than ones that look like ordinary household items. Manufacturers have responded to this, and many modern mobility products are designed to look as much like normal furniture as possible.

Finally, how the aid came about makes a difference. People who choose an aid themselves, on their own terms, generally feel better about it than those who feel it was forced on them after a crisis.

Our survey found that younger mobility aid users felt more stigma than older users, and that the feeling declined in line with age.

There are several likely reasons. For older people, using a mobility aid is more common among their friends and peers, so it feels more normal. Younger users may be the only person in their social circle who needs one, and may feel it marks them out or prompts questions about their health.

Expectations also play a part. Society often sees mobility aids as something for "old age", so a younger person using one can feel they are breaking an unwritten rule. Many younger stairlift users have conditions such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis or the effects of an injury, and may feel they have to explain themselves in a way older users do not.

For families, this is worth bearing in mind. A younger relative who needs a stairlift may have stronger feelings about it than an older one, and may appreciate extra sensitivity about how it is discussed and how the lift looks.

Most users in our survey felt that stigma around mobility aids was becoming less of an issue, and there are good reasons to think that trend has continued.

The UK population is ageing, so more people use mobility aids and more people know someone who does. The more familiar something becomes, the less it stands out. Mobility aids are also far more visible in everyday life than they once were, in shops, on public transport and in the media.

Design has improved dramatically. Walking aids come in modern styles and colours, scooters look more like consumer products, and stairlifts have become slimmer and neater, with seats that fold away and rails that sit close to the wall.

Attitudes to independence have shifted too. Staying in your own home for longer is increasingly seen as something to plan for, and using equipment that makes that possible is seen as sensible rather than a sign of decline. Many people now view a stairlift in the same way they would a new boiler or a walk-in shower: a practical investment in the home.

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A stairlift is one of the least stigmatising mobility aids for a simple reason: it stays inside your own home. The only people who see it are those you invite in, and they are usually glad you are safer on the stairs.

Modern stairlifts are also designed to be discreet:

• Folding seats, arms and footrests mean the lift takes up little space when it is parked, leaving room for others to use the stairs normally.
• Slim rails sit close to the wall and are fixed to the stair treads rather than the wall itself.
• Choice of finishes, with many models offering different upholstery colours and rail finishes to suit your décor.
• Hinged rails are available where the bottom of the rail would otherwise block a doorway.

Many owners say that once the stairlift was fitted, they stopped thinking of it as a mobility aid at all. It simply became the way they get upstairs. See our guide to the best stairlift brands to compare how different models look and fit.

If you are worried about how a mobility aid will look or what others will think, these approaches can help:

• Focus on what it lets you do. A stairlift is not about what you can no longer manage. It is about keeping your bedroom, your bathroom and your whole home.
• Make the decision yourself. Choosing an aid on your own terms, before a crisis, usually feels much better than having one arranged for you after a fall.
• Choose a design you like. Look at colours and finishes, and ask about models that fold away neatly.
• Start at home. Using an aid in private first helps you build confidence before anyone else sees it.
• Talk about it openly. Friends and family usually respond with relief, and talking about it takes away much of the awkwardness.
• Remember the alternative. Struggling on without help often means more risk, more tiredness and doing less of what you enjoy.

If the stairs are the issue, a free home survey lets you see exactly what a stairlift would look like in your home, with no obligation.

If you are worried that a parent or partner is avoiding a mobility aid because of how it looks, how you raise the subject makes a real difference.

Lead with independence and what they want to keep doing, rather than with safety or what they can no longer manage. Acknowledge the worry rather than dismissing it, and share real information: that a stairlift fits to the stairs, folds away and is only seen by visitors to the home.

It also helps to involve them in the choice. Looking at different models and finishes together, or booking a free survey where they can ask their own questions, gives them control over the decision.

Above all, be patient. Many people need time to get used to the idea, and planting it early means they are not forced into a decision after a fall. For more on this conversation, read our guide on how to help a parent accept they need a stairlift, and look at the signs your parent needs a stairlift.