Different disabilities can indicate the need for different styles of lift. If the potential user doesn’t have problems with their knees or hips and can sit comfortably then the regular sit-and-ride type is quite adequate for their needs.

This means that they simply sit themselves down on the chair, press the control button and they are taken up or down the stairs whenever they wish.

This alone means that they have regained quite a large chunk of independence and that in turn gives a great boost to morale.

If the passenger does have problems with their knees, i.e. they have stiffened or even seized up then a chair would not be suitable. It would mean they couldn’t sit properly and this could be very unsafe for them.

Perhaps they would feel better standing up and there are stair lifts for disabled people with knee or hip problems that allow them to do just this. Instead of a chair there is a stand-on platform with a secure guard rail for the passenger to hold onto whilst traveling.

Another style would be what is commonly called a ‘perching’ lift and this has a small bench type seat which is positioned around the buttock area so that the passenger can simply ‘perch’ their bottom on the edge. They wouldn’t need to bend their knees for this type. Again this lift would have a secure guard rail to hold on to.

A slight drawback to these two lifts is that they do not have a security belt, only a guard rail so the passenger would need to be able to keep their balance whilst holding on.

The ultimate stair lifts for disabled persons would be the wheelchair platform lift. This comprises a platform that a wheelchair can be wheeled onto, made secure and then sent on its merry way, either up or down the stairs, in complete safety for the passenger. All the controls are easily accessible.

Generally speaking, the passengers on these lifts would want to travel sideways or facing upwards. It would not be a comfortable feeling facing downwards when traveling, it could lead to quite a strong feeling of insecurity [even though they wouldn't actually be in any danger].

There isn’t anything to beat the boost one of these lifts could give to a person who previously has experienced problems with the stairs. Nobody wants to feel a burden on other’s and we all want to be able to do what we want, whenever we want, not to wait till its convenient for someone else to help us – this is basic human nature.

If you or someone in your family is suffering problems such as these then you could do nothing better for them than to look into the question of installing one of these stair lifts for disabled persons.

Stair Lifts For Disabled is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Stair Lifts For Disabled is from Handicap Stair Lift

It comprises a platform that the passenger can stand on, or there could even be a small seating arrangement where the user can simply perch themselves on the edge rather than simply standing, whilst the lift is traveling.

This type of lift is especially useful if your stairway is quite narrow and wouldn’t be suitable for installing a normal stair lift. Therefore, anyone could use that whether they were capable of sitting or not.

An added bonus is the fact that this type of standing stair lift is much cheaper than other types.

You need to be able to balance alright for this kind of stair lift because, although there is a hand-rail to hold on to, there isn’t the added security of any kind of safety belt, simply because there is no seat. These models are however, very quiet and have a smooth ride so balance shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

As with other installations, the standing lift is going to have a sensor which allows it to recognize if there is any kind of obstruction in its path up or down the stairs and will come to a halt and will not run again until the obstruction is removed.

Apart from perhaps buying a second-hand lift, it is always best to purchase from a reputable and reliable supplier. Someone you can go back to if there is any kind of problem.

Buying second-hand in a private sale can save you money at the outset but you have to consider that a private individual would doubtless not provide you with any kind of warranty. You might lose out in the long run so think carefully about where you buy a pre-owned model.

Everyone needs to keep in mind the fact that the stairs in a house are responsible for most of the domestic accidents. This is especially true for someone who is not steady enough on their feet to negotiate them safely on their own.

It is actually possible to get a dual sit/stand type of stair lift and this would be especially useful if you had more than one member of the household who had need of a stair lift. With this type you would get a standing stair lift plus a normal sit-and-ride type of stair lift. Two for the price of one.

Standing Stair Lift – What Is This? is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Standing Stair Lift – What Is This? is from Handicap Stair Lift

If you or a family member is handicapped or disabled in any way so that using the stairs is out of the question then you definitely are in need of some help to get you over this problem.

Why be confined to just the lower level of your home when there is a way for you to retain the use of your complete home. The most common definition of a stair lift elevator is the chair stair lift. This comprises a seat attached to a rail which is motorized and can carry a passenger up or down the stairs with no effort on their part other than pressing a control button.

The seated kind of lift is naturally suitable for anyone who can bend their knees to sit in comfort.
If the prospective user has some kind of problem with their knees or hips that makes sitting a problem then they might find a different type of lift to be more fitting for their needs.

