Which Stair Lift Is Right For You?

Progressing into old age or living with a disability can undoubtedly make things at least slightly more tricky on a day to day basis. Life doesn’t stop when we get old or have a disability, but it does make daily activities, both in and out of the home, more laborious.

The simple act of getting out of bed, making dinner and, in particular, getting up and down the stairs, are made far more challenging when we reach a certain age or live with a disability. These tasks are things that we can all take for granted during the years of our youth, but become much harder as life goes along.

Studies performed about quality of life in later years have indicated that the main drivers for a good quality of life for the elderly are psychological and social. Crucial to a good quality of life is communication and companionship, but also mobility. Being able to move around the home and outside as freely as possible is imperative for the mental and physical wellbeing of the elderly and those who have lost mobility through disability.

In fact, having a loss of independence for the elderly can cause depression , anxiety and spark feelings of anger, fear and guilt. The reduction in simple daily activities, exacerbated for the need to look for external support, can lead to a profound sense of loss in one’s independence which will trigger these feelings. Depression can then also make other health conditions far more significant and worrying.

So, how can we provide those with reduced mobility with a renewed sense of independence? The answer is, increasingly, technology. Products and services which provide independent mobility are a great way to reduce stress and improve quality of life. There are a number of ways of doing this, from simple handrails on stairs and walking sticks to key fobs to get inside the home for those with arthritis. However, our speciality and we think one of the best solutions, is a stair lift. There are a number of different types of stair lifts to choose from. Here, we provide a brief guide on which one might be the best option for you or a loved one.

Wheelchair Lift For The Home

Stair lifts that assist people who have to live and get around in a wheelchair come in all types of shapes and sizes for a number of different uses and depending on the scale of the wheelchair usage.

For example, if you must use a wheelchair for the vast majority of the day, but can get on and off the wheelchair yourself to transfer you to another seat, then you may be able to opt for a more straightforward seated chairlift and transfer between wheelchairs at either end of the lift.

However, if your mobility issues are far more serious, then you can choose a wheelchair platform lift. These lifts are best suited to the outside where there is greater flexibility in terms of space. So, if there is a flight of stairs up to your front door, then this is a perfect option. Although installation indoors can be more tricky, it is possible if there is enough space.

Inclined platform lifts allow the user to wheel themselves onto a platform which runs up the incline of the staircase in your home to get you from one floor to another. To get one of these options installed, you’ll need to have a survey performed and accurate measurements made to ensure that a suitable product is available can be installed and will be effective.

Standing Chairlift

For some elderly or disabled people, bending the knees to sit down can be an uncomfortable and even painful experience. Conditions like Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, myositis and other ailments that target the muscles, bones and joints within the body. In these situations, standing or perching stair lifts can be a much more suitable product to choose from as it reduces the amount of time that you must spend bending your knees.

Also, if the measurements of your home simply won’t allow for a seated stairlift, then a standing or perching stairlift is a great option. Many terrace homes have very narrow staircases that cannot accommodate a seated stairlift, but a perched option allows you to improve your mobility regardless of where you live.

Seated Straight vs Curved Stairlifts

When it comes to seated stairlifts, there are two main types that you can choose from: straight and curved and each have their own benefits and flaws.

Straight Stairlifts

Straight stairlifts do what they say on the tin; allow you to be lifted easily up a straight staircase. These products are produced to help the user get up and down between levels which have a straight staircase between them and are designed to safely move the user between floors.

Straight stairlifts are also often the cheaper option as there is far less tailoring required in their manufacture and the installation process is quicker and easier. These products tend to move up a staircase and stop at the top level, rather than the above landing.

For staircases that have a ‘partial landing’ - which means a landing between two sets of stairs - two straight stairlifts can be installed, however, the user will have to have the mobility to move independently and safely across the landing. For users who have this kind of stairlifts, but lack the mobility to move safely between the stairs, a curved stairlift should be used instead.

Curved Stairlifts

Curved stairlifts are often more expensive to produce and then install because they are also often tailored to you specific staircase. If you own a partial landing staircase or a staircase that curves up multiple stories, then it’s likely you’ll need to go for this option.

If you live in a property which has an unconventional staircase, then a curved stairlift can be created bespoke to your unique set of stairs so that, no matter where you live, you’ll be able to keep moving around.

What Other Options Are There?

So, those are the primary stairlift options, but what if none of these work for you? There are some conditions that require more robust and larger wheelchairs. If this coincides with a narrow set of stairs then it can throw up a pretty big issue that can leave a stairlift untenable.

However, there are even some options available in this case. The principal option here is to install a ‘through floor lift’ which travels through your home to get you from one floor to the other without the use of the stairs. One of the most expensive and intrusive options available, it does take a long time to install but is very effective. Regardless of the size and weight of your wheelchair, you will be able to travel through your house unimpaired by utilising a through floor vertical lift.

ADL Lift Services: Your Choice For Stair Lifts in Scotland

At ADL Lift Services, our team of experts have a combined 80 years worth of experience within our industry. Our professionalism and expertise has seen us forge steadfast relationships with local authorities, health boards and commercial clients.

We also place our focus on the customer and, as such, are committed to supplying minimum delivery dates, accurate installation times, maintenance services and affordable stair lift prices. Being fully accredited within parameters of both our quality, safety and environmental impact means that we can perform safe and secure installations and are able to service our customers in the best way.

If you need our help urgently, we also have an emergency cover service which is available 24 hours per day, every day of the year to keep you protected against breakdowns whenever they might strike.

To find out more about our products, services and stair lift costs, contact us today. You can find us at 29 Albert Street, Motherwell, ML1 1PR, call us on 01698 277 009 or email us at info@adlliftservices.com.