The Wheelchair Stair Lift

One of the most frustrating obstacles for a wheelchair user has to be a flight of stairs that can only be negotiated by either being manhandled by helpers or in a dignified fashion upon a wheelchair stair lift. Unfortunately, most staircases do not have the latter feature installed, mainly because the cost would be prohibitive and not all stairways are suitable.

Despite this, more and more people with disabilities that are reliant on a wheelchair for mobility are having just such a device installed in their homes where there is an upper floor that they wish to get access to.

Lets take a look at some of the benefits of having a wheelchair stair lift (see: http://disabilityviews.com for more info) installed in your home and how they help people to get around their homes where without one, the upper floor of their home is mostly off limits without human assistance.

How does it work?

The wheelchair stair lift works in a fairly simple manner, in may way similar to that of a stair chair lift, as outlined in a previous post on this blog. The unit comprises a flat, horizontal base that the wheelchair is rolled onto and locked in place. This base is attached to a steel or aluminum rail that runs the length of the stairway which it runs along on wheels or rollers and is pulled up and down along the rail using an electrically powered motor and a belt or chain mechanism.

The base itself can be raised into a vertical position when not in use so that other people can use the stairs freely. When needed for use, the base is lowered into the horizontal position mechanically, so that the wheelchair user can roll onto it and lock the chair in place so that it does not move during ascent or descent.

The base then swivels 90 degrees so that the wheelchair has its back to the wall as this is preferred as the most comfortable way to ride up or down the stairs. When it reaches the top (or the bottom, depending on whether the user is ascending or descending) the base swivels a further 90 degrees to allow the user to roll off in the direction of the hall or landing.

The benefits are obvious in that this device allows the user to gain egress to all parts of their home, and not just the rooms on the ground floor that without one, would be the case unless they had a person there to help them. This not only allows them access to upper floors, but allows them to get around in a dignified manner and not to be reliant on human help for what should be a basic need.

The cost of buying and installing a wheel chair lift on your stairway can be quite expensive, so you may need to investigate whether there are local charitable organizations that can assist with the cost, or maybe there are local government grants available for people with disabilities.

At the end of the day, these devices are all about providing the user with dignified accessibility to all of their home in a comfortable manner and to be able to get to where they want to get when they want to get there!

Handicap Ramps

The Stair Chair Lift

One of the main problems of home accessibility faced by people with disabilities is getting up and down stairs and one that the installation of a stair chair lift can so easily alleviate. Of course, not everyone can afford to have on of these wonderful devices fitted to their staircase. But if you can afford it or can find ways of financing it, then this is a truly necessary addition that you'll wonder how you ever did without before you got one. This article takes a look at the stairlift and how it works and its great benefits to its owner.

The stair chair lift is a simple design that incorporates a sturdy chair attached to a motorized base which travels up and down the stairs on a track that is affixed to either the wall or the risers next to the wall so as to be the least obtrusive as possible. The unit is powered by electricity and is almost noiseless in operation, smooth and comfortable as well as being very safe and secure as long as it was purchased from a trusted and well known manufacturer and installed by that company's own professional installers.

To use the device, the user simply sits on the chair and operates it using the lever set into the armrest to either ascend or descend the staircase as desired. The chair when at rest at the top or bottom of the stairs will face outwards towards the user so it is easy to get on, then will swivel round ninety degrees so the user is sitting with their back to the wall for the ascent (or descent). When the top (or bottom as the case may be) is reached, the chair swivels another ninety degrees to face outward from the stairs so the user can easily get off.

Safety is a big issue with all mobility devices for the handicapped or people with disabilities, and these units will come with a manufacturer's warranty as long as you bought from a reputable company and their certified installers fitted the unit in your home. This is something that should not be undertaken by anyone but a professional with experience in fitting stairlifts or the warranty may be void and you will have no recompense should anything go wrong due to a faulty installation.

The benefits of having a hone stair chair lift installed in your home are innumerable. Just being able to access the upper floor and the rooms up there without needing help is worth its weight in gold. The residential chair lift is easy to operate and low maintenance so is ideal for an elderly person or someone with a physical disability that prevents them from climbing stairs.

Handicap Ramps