There is one type which is a platform so that the passenger can stand while travelling and this type of lift is equipped with a very secure guard rail for the passenger to hold onto. Unfortunately this type does not lend itself to having a safety belt as you might find on the seated kind of lift. The user needs to be able to retain their balance simply by holding onto the rail.

There is another type which is sort of part standing part, sitting, this is known as a ‘perching’ lift. What this has is a tiny seat which is placed around the buttock level so that the passenger can simply rest themselves on the edge whilst not being seated properly and thus having to bend their knees. This again should have a safety rail to hold onto.

Another kind is aimed at wheelchair users, this is a platform that the wheelchair can be wheeled onto, the wheelchair secured and then the lift set in motion. When the end of the journey is reached, either up or down, the chair can be simply propelled off the platform.

This type can also come in useful if someone needs to use crutches or sticks. It would definitely be more safe than trying to manipulate sticks and mount stairs or descend stairs, too tricky and definitely dangerous.

It is a well known fact that the stairs in a home are the most dangerous part and more home accidents occur on the stairs than anywhere else.

If you were thinking along the lines of an actual elevator then you are looking at substantial structural alterations in your home, plus you would need to have adequate space where the elevator would be sited. This naturally enough is going to be a lot more expensive.

A less expensive alternative might be the ‘through floor’ type. This comprises an enclosed platform, with three surround panels and an entrance/exit door. The alteration needed for this is simply an opening in the upper floor where you would want the platform to travel to. This is nowhere near as invasive as a regular elevator and can be fitted more quickly and less expensively.

The bonus with this is that when the passenger retires for the night they can simply send the lift downwards so that it is out of the way for the night. In the morning they can simply call it back to use to come downstairs and then they can do the reverse – send it back upstairs for the daytime, unless it is needed inbetween.

Whatever your needs, there is a type of stair lift elevator to suit you. You simply need to spend some time, researching, to find the best installation for you, at the right price for you.

Stair Lift Elevator is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Stair Lift Elevator is from Handicap Stair Lift

It doesn’t take much imagination to realize that the straight ones are going to be the easiest to fit and therefore the least expensive.

Curved stairs are more problematic in that there is no such thing as a standard curve on a stairway. Builders more or less do their own thing when putting in a staircase that necessitates a curve.

Naturally a spiral staircase is the most in need of customized tracks, the whole lot have some degree of curve on them. However, how marvelous to know that having a spiral stairway doesn’t mean that you cannot have an electric stair lift to help either you or someone in your family who cannot manage the stairs, for whatever reason.

There are some stairs that go so far, reach a quarter landing and make a 90-degree turn and carry on up. It has been suggested that perhaps two straight lifts could suffice in this case. This would definitely lighten the load as far as expense is concerned.

The problem with a curved stairway, other than the initial installation is that you could never sell it on after you no longer need it. As I mentioned, curvature of stairways is not standardized in any way. Finding someone who needs one and has a curve identical to yours on their stairway, would be harder to find than hen’s teeth.

Thinking along those lines, if you had the 90-degree turn with the small landing and installed two straight lifts, this would mean that you could definitely re-sell the straight lifts and recoup some of your outlay, if and when you no longer needed the facility of an electric stair lift.

Apart from carrying a passenger, the stair lift can carry heavy loads up or down the stairs, laundry for instance, anything at all that could be a problem for someone who has enough problem getting themselves up and down the stairs without the extra problem of carrying something.

The ‘stuff’ could either be sent up on the lift alone, or on the knee of the passenger. Either way it would definitely be easier on the painful joints of the potential user. I have to mention here, it would also be a lot safer. Someone not steady trying to juggle a heavy burden on steps is a definite recipe for disaster!

There is a choice between totally electrically driven lifts and battery driven models. There are different ways of thinking on these two choices, for instance, it is thought to be better to have a battery as a backup power supply, on the electric stair lift, to cover any power cuts, and this is a perfectly valid point.

There are models which run totally on batteries.

However, you also need to consider that a battery has a finite life, you can only re-charge them for a certain length of time before they need replacing, i.e. once every 18-24 months. You have to weight up the cost of replacing batteries, which is not cheap against the cost of electricity. I think the ideal thing would be an electrically driven lift with a battery just there for emergencies, that would prolong the life of the battery quite a lot.

There are quite a few points that need to be considered when contemplating buying a stair lift. Also you have to take into consideration the actual needs of the potential user as to which type you purchase. Don’t rush into this, take your time to make sure you get it right the first time, otherwise you could just be virtually flushing money down the drain.

