Having problems moving up and down the staircase and slowly developed a phobia for it because you are afraid that you might trip and fall? This is a common problem for the elderly or handicap and you will have two choices to solve this issue. The first option would be to move the rooms located in the 2nd level onto the ground floor or the second option would be to purchase a stair lift. I highly recommend that you opt for the 2nd option because it is much more convenient and cheap.
Relocating the rooms to the ground floor is a huge task which takes a lot of effort and time. You will have to modify your home layout in order to accommodate this changes by creating additional room, bathroom etc. The amount of work involve is immense while burning a big hole in your pockets.
Evaluating the second option which is to install a stair lift, it would be much more convenient and simpler. In addition, it is also a more economical and practical solution as compared to relocating the 2nd level. You can easily outsource the installation process or some of the stair lift companies even do it free for you.
Types of Stair Lifts
It doesn't matter what style of staircase you may have because there will always be one that suits it. However, if you have a typical straight stairway, it would make the installation process much easier and also reducing the cost of it. On the other hand, for a curved staircase, there is more work involve which is the reason why it costs more than the straight stair lifts. There are two sources of power - mains or battery.
Due to the complicated design of most household nowadays, stair lift manufacturers have come up with different styles which includes:
- Straight stair lifts
- Curved stair lifts
- Wheelchair lifts
The more reputable makers are those from Acorn, Bruno and Stannah.
Getting the Appropriate Stair Lift for Your House
The two common types of stair lifts are the one that comes with a chair or platform. The one that comes with a chair is the most suitable stair lifts for the elderly or people who have problems with their joints. As for the platform stair lifts, it is specially designed for the disabled or those who are on wheelchairs. It is usually surrounded with grills which make it very safe and secure.
Next, you might want to take a look at the different types of operation method. While majority of the machines are controlled by the user, there are also those which needs the assistance of another person to operate it. I usually recommend the user to control the machine so that they are prepared when the machines starts or stops which is much safer since they are aware of their own action.
If you opt for the stair lifts with chair, you should also examine it to make sure that it is comfortable. In fact, you can even personalize the seat for maximum comfort. Another feature of the chair which is essential would be the ability to fold it so that it would not get in the way when not in use. Attaching a seat belt would be recommended as well for safety reason.
The direction of chair would be the last thing that you want to consider. The most common models would have chairs that are facing sideways. But, there are also those who prefer to face forward so that there is more room for their legs.
This are the few considerations that you need to take note of prior to purchasing any stair lifts. For those who have problem funding a brand new stair lift, you can consider looking at refurbished stair lift or even stair lift rental if you only wish to used it for a short period of time.
