Broken lifts at Marine Parade condo leaves some senior residents stuck indoors

SINGAPORE: Both lifts at a Marine Parade condominium have been out of order, one since November 2024 and the other since Jan 14. While it may inconvenience younger residents, it has also meant a challenging climb, or even getting stranded at home, for older people.

The condominium is located on a 21-floor block at Neptune Court. According to a report in Shin Min Daily News, a senior living in the condominium has to climb 400 steps each day to get in and out of the building. Other elderly residents, especially those who use wheelchairs, are stuck at home due to the lift issue.

The problem is not new. According to a resident who anonymously spoke to Shin Min Daily News, one of the lifts has not worked since last year. When the other lift broke down earlier this month, residents had no choice but to walk up and down the stairs for almost two weeks.

Some residents are worried that replacing the lifts would take longer because they are around 25 years old. Also, because of the condominium’s location, the lifts may experience more wear and tear than usual due to their exposure to the elements.

While the lift was supposed to be repaired by Jan 21, the condominium management said there was a delay because the lift’s components needed multiple fixes and testing.

On Jan 20, a sign was placed beside the lift, informing residents that the lift’s parts were not working and needed replacement. Spare parts would be taken from another condominium. Initially, it was thought that repairs would only last five days.

Reports quote a 70-year-old man as saying it takes him at least 15 minutes to climb hundreds of steps to the 20th floor where he lives. This has caused him to limit how many times he goes out, given how tiring each time takes, as he finds himself out of breath when he has to climb back to his condo unit.

However, since this man is still active and mobile, he can at least get out. Two senior citizens who use wheelchairs and live on the floor above the 70-year-old man said they’ve stayed home since the second lift went out of service on Jan 14.

They now depend on others for food deliveries and their other needs. However, one of the wheelchair-bound senior citizens needs to go to the hospital weekly to procure his medicines.

The condominium management has endeavoured to assist residents, including facilitating deliveries of groceries and other packages from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. The condominium also has a staircase-climbing wheelchair. There are also chairs at every landing for residents to sit and rest when they need to as they climb the stairs. /TISG

Read also: Lifts at Rivervale Drive HDBs, scheduled for completion in 2021, finally in operation