Electric Stair Chair is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Electric Stair Chair is from Handicap Stair Lift

If you are definitely considering buying a new model there are obvious advantages to be gained. Firstly you know that you will get a good warranty from your supplier so that should give you peace of mind. Plus, in the unlikely event of something going wrong, at least if the lift is new then parts are not going to be a problem.

If you choose a brand new model you are going to have a choice of all the latest innovations.

Nowadays this type of installation is generally pretty much maintenance free. Of course, it always pays to have the lift checked now and again to forestall any possible future problems.

Stair lift’s are not a cheap item, there is no getting round the fact that you are looking at major cash outlay. The benefits though, I would say, far outweigh the expenditure. You cannot put a price on quality of life and this is what will be given to a disabled person if you were to buy stair lift for your home. Not only the disabled person is going to benefit, the people who generally have to lend a hand to get this person up the stairs or down will also feel the benefit.

There is the option, if funds are low, of looking at purchasing a pre-owned lift, however, I would not recommend thinking about buying second-hand if your staircase is curved. It would be almost impossible to find a pre-owned model that had exactly the right curve to suit your staircase.

You would definitely need to beware the supplier who said he could make the rails fit – this would indicate that some manipulation of the rails would take place and this could cause stress to the aluminum. This in turn could lead to a dangerous lift that could break down with disastrous results.

A straight lift however, could be safely bought pre-owned, as long as the length was adequate there shouldn’t be a problem. You might be able to get an extension of the rail made relatively cheaply if it didn’t reach far enough for your particular set of stairs.

One point to keep in mind also is that when you install a stair lift you could be adding as much as 10% to the overall value of your home. This fact might help you to get over the price-tag.

Obviously straight lifts are going to be cheaper than anything more complicated such as curved or even for a spiral staircase. Plus a straight lift can be fitted quite quickly with the minimum of fuss and bother to the household.

Another upside for the straight lift is that, should you no longer need it, you could sell it on and thus recoup some of your initial outlay.

Another possible solution to a tight budget would be to rent a lift rather than buy stair lift. Some manufacturers do offer this facility and if for instance, you only want the lift temporarily then renting makes a deal more sense than buying.

You might also find that your supplier could make arrangements for you to pay in instalments, or make you a loan to help you get the stair lift that you so obviously need. It is always worth asking what arrangements could be made if you know you are going to struggle to find the money. If you don’t ask – you don’t get!

Buy Stair Lift is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Buy Stair Lift is from Handicap Stair Lift

Is the person who needs the lift simply getting older and does not feel safe any more climbing the stairs on their own? Or are they genuinely handicapped or permanently disabled?

It doesn’t help anyone’s morale to feel that they are totally dependent on another person all the time for whatever they need to do. We all tend to take for granted simply going up and down stairs whenever we want to. We don’t have to give it a second thought, this isn’t so simple though if you have a disability or are simply not as steady on your legs as you used to be.

This is definitely a situation when lifts for stairs can be considered an essential piece of home equipment. They don’t necessitate a huge amount of upheaval to fit them, and the cost needs to be taken into consideration when compared to the other alternatives. Moving home, not using your home to its full potential, moving into a ground floor residence or even going into a care home. Every one of these alternatives I would think could cost more than the cost of a stair lift.

If the cost of a brand new installation is a bit steep for your budget then you could always consider a pre-owned model. Many manufacturers take them in as part-exchange and recondition them. Naturally they would bring the lift back up to spec again, it wouldn’t make economic sense to do any less. Think of the damage to their reputation to sell a sub-standard lift!

It could be possible for you to find a company who would offer some type of financial help, i.e. they offer a payment plan or some type of loan. If you find yourself struggling to get the lift you need then it could be well worth asking manufacturers if they offer anything of this nature.

Obviously if a lift has been owned before and has seen a lot of use then you might expect that it is going to need more care and attention. Parts may wear out etc. You would still get a warranty with a second-hand model but, as you would expect, it won’t be as long as the one you would get with a brand-new model.

One thing to keep in mind, never, ever be tempted to buy second-hand if your need is for a curved stair lift. You would be extremely lucky to find a lift available that would match perfectly the particular curve on your stairs and any attempt to bend the rails to fit would only weaken the aluminum. This would be a very dangerous thing to do.

If your need is only temporary, perhaps someone has had an accident and cannot climb the stairs for a time, at least, or perhaps you have someone coming to live with you temporarily who needs a lift then you could consider looking at renting.

Some companies will offer this facility and it could be just the solution you are looking for.

Lifts For Stairs – What Is There On Offer? is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Lifts For Stairs – What Is There On Offer? is from Handicap Stair Lift

From the stairs being an almost insurmountable obstacle they will become nothing at all, with the help of the stair lift they will not be a problem any more.

Apart from the misery of possibly not being able to get full enjoyment from your home, perhaps you have had to restrict yourself to the rooms on the bottom level. Or maybe you are struggling on with the stairs.

This is neither safe nor necessary – there is help for this situation.

The installation of a disabled stair lift, you will discover, is quite a simple procedure taking only around a couple of hours or so and will not turn your house upside down whilst the work is being carried out.This work can even be carried out by the householder if necessary.

If your stairs have a curve in them, not only will you have to have the tracks custom made, but the lift is going to cost more naturally and the installation could take 2 or 3 hours longer.

The track will be laid along the stair treads and actually fixed to a number of them.

Most stair lifts make use of the house mains electricity, and some operate using batteries, but now many manufacturers produce these lifts with a battery included as a backup. This is particularly useful and in some cases essential, especially if you are unlucky enough to live somewhere where there are power interruptions on a regular basis.

The battery power means that the passenger on the disabled stair lift will never be stuck halfway up or down the stairs, nor marooned upstairs or downstairs, unable to use the lift during a power cut.

The lifts are quite versatile and can carry a good range of weights ranging from 250lbs. right up to 400 or even 500 lbs. This varies from model to model and is something you need to check on before buying.

If this expenditure is going to cause a problem with your cash flow you could always consider looking for a pre-owned model. I would advise caution about where you buy this, a private sale could give you a really good price but I doubt you could expect any sort of guarantee with this.

If you were to approach a normal supplier I think they would probably have some recycled or reconditioned models in stock. It is well worth asking the question.

Even with second-hand lifts I think you might be able to have the option of a payment plan.

The good thing about buying from a regular stockist is that you are sure to get some length of guarantee.

The installation of a stair lift is seen by institutions like Medicare as a home modification and as such they will not help with any payments for this. You could have private insurance that may contribute some costs, again, it is well worth asking.

On the subject of home modification, this type of installation can increase the value of your home by as much as 10%, this is an additional and very welcome bonus.

Disabled Stair Lift is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Disabled Stair Lift is from Handicap Stair Lift

As far as cost goes although it is not exactly a cheap installation if you were to compare it to the cost of either adding another room for the disabled person on the ground floor, moving to some sort of care center or even buying a ground floor apartment or a one story dwelling it definitely comes out far less expensive.

The bonus is that the disabled person can carry on in their own home, still live in their own comfortable environment instead of having to face a huge upheaval of moving home.

The residential stair lift can either be one that the potential user can simply sit down on a chair and be moved up or down the stairs or if they are confined to a wheelchair the lift could feature a platform on which the wheelchair is fastened and carried up or down the stairs in virtually the same way.

The sit on stair lift needs to be fixed only to the actual stair treads and not every one just a number of them, not the wall and is quite easily installed in the home with the very minimum of disruption to the household.

The wheelchair lift is a bit more complicated in that the rails need to be on both sides of the stairs. Even though the platform folds up when not in use having rails at either side is bound to mean that it takes up a little more stair space than a single rail.

The use of a residential stair lift means that if you are caring for an incapacitated person, parent or other, you no longer have to worry about the safety of that person when negotiating the stairs. It is a well documented fact that most accidents in the home involve the stairs and this is more evident when it comes to someone who is disabled or handicapped in some way. The lift would make moving to another level in the house so much easier and safer,

The lift could also be used to move anything heavy up or down the stairs, laundry for instance, in fact anything that would cause a problem if it had to be handled manually.

If the lift is installed for use of someone who is elderly and is simply getting a little unsteady on their feet and maybe gets a bit tired and short of breath when having to climb stairs it is such a gift. Energy can be saved for doing something else that the lift user enjoys doing.

Residential Stair Lift is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Residential Stair Lift is from Handicap Stair Lift

The company you choose to buy from will do a good job fitting your stair lift chair. It only needs to be anchored to a number of stairs, not every one as you might think and will certainly not be fixed to the wall. As fitting is simple so is removing, if and when you no longer require the lift.

