Residents of the Denenburg residential complex in Enkhuizen have been ‘locked up’ for a few days. The elevator of the two-storey complex is broken. Several residents who have difficulty walking have been unable to move for days. The housing association promises that the elevator will be fixed before the weekend.
“Elevator is not working, technician has been called”, notes are widely used in the complex. The elderly live in the complex with 24 apartments. Many who have difficulty walking, walk with a walker or move in a mobility scooter. Like 94-year-old Tini Mannem-Wiesebahn, who lives on the top floor:
“We were told that the part was not available and it would take months. There was great panic here in the house,” explains Corry Bouwmans of the residents’ committee. They immediately jumped into action mode: how are we going to arrange this together in the near future? And how can we prevent this from happening again in the future?
All social gatherings have been cancelled. So is the pea soup morning this morning, the gymnastics meeting and the weekly coffee morning. Christmas also threatened to fall into the water. Bouwmans: “But I just got a call: the part would still be available so that the lift can be made. Normally something like this would last 50 years, but not now.”
But they don’t stop there. “Never again. We are going to make a case for a stairlift, so that we can always leave if there is something wrong with the lift.”
Elevator Bellboy
To be able to go down the stairs or to lift groceries, there is an ‘elevator piccolo’ in the house these days. “He is there from 8 am to evening to help people. With anything and everything, shopping, walking the dog. We are doing what we can to solve this as quickly as possible, it has a high priority,” says the spokesperson for the Welwonen housing association.
Down in the hall at a table sits the retired Fred Stroosnijder, with a book and coffee. Alert to the requests for help that pass by. “Get the mail, take out the garbage. I try to help people as much as possible where possible. It is very annoying that some people really have nowhere to go.”
The gallery has never been used so frequently. “I now walk around the corridor about 20 times a day. What I normally do outside, I have lumbago in my back. I have to move,” says 83-year-old Riet Droge. “Luckily I have help from people. Normally I fly in all directions. I also had to cancel the bridge club.”
Repair in sight
In the middle of the afternoon the good news comes. The part for the elevator will not be waiting for months. “It will be delivered tomorrow and will then also be placed,” says a Welwonen spokesperson.