Stair Lifts and Elevators August 29, 2008
Posted by twitwoot in stair lifts.Tags: stair chair, stair chairs, stair lifts, stairlift, stairlifts
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If you are not able to easily and safely climb the stairs, you might feel disheartened about not being able to access all areas of your home. One way to overcome this obstacle is to install a stair lift and if you have a straight stairway, a stair lift will be an affordable alternative to an elevator.
Stair lifts are devices that carry a person up and down the stairs. Often a chair is used to transport the person, but in some cases a small platform is used instead. The platform stair lifts, called perch lifts, are usually only used by people who, due to medical reasons, cannot sit down in a traditional chair stair lift.
The reason that perch lifts are not quite as safe is because the individual must remain standing as they move up the stairs. Despite having extra handle bars and even a place to lean up against, a perch lift still requires more balance to use.
In most cases a chair stair lift is the better choice. The chair can be turned so that it faces away from the stairs, so the user can safely enter and exit the lift. In addition because the rider is sitting as they are carried up or down the stairs, the risk of a fall is drastically reduced.
If for medical reasons you decide to go with a perch lift, always be extremely careful when you use the device. The platform, or perch, is rather small. Some perch lifts, like those by Acorn, have a small pad that the user can lean up against, so it is a good idea to invest in a perch lift that has this feature.
Using a Stair Lift to Increase Safety August 22, 2008
Posted by twitwoot in stair lifts.Tags: lift assistant, safety, stair chair, stair chairs, stair lift, stair lifts, staircase, stairlift, stairlifts, stairs, stairway, steps
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Accidents happen everywhere, but there are some places that they are much more likely to occur. The stairs is one such place and the result of a fall down the stairs can be devastating, especially for those over sixty-five. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to safely use the stairs, you should consider installing a stair lift.
Choosing to install and use a stair lift is often the most cost effective way to increase safety on the stairs. A stair lift for a straight stairway can be installed quickly, easily, and does not require any major home modification. They use a track and car system, with the metal track attaching directly to the staircase. The car then travels up and down the track holding a single occupant. Usually the only modification to the home involves bolting the track onto the stairs and the whole installation process can be completed in only a few hours.
While many choose to do the installation on their own, a professional team is usually available for only a little extra. For many this is a good choice, because not only will the team install the lift for you, but they will show the homeowner how to use and maintain the lift.
Stair Lifts and Safety August 15, 2008
Posted by twitwoot in stair lifts.Tags: safety, stair chair, stair chairs, stair lift, stair lifts, stairlift, stairlifts, stairs
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It is often difficult or extremely dangerous for those who are afflicted by arthritis or other mobility ailments to safely climb the stairs. It comes as no surprise that falling down the stairs is one of the chief causes of accidental death and severe injury. There are ways to prevent these accidents though and one of the best ways is by installing a stair lift.
The installation of a stair lift is usually done to make it possible to safely move up and down the stairs. Like an elevator, a stair lift carries a person up and down the stairs, but does so in a manner that is quite differently. Where an elevator carries a person straight up and down, a stair lift instead carries a person lengthways along the staircase in the same way they would move if they were walking up it. A stair lift is extremely less expensive than an elevator would be and there are a good deal of lifts that can be installed by the homeowner in an afternoon. In addition there is usually no construction required, other than the bolting of the stair lifts track in place.
The safest type of stair lift to use is the stair chair. This is because the occupant of the lift will remain in a sitting position as they are moved up or down the stairs. Many of these lifts also feature safety belts, which can make the rider even more secure. In cases where the person is unable to bend their knees though, a stair chair might not be the best option, but instead they might be better suited by installing a perch lift. Perch lifts require that the rider remain standing as they are carried up and down the stairs though, so for most people they will not provide the same degree of safety that a traditional stair chair will.
Using and installing a stair lift is in many cases very easy and is the best way to improve safety and reduce the risk of falling.
Finding a Safe Way Up the Stairs August 8, 2008
Posted by twitwoot in stair lifts.Tags: stair chair, stair chairs, stair lift, stair lifts, stairlift, stairlifts
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Climbing the stairs is one of the most dangerous activities for people who are over the age of 65. Most often this is as a result of arthritis or neuromuscular diseases, which make it painful and often impossible to safely climb the stairs. To help prevent accidents and reduce the risk of injury, a stair lift can be installed to most homes.
A stair lift is a special mobility aid that is designed to carry a person up and down the stairs in a safe manner. These remote control devices usually use a chair that travels along a track secured to the stairs. These lifts, commonly called stair chairs, can be operated with either hand and, depending on the model, support over 500 pounds.
People who install a stair lift are able to greatly reduce the risk of injury on the stairs, because they are carried up the stairs and do not have to manually climb them. Most quality stair lifts offer a swivel seat, which allows the rider to exit the lift safely at the top of the stairs. Some people choose to install a set of waist high grab bars at the top of the stairs to allow for increased stability as they exit the lift.
Using a stair lift in the home has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of injury and virtually eliminate the risk of a fall. They are most often seen indoors, but they are also available for outdoor use. If you do need an outdoor stair lift though, you will need to ensure that it is rated for outdoor use.
Safe Stair Climbing August 1, 2008
Posted by twitwoot in stair lifts.Tags: health, mobility, safety, stair chairs, stair lift, stair lifts, stairlift, stairlifts, stairs
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Climbing up and down the stairs is something you probably used to do two steps at a time. I am sure we can all remember running up and down the stairs as a child and never tiring. As we age though, this is not so easy and for many it is not something that can be safely done without any assistance. A stair lift is a great invention that can be used to help restore independence and allow you to use the stairs without any outside assistance.
Stair lifts are most often referred to as stair chairs, because typically a chair is sent up and down the stairs on an aluminum track. The track is bolted directly to the stairs and spans the complete length of the stairs. Some use direct AC Power. These models usually cost a little less, but if the power goes out an AC Powered lift will stop working. A DC lift uses a battery powered system. It still plugs into the wall, but instead of running directly off of the houses power, a battery is used. The battery is constantly charging and so if the power goes out, you will still be able to go up and down the stairs on your battery powered stair lift.
Most stair lift dealers will have a professional stair lift installation team that can quickly and inexpensively get your lift running. The installation process however is something that can be done by most people. It does not really require any special tools to install, other than a power drill and a socket set and can be done rather quickly. They are inexpensive and very reliable.
Of course this is all only really true of a straight staircase. If your stairs are curved, then you are looking at a much more expensive and drawn out process. You can have a straight stair lift delivered and installed within a week, but a curved stair lift will need to be custom built to fit your stairs. This means a professional measurement team will have to come and measure your stairs before your lift can even begin to be built. In most cases it takes at least 6 weeks to build one of these lifts and the complete process from measurement to installation will take a few months. Curved stair lifts are also very expensive and you will probably spend at least $15,000 on your curved stair lift. The resale value of these types of lifts is virtually in existent as well because they will only work on a staircase of the exact same dimensions.
