Common Staircase Lifting Aids

For the senior, there is no area of the home that presents as serious of a risk as the staircase. This is because falls on the stairs are much more serious than regular falls, often resulting in serious injury, hospitalization, and even death. Since recovering from a serious injury is so difficult for seniors and can often be insurmountable, it is important to take measures to prevent accidents before they occur. One way that safety is often increased on the staircase is to use a stair lift or other lifting aid.

Stair Lifts

The reason the stair lift is such a popular option for safety is its low cost and ease of installation. Most stair lifts attach directly to the staircase and provide a seat for the user to sit in, as they are carried up the stairs.

There are several do-it-yourself stair lift kits available, which can be installed quickly and easily by the homeowner. AmeriGlide is one company that offers such lifts, but theirs can only be used on straight staircases.

For non-straight staircases, Bruno Stair Lifts offers a number of nice models, which can be used on curved staircases, as well as staircases that have a landing in between. Bruno Stair Lifts can be used on staircases with multiple 90 degree bends and many other configurations, while still being relatively easy to install.

There are of course a number of other stair lift manufacturers, but they all share a similar design, using a metal track that is attached to the steps and a chair that moves along the track. Depending on the model, some use direct power and are called AC Stair Lifts. Battery powered stairlifts are also popular, providing the advantage of still working during a power outage, but having a higher upfront cost and maintenance cost.

Stair Lifts for Wheelchair Users

While stair lifts are excellent tools for seniors, they can not be easily used by someone in a wheelchair. Instead, for wheelchair users a special type of stair lift called an incline platform lift, is required. Inclined platform lifts are very similar to stair lifts, except instead of using a chair to carry its user, they provide a platform that is large enough to drive a wheelchair onto.

Incline platform lifts can provide greatly increased accessibility, even for curved staircases, but they do require a large staircase. Specifically, the staircase must be rather wide, so it may not always be an option for residential settings. However, schools and other commercial buildings, inclined platform lifts usually provide a very reliable way to increase accessibility.

Elevators

Elevators provide a great deal more functionality than a stair lift, raise the homes value, and keep the staircase free and clear. However, elevators are much more expensive than a stair lift would be and also require a great deal of modification to the home.

If cost and space is not an issue, though, a residential elevator is an excellent addition to the home and can greatly improve accessibility. Often, people will convert an existing closet into the elevator shaft, as there is usually a straight space between walls immediately under and above the closet.