Stairlifts as a Means of Improving Safety and Accessibility

Stairlifts are a lifting tool used, in most cases, in the home to make it easier and safer for someone to use the staircase. This type of home medical equipment is used to carry someone with limited mobility up the stairway, to help reduce the risk of falls. While most are designed for a single user, stairlifts for wheelchairs are also available, as well as a few standing models, although the former are typically used in commercial settings.

The average staircase in the home can be outfitted with this type of stairlift, as several do-it-yourself kits are avaiable that can be installed relatively easily. The exception to this is curved staircases that have an actual circular bend to them, as these will need a custom built stairlift that can be very expensive and must be, generally, installed by a professional stairlift technician.

Selecting the Right Type of Stair Lift

Stair lifts can make it much easier for the elderly to use a staircase. These devices carry a person up or down the staircase, either by providing a seat or small platform. For those who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters, there is also a special type of stairlift available.

It is important to consider what the needs of the patient are, as well as the different types of stair lifts available in order to select the best stair lift.

Using a Stair Lift to Improve Senior Safety

The stairs can be difficult to use for people of all ages, but they are most dangerous to the elderly. It is very common for accidents to occur on the stairs and due to their design, these often result in broken bones or other very serious injuries to occur as the result of a fall on the stairs. To help make these devices easier to use, some people use stair lifts, commonly called stair chairs, to ensure that the staircase can be used safely and independently.

Understanding Why and How to Use a Stair Chair

For seniors and others who have reduced mobility, the stairs present a very dangerous obstacle. Falls on the stairs are often quite serious and can result in injuries that, for a senior, are very difficult to recover from. Using the stairs is often simply not an option and is one of the reasons that many of the elderly move to an assisted living facility.

However, retirement villages are very expensive and mean giving up a lot of freedom, so sometimes a stair lift is a better alternative.

A Stair Lift Primer

In the home, a staircase presents a risk to those who are elderly or mobility challenged. They can also be quite difficult to use, which is why some people require a staircase safety device, such as a stair lift. The stair lift offers a safety solution that is low cost and often requires only a little modification to the home. In contrast to a home elevator or even a wheelchair lift, a stair lift provides a significantly smaller investment, but can provide a similar service.

A stair lift, either one that uses a chair or a platform, can be used by most seniors, but also provide a tool for caregivers who need to move someone between floors.

A Look at How to Make the Stairs Safer for Seniors

For the elderly, the stairs can provide a large hurdle and are the site of many accidents and falls. Due to the heights and hard surfaces involved, staircase falls are a leading cause of hospitalization among senior citizens, so finding a way to reduce the risk of a fall is very important. This can mean installing a stair lift or other senior lifting aid, but it is important to first determine the abilities and needs of the senior, while finding a safety solution that will meet these needs.

Addressing the Safety Risks Presented by the Stairs

There are a number of devices that are used to help improve accessibility for the elderly, which address many areas of the home and daily life. However, the stairs often present the greatest risk to those who have difficulty walking, especially the elderly. Each year, falls account for the leading number of serious injuries among the elderly, with falls on the stairs being some of the most dangerous. So, it is incredibly important to prevent these types of accidents from occurring.

Cutting Through the Pitch: A Consumer Guide to Buying Stair Lifts Part 1

When choosing a stair lift, it is easy to make the mistake of calling a stair lift seller without first researching the different options available and learning about the different types of home medical lifts. This is because you are very likely to end up talking to a commission based salesman who is more interested in making a sale than helping you find the best stair lift. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and not all stair lift sellers are sharks, but the home medical industry is well known for high pressure sales pitches.

So, it is far better to research the different options available first, to better arm yourself against the salesman. This involves first evaluating the needs of the user, than determining what type of lifting aids will work in your home, and finally considering the costs of the different types of stair lifts and home lifting aids.

Exploring Your Options and Choosing the Right Type of Stair Lift

The stair lift is a type of home medical equipment, which is a good deal less expensive than elevators and requires much less modification to the home. Stair lifts are often used by the elderly, but they can be used by people of all ages who have difficulty safely using the stairway. Selecting the right stair lift might seem difficult, but when you know how they work and the different types available, it is much easier.

Stair Lifts: An Important Tool for Preventing Falls

For elderly patients, there are many types of mobility aids and a number of different types of home medical equipment that can be used to improve safety and accessibility. When preventing senior falls, one of the most important areas of the home to address is the staircase, as this is the site of the most serious and common injuries. As such, a stair lift can be one of the most important tools for seniors and caregivers wishing to improve their ability to preform activities of daily life.