Choosing the Right Type of Stair Lift

In the home, it is not uncommon for seniors and others who have limited mobility to have difficulty using the staircase. Often, this difficulty leads to very serious injury and is the result of a number of health conditions, such as arthritis and glaucoma, which are more common among those who are elderly. Since the staircase can be so dangerous to the elderly, many choose to install a stair lift in their home.

Stair lifts are a kind of medical lifting aid that was first developed almost 100 years ago. Stair lifts actually carry a person up and down the staircase, safely moving them without risk that they might fall and injure themselves. There are quite a few different stair lift manufacturers, including Bruno Stair Lifts and Summit Stair Lifts, but they typically use a similar design. A metal track is attached to the staircase and a chair is attached to the metal track. The chair is sent along the track, powered by an electrical motor, carrying a single rider.

One of the greatest advantages of stair lifts is that they are relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to a residential elevator. Stair lifts can be used outdoors and indoors, although if you wish to use the stair lift outdoors, it must be a special weatherproof model. Typically, an outdoor stair lift costs more than an indoor stair lift, so while you could safely install an outdoor stair lift indoors, it is not recommended.

Stair Lifts for People With Hip and Knee Replacement

For seniors and others who might have had knee or hip replacement surgery, a standing stair lift is also available. Standing stair lifts, which are called perch lifts, allow a person to remain upright as they are carried up the staircase, sometimes providing a waste high support that can be leaned against. This can be essential to those recovering from a major surgery, who may not be able to safely bend their knee enough to sit down in a regular stair lift.

Typically, it is not a good idea to use a perch lift unless it is a medical necessity, because they require that the user have a strong sense of balance. As such, they are not a good choice for someone with limited vision or dementia. Perch lifts do, however, take up less space than other stair lifts, so might be a good option on narrow staircases.

Stair Lifts for Wheelchair Users

For those who use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, a regular stair lift will not work and instead an inclined platform lift is required. Inclined platform lifts are very similar to stair lifts, with the exception that they use a large platform instead of a chair. The platform is large enough that a wheelchair can be driven onto it and many also provide a fold out bench that can be used by none wheelchair users.

While incline platform lifts are very similar in design and function to a regular stair lift, they are much larger and require a much larger staircase. This makes them not always well suited for all residential settings, but incline platform lifts are very popular in schools and other commercial buildings.