Stair Lifts: Safety on the Staircase

Those that are not able to walk up or down the stairs are usually able to get around fine in public areas, but if their home has a staircase, then they might not be able to access all areas of a home. These people would benefit from using a stair lift, which is a special type of mobility aid.

Stair lifts are designed to safely transport a person up and down the stairs. On a straight staircase, a stair lift can be easily installed and is a much less expensive alternative to an elevator. Usually the person is carried up and down the stairs in a chair that moves along a track that is attached to the staircase.

One of the main reason stair lifts are such an attractive alternative to elevators is of course the cost, but they are also easier to install and can be often ordered and set up in under a week. When you are done using them or you move, you can take it down and re-use it or sell it.

While on straight stairways, a stair lift is a good choice, if you have a curved staircase, you should seriously consider going with an elevator. Modern residential elevators can be installed into wood frames, such as you find in most homes, and will add value to the home. Curved stair lifts, on the other hand, must be custom built to fit the staircase, so they have little resale value. The cost and time it would take to order and install a curved stair lift is about the same as a residential elevator, so you will be far better served by choosing a residential elevator instead of a curved stair lift.

People who can not easily walk up the stairs can greatly benefit from using a stair lift, which will help keep all areas of their home open.

Elevator or Stair Lift?

It is not always easy for people who have severe arthritis to use the stairs. There are many other conditions that also make the task of climbing the stairs difficult, and some cognitive disorders, when coupled with conditions like arthritis, serve to amplify the dangers of a fall. To help reduce the risk of a fall, a stair lift is often installed and is usually the most cost effective way to allow a person full use of the stairs.

If you can not climb the stairs, you have a few options available to you. You can simply not use the upstairs portion of your home, but this often means a major change to your lifestyle and means that you will be not using a large portion of your home. Another option would be to move to an assisted living facility that has elevators or to a home that is only one level, but for many people this is not even a consideration, because among other things it means a large reduction of your independence.

Generally the only other option would be to install a personal elevator or a stair lift. If you have a straight stairway, a stair lift can be installed quickly, easily, and will be much less expensive. There is usually no major home modification required in the installation of a straight stair lift and most times it can be ordered, shipped, and installed in less than a week. Often times those who have an ‘L’ shaped stair lift are also able to install a lift for much less than an elevator would be.

People who have a curved stairway, must purchase a special type of stair lift that is custom built to fit the curve of their stairs. The cost and time associated with this endeavor is great and it usually costs at least one hundred times more than a straight stair lift. Due to the great time and cost associated with this type of lift, it is generally better to install a residential elevator as opposed to a curved stair lift.

The cost of a residential elevator is about the same as a curved stair lift, but it will require some home modification. Several models are available that can be installed into a wood framed home and simply require a straight shaft between floors. Most houses that have a closet hallway, can install the elevator into the space taken up by the closet.

Aside from the added functionality of a residential elevator, which can be used by people in wheelchairs, an elevator will also increase the homes value. When it comes time to sell the home, the elevator will be a good selling point and much of the initial cost of the elevator will be recouped. A curved stair lift on the other hand, looses much of its value when it is built, because it will only fit a staircase that has the same degree of bend, so it actually dramatically decreases in value as soon as you buy it.

If you have a straight stair lift or one with a 90 degree bend (‘L’ shaped), you can typically install a stair lift easily and for less than a residential elevator, but if you have a curved stairway, then a residential elevator is usually the best option.

Preventing Accidents on the Stairs

It is quite easy and extremely common for those of us who are over the age of sixty-five to have accidents on the stairs. Many times it is simply a missed step, which results in a bruised knee, but it is not always so benign and falls on the stairs are the leading source of fortuitous death in seniors. To help control these risks and ensure that those who are over sixty-five can remain safe on the stairs, while still accessing all areas of their home, a stair lift is commonly installed.

A stair lift is a medical device that is used to transport a person between floors, in a manner that is similar to an elevator. They are much less expensive though and do not require anywhere near the same type of construction commitment that a personal elevator would. Stair lifts also do not carry a person vertically up and down between floors, but instead transport the rider across the length of the stairs.

The average do-it-yourselfer is usually able to install a stair lift to a straight staircase. It does not require any tools that are out of the ordinary and generally the only modification to the stairs is the bolting on of the track. The track remains stationary on the stairs and spans the complete length of the stairs. The stair lift user is then sent up and down the track in a chair or standing on a small platform. The platform stair lift, or perch lifts, are not quite as safe as a stair lift that uses a chair, so unless medically necessary, it is usually advised to install a chair stair lift.

People who choose to install a stair lift are able to safely access all areas of their home, despite the fact that their body might not allow them to safely climb the stairs any longer.

Stair Lifts and Safely Climbing the Stairs

Many people of all ages have difficulty safely climbing the stairs, but as your age increase, so does the risk of falling and injuring yourself on the stairs. A fall on the stairs is the leading cause of accidental death and hospitalization among seniors who are over sixty-five, so for many climbing the stairs is incredibly dangerous. To help reduce this danger a stair lift is often installed.

Stair lifts is a type of medical equipment that is commonly installed in the home. They are used to carry a person up and down the steps. Often a chair is used to carry the person up and down the stairs, but a few models are available that use a very small platform instead. These platform stair lifts are called perch lifts and are a little more risky, because the rider must remain standing the whole time. The stair chair is a much safer and common option, but for people who have severe knee or joint problems, the perch lift may be a better choice.

Most often a stair lift is installed directly onto the steps of the staircase. A metal track is secured to the stairs and will remain stationary as a car moves up and down the stairs on the track.

If your home is in an area that frequently looses power, then it is a good idea to make sure that you install a battery powered lift. Battery powered stair lifts are a little more expensive than a traditional stair lift, but unlike a traditional stair lift, battery powered stair lifts will function if the power goes out. In addition to a slightly more expensive initial cost, you must also replace the battery periodically, which usually will cost between $50 and $70.

You will save money by going with an AC lift, which does not use a battery, but this will also mean that the lift will not function if the power goes out.