Stairlifts in a Residential Setting
While there are many obstacles in a home that will cause someone who is mobility challenged difficulty, few are as dangerous to seniors as the staircase.
Every year, many seniors have falls, many of which are relatively small, on the stairs causing serious injury.
For the elderly, often it is not the fall itself or even the injury that causes the biggest threat.
Instead, in many instances, the recovery process, which can involve hospitalization and require physical therapy, presents the biggest hurdle.
In fact, a senior who has been hospitalized for an injury, even a relatively minor one, is at a much greater risk of death, over a third more likely than those who have not had one.
Since the repercussions of a fall are so much more serious for the elderly, it is very important to take measures to make the home safer, which often involves making obstacles like the stairs easier to use.
One way of increasing safety of a staircase is to install a stair chair, or stairlift.
Stairlifts are a type of home lifting device, which helps move a senior up or down a stairway.
While the most common type of stairlift provides a chair for the senior to sit in, as they move along a metal track, standing lifts are also available.
However, standing stairlifts are not quite as safe of an option, so should only be used by those who medically require them and have a strong sense of balance.
While there are a number of reasons to install a stairway lift, one of the most common reasons, especially in comparison to an actual elevator, is the cost.
A number of stair lift are available that are intended to be easily and non-invasively installed to a staircase.
These can be quickly and easily setup and for a staircase that is straight, will often ship from the manufacturer very quickly.
However, since many stair lifts are actually bent, either with a landing in between or a square shaped bend, a more custom stair lift is often needed.
However, even in cases where a curved stair lift is required, it is seldom more expensive or resource intensive than installing an elevator.
With that said a staircase that is actually curved, and not just with a square shaped bend, will require a custom track be built.
The custom track can be quite expensive and in these cases, an elevator may end up being the better choice.
Of course, curved staircases are not very common.
For many, the stairway lift will provide an excellent solution for increasing accessibility, especially on a budget; however those that use mobility vehicles or need a commercial solution will often need to turn to other types of platform lifts or wheelchair lifts.
However, for those who can walk on their own, as well as stand independently, they can provide an excellent service.
While there are a number of areas of the home that present obstacles to the mobility challenged, few are as dangerous as the stairway.
Stairs account for a significant portion of the falls requiring hospitalization each year, which is why many turn to mobility aids like the stairway lift.
Every year, many seniors have falls, many of which are relatively small, on the stairs causing serious injury.
For the elderly, often it is not the fall itself or even the injury that causes the biggest threat.
Instead, in many instances, the recovery process, which can involve hospitalization and require physical therapy, presents the biggest hurdle.
In fact, a senior who has been hospitalized for an injury, even a relatively minor one, is at a much greater risk of death, over a third more likely than those who have not had one.
Since the repercussions of a fall are so much more serious for the elderly, it is very important to take measures to make the home safer, which often involves making obstacles like the stairs easier to use.
One way of increasing safety of a staircase is to install a stair chair, or stairlift.
Stairlifts are a type of home lifting device, which helps move a senior up or down a stairway.
While the most common type of stairlift provides a chair for the senior to sit in, as they move along a metal track, standing lifts are also available.
However, standing stairlifts are not quite as safe of an option, so should only be used by those who medically require them and have a strong sense of balance.
While there are a number of reasons to install a stairway lift, one of the most common reasons, especially in comparison to an actual elevator, is the cost.
A number of stair lift are available that are intended to be easily and non-invasively installed to a staircase.
These can be quickly and easily setup and for a staircase that is straight, will often ship from the manufacturer very quickly.
However, since many stair lifts are actually bent, either with a landing in between or a square shaped bend, a more custom stair lift is often needed.
However, even in cases where a curved stair lift is required, it is seldom more expensive or resource intensive than installing an elevator.
With that said a staircase that is actually curved, and not just with a square shaped bend, will require a custom track be built.
The custom track can be quite expensive and in these cases, an elevator may end up being the better choice.
Of course, curved staircases are not very common.
For many, the stairway lift will provide an excellent solution for increasing accessibility, especially on a budget; however those that use mobility vehicles or need a commercial solution will often need to turn to other types of platform lifts or wheelchair lifts.
However, for those who can walk on their own, as well as stand independently, they can provide an excellent service.
While there are a number of areas of the home that present obstacles to the mobility challenged, few are as dangerous as the stairway.
Stairs account for a significant portion of the falls requiring hospitalization each year, which is why many turn to mobility aids like the stairway lift.