These type of installations are not necessarily a permanent fixture. It could be that someone in your family is simply incapacitated for a little while, perhaps with a broken leg or something like that, maybe have been ill and are not fully recuperated. Mind you, once you have one you may well think you don’t want to be without it. There is also the bonus that this type of installation can actually add to the value of your house, as much as 10%!

It is possible to order a lift through the internet. You would be asked for certain measurements and you will be asked questions such as which side will the lift be fitted, left or right, etc. When quoting measurements always be sure to be absolutely accurate, not to be accurate would be silly because then the lift may not fit correctly and this could mean that it wouldn’t be a safe installation.

Do your homework, look around at the different sites and compare prices and quality before you make up your mind.

Your staircase, naturally enough, needs to have a certain width to contain a stair lift chair. A width of 29″ would be quite sufficient for a 6′ adult to travel up and down the stairs.

The lifts have many great functions, one of which is that it can detect if there is anything left on the stairs which could impede the progress. It will bring the lift to a stop until the obstacle is removed. Plus some systems are made so that you could lock them and only the legitimate user would have the key. This would put a stop to children of the house using it for fun. This is not to be mean, but it might not be safe, they could think it great sport to jump off when it was running, not a good idea.

Some models come with a swivel seat, this means that when it reaches the top of the stairs, or the bottom, when it comes to a standstill the seat can be turned to enable the passenger to get up from the seat in complete safety. This is especially useful if the person using the lift has a wheelchair standing by, they could get into their wheelchair quite easily when the lift seat had swiveled round.

The stair lift chair doesn’t need to stand out like a sore thumb, you will be able to choose your own upholstery material and color so that it will blend in with your normal house color scheme.

The lift won’t be in the way because the seat will lift up out of the way when it is not in use. It need not be an obstacle for other stair users.

Whatever your reason for needing this type of installation there will be one that will be just right for you, just take your time about looking and take care when choosing to make sure you pick the ideal one.

Stair Lift Chair Installations – How Easy Are They? is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

Stair Lift Chair Installations – How Easy Are They? is from Handicap Stair Lift

It might be just a matter of general aging that makes it necessary for you to have one of these installations in your home. Perhaps you have an aging parent who isn’t as agile as they used to be.

Perhaps you are worried about their safety on the stairs and if this is the case then one of these lifts is going to make a world of difference to them, and of course to your peace of mind as well.

If your bathroom is on the upper level then it can cause great difficulty to the person who cannot negotiate the stairs. Also there is the question sometimes of transporting ‘stuff’ from one level to another. The user can easily sit on the chair and carry whatever needs transporting, on their knee whilst travelling.

There are different models to suit different requirements. For instance, someone who is physically handicapped is going to need a seat with extra safety features such as armrests, a seat belt etc. Plus it may be that a larger seat is needed for someone without much upper body strength to keep themselves upright.

Installing stair lift chairs really isn’t rocket science. With a little care it is quite possible for the homeowner themselves to fix the lift. If that idea didn’t suit then the supplier will do the job and it shouldn’t take much more than 2-3 hours tops. All of this can be achieved with little or no upheaval to the household.

The situation could be that you are having someone to stay in your home for a temporary stay who needs this type of help with the stairs and in this case it is obviously more sensible to simply rent. The lift can be de-installed when no longer needed.

You have a choice whether to have a model which will run on your household electricity supply or one which will run using re-chargeable batteries. Or – one with both, the battery being a back up for use in case of power interruptions so that the passenger is not stranded at any time.

It is very easy to get a quotation by looking online. You would be asked questions about dimensions, what is required of the lift, and whether your staircase was straight or curved. The cost obviously hinges on your answers to these questions.

Stair lift chairs are very versatile installations and you should be able to find just the one that will suit your requirements, or the requirements of the person who needs the lift.

As long as your stair treads are at least 27″ wide you should have no difficulty fitting one to your stairway. Weight of the user shouldn’t be a problem either, there are models which will carry up to 500lbs. weight. I think that should be sufficient carrying capacity for most people.

The installations shouldn’t cause you any trouble, they are usually very light on maintenance needs. In any case you should be issued with a good guarantee which should cover you in the eventuality of any problems.

Once you have had one of these lifts, I would like to bet that you won’t want to get rid of it, they can be so useful in so many ways.

For a person having problems but not wanting to have to leave their own home they are a Godsend and can mean the person concerned can carry on living in their own home, once they have a means of mounting to the upper level in their home.

How Useful Are Stair Lift Chairs? is a post from: Handicap Stair Lift

How Useful Are Stair Lift Chairs? is from Handicap Stair Lift