Posted June 24, 2013
With improved health care and modern medicine, many of us are living well into age 90 and beyond. As our years advance, we get set in our ways and want to stay where we are comfortable. However, due to no fault of our own many lose their balance easily and arthritis takes a toll on knees and hips. If our home has a staircase, falling will be a matter of when and not if. Stair Lifts are becoming more and more common place in homes and public buildings that don't have elevators.
Take time to consider the following issues before your purchase of a stair lift.
- Will you and your spouse have the strength and physical ability to get into and out of the chair safely?
- Have you measured your staircase to make sure that a stair lift is a feasible option? Many older houses have narrow staircases and will not be able to accomodate a stair lift.
- Will your home need to have a custom lift built? All stairs are different and an out of the box stair lift may not be an option.
- Consider all the alternatives; research the various manufacturers models as well and their prices. Would you prefer a battery operated unit rather than an electrical one? If your area is prone to extended power outages you may need the battery powered system.
- Finally, don't be shy or deceiving about your weight. There are chairs built for 300 pounds and up. Make sure your selection will be able to carry you and anything you haul (laundry, groceries, etc.) up the staircase.
A stair lift system is a big decision and should not be taken lightly. In some cases it may be easier to move into a ranch style home with everything on one floor. Most people want to stay in their home as long as possible. For those a stair lift is the logical answer.
