Can I Afford Stair Lifts?

Stairlifts can be a quite expensive addition to a household because most of the costs would be paid by you. Insurance and programs like Medicare will not cover the installation of stair lifts. Medicare does not pay for home modifications but does pay for some medical equipment. Due to these costs, you must be fully informed about a stairlift purchase and all the possible alternatives and options.

Medicare does not cover stair lifts, but programs like Medicaid do if you find a participating dealer. Outside of these programs, you can find grants, loans, or financing from dealers.

The doctor has to be able to justify your purchase or you will not be able to get insurance to pay for any of the stair lifts. It is important to keep this documentation just in case of any claim denials.

Straight stairlifts will always be more affordable than curved stairlifts. The reason is mainly due to specific manufacturing and customizations. Standard models will be readily available for installation while custom ones can take a few weeks to acquire after all the measurements are taken. Stair lifts can be adjusted to fit most stairways even if you think they are too narrow or too lengthy.

Stair lift dealers will usually always give you a payment plan or offer financing. Since a stair lift is considered a home improvement modification, you can take out a home loan to purchase and then deduct the interest costs on your taxes. If purchasing a new stairlift is outside of your range, you can instead opt for a rental.

Stair lift rentals are also great for anyone with a temporary disability. Stair lifts can be removed fairly quickly and easily but a professional technician should be consulted.

Used stairlifts are also considerably cheaper than new stair lifts. Only purchase a used stairlift from a reputable dealer because older stair lifts that have a lot of wear on them can lose their function and may make loud noises.

This may be a last option but moving out of a multi-story building into a single floor home can be a reasonable alternative, if you are unable to afford a stair lift or not allowed to install a stairlift. It also reduces the chances of injuries from walking up and down the stairs. Climbing the stairs is a substantial health risk for the elderly and disabled.

curved stair lift

curved stairlift

Electric Stair Lift - Practical and Economical Solution For the Physically Handicapped

An electric stair lift is a practical and economical solution for the physically handicapped, providing easy and safe movement from one floor to another. The introduction of these accessibility devices has proved to be a great blessing to both the aged and physically challenged individuals, giving them a new found feeling of independence.

Compatible Models Available for Indoor and Outdoor Use:

Electric stair lifts suitable for indoor and outdoor use are provided by leading manufacturers. The outdoor models are designed with ample weatherproofing so as to resist extreme weather conditions. Besides, models compatible for straight and curved stairways are also available. Therefore electric stair lifts can be installed without making structural modifications for your stairway. They can be mounted on either side of the stairway based on your convenience.

Designed with Enhanced Safety Features and User-friendly Controls:

Electric stair lifts are provided with outstanding safety features. These include swivel seats, seat belts, safety brakes, padded armrests and more. These equipments are also provided with obstruction sensors. The obstruction sensor detects obstacles blocking the path of the lift, and stops the lift automatically when it encounters such an obstruction. Therefore it is possible to avoid the chances of the user getting injured and the lift getting damaged. The stair lifts are also integrated with folding facility, which allows the lift to be kept folded when not in use. This enables other users to access the stairways more comfortably.

To facilitate easy operation for users with restricted hand movement, stair lift are also offered with handheld controls. Models which can be operated using remote or joystick controls can be bought.

Points to Remember when Buying Electric Stair Lifts::

Electric stair lifts are reasonably priced. Before purchasing stair lifts for the physically handicapped, it is important to identify your requirements, the extent of disability of the user and the budget. At present a wide range of models from different manufacturers are available. Therefore obtaining some knowledge about the available products, manufacturers and price ranges will be an added advantage. Renowned manufacturers offering outstanding and economical stair lift models include ThyssenKrupp Access, Bruno and Savaria Concord.

This accessibility equipment helps to generate a lot of positive energy, self-confidence and momentum in the lives of physically challenged individuals.

Stannah stair lifts

Stannah stairlifts

Can You Buy a Two Person Stair Lift?

The answer to the title is 'NO'. Since the stair lift operates on a track along which it runs, it is limited to the weight it can carry at any one time. Therefore, for safety reasons, only one person should use the stair lift at any one time.

The stair lift is meant to help the people with disability or an impairment that prevents them from walking up and down the stairs on their own. Through the use of a stair lift, they can be free to move around as they wish without having to rely on someone in their family to help them all the time.

The stair lift comes in different varieties. The most common one is where a chair is mounted on a track, and it moves up and down between the various levels of the house when you press a button. This is easy to use and most recommended for people that can walk around on their own, but cannot walk up or down the stairs due to some other problem.

The other variety is where a platform is mounted onto the track. This platform can carry a person or a wheelchair upstairs. This is best for people who are wheelchair bound and cannot walk at all. This is also useful for people who can't sit comfortably or those who have the energy to stand on the platform while it moves between the levels.

Stair lifts also come for staircases that are curved. While these cost more than normal stair lifts, these are best for homes that only have one staircase, and that staircase is curved. These need more work to be put in to mount everything into place, which is why it costs more.

Stair lifts operate both through a battery and through regular power supply. The battery is used to power the stair lift at times when there is no power, due to a power cut, which means no one will ever be left stranded on a level. The electricity supply is normally used during the day, letting the battery charge till it is needed.

Stair lifts are wonderful for elderly people and people who are disabled. They allow the person to have mobility without being restricted to any one level on the house. With a stair lift, the person can move through the house freely and you don't have to worry about changing floor plans, moving homes or building new rooms to give the person more mobility. While these are very common in homes for the elderly, they are growing in popularity and can be found in many homes across the country.

When you start planning on getting a stair lift, you need to first look at the available companies and get all of them to come and take a look at your house. The representative will then give you a quote and you can then decide which company to get the stair lift installed from. It takes two people few hours to install it, so it is not a long process.

Acorn stair lifts

Acorn stairlifts