American surgeons perform over 600,000 knee surgeries each year.
Whether you’re recovering from surgery, illness, or gracefully aging, it can be difficult to deal with limited mobility. The good news is that there are handicapable resources out there–like walkers.
Of course, walkers and canes are great for flat surfaces, but they’re not safe for stairs. Instead, a stair lift could be the perfect home modification.
You’ll be able to get where you need to be, all while maintaining your independence. To help you out, this article will go over some of the most lift popular designs, along with the best tips for making the right purchase.
What type of stairlift is right for your home? Read on to find out.
Outdoor Designs
Are you thinking about buying a new stair lift to put outdoors? Indoor designs aren’t made to withstand the weather.
Heat, cold, and rain will damage indoor lifts. But outdoor lifts are made with special materials that can withstand all the elements.
You’ll be able to improve the outdoor accessibility of your home from every angle. It’s common for outdoor lifts to have a foldable footrest, armrest, and of course, a foldable seat. You’ll also be able to enjoy a power swivel to help you stop on landings.
We suggest looking for outdoor lifts that have added features, such as protective covers. Protective covers are a great way to keep your lift looking great year after year.
You can get an outdoor lift that’s curved or straight.
Curved Designs
Do you have a curved staircase? Then a curved lift will give you the accessibility you want. Curved lifts use a rail system that perfectly fits along the contours of your main staircase. They’re great for homes that have landings between floors or homes with elegant spiral staircases.
The curved lift design uses retractable rails. There is also a stationary seat, armrest, and footrest.
You’ll have the power to stop on landings and can pay more for power swivel options. Since curved lifts use a more complex design system, they’ll be more expensive than straight stairlifts.
Straight Designs
If you have a straight staircase and a straight rail, you can use a straight stairlift. Straight lifts are easy to install, and they’re much more affordable than other designs.
The straightforward design will feature a retractable seat, footrest, armrest, and retractable rails. The power swivel feature will make it easier for you to get on and off the lift.
Custom and Modular Designs
If you have a uniquely shaped staircase, you might need to get a customized lift. A custom-built lift can be installed on steep, curved, or straight staircases.
Experts, like Mobilitypluscolorado.com, will come out to get a measurement. After measuring every aspect of your staircase, the lift will be designed and manufactured. Then the lift is installed in your home, so you can have all of the mobility you need.
There are also modular stairlifts, and they work great for curved or straight stairs as well. If you have a double staircase run, we suggest going with the modular option.
You’ll be able to enjoy a rail position on the outside or inside of every single step. You can also flip the rail to provide mobility for spiral staircases.
Inclined Platform Lifts and Heavy Duty Stair Lift
The last 2 designs to go over are; inclined platform lifts and heavy-duty stairlifts. Inclined platform lifts will be able to lift your entire wheelchair up and down the stairs.