Stair Lifts

When you have a disability there comes a point when climbing stairs can become very exhausting and risky. When you get to this stage it is worth considering the options. You could think about moving (this can be very costly and you might not either want to, or feel ready to move to a single-storey property) or, stay where you are and consider installing a stair-lift.

Choosing a stair-lift
It is really important to choose a stair-lift that best suits your needs, lifestyle and works with your home. Stair-lifts can vary enormously in price.

Before placing an order it is advisable to have your stairs assessed so that you can choose the right stair-lift for your type of stairs. They will:

• measure your stairs and the supplier will be able to tell you if you need to make any adjustments to accommodate the new stair-lift for example move a radiator.
• ask if you are left or right handed and suggest which side the controls should go.
• measure the length of your leg when sitting to ensure that you don’t graze your knees when going up and down. They will want to know your weight and will ask about your mobility.
• explore the option of adding power features which might be useful in the future.

You can get either a straight stair-lift or curved stair-lift. Straight stair-lifts can only travel in straight lines and therefore cannot turn a corner or go around a bend. They can be more suitable for narrow stairs. Curved stair-lifts have tracks and are designed to suit staircases that turn corners. They tend to have a snugger fit.

Various chairs can fit on to either straight or curved staircases. Each chair has different features and benefits. You can opt for a manual swivel seat or a powered swivel seat.

When companies visit your home there should no pressure and no obligation. It is a good idea to have a second person with you, a PA, family member or friend. Some companies favour one maker of stair-lift, others do not. Remember to ask about a warranty and service plan. Local Independent Living Centres are also a good source of advice.

Delivery, Installation and After Sales
Delivery tends to depend on the type of lift you order. The more complex the order then the longer the lead time. Most stair-lifts only take a few hours to install but the more individualised the stair-lift then the longer it will take. Occasionally, slight alterations may need to be made prior to the lift installation. It is important to find out about what support is available should something go wrong with the stair-lift and also about servicing.

Benefits of having a star-lift
The thought of having a stair-lift can be daunting. However, try and think about the benefits of having one.

• It will reduce the amount of effort required by you. This is particularly important at the end of the day when you are likely to be really tired as you climb the stairs to bed.
• As a result you will conserve energy.
• It will give you greater independence.
• It will allow you to go upstairs more often if you need to. There’s nothing quite like regaining the pleasure of going up and down stairs whenever you like.
• It will allow you to be with your family.

Companies that specialise in stair-lifts… Stannah - www.stannah.com Handicare www.handicare.co.uk Age UK – www.ageuk.org.uk – T 0800 566 8742 (7 days a week) Abbey Stairlifts – www.stair-lift-comparison.co.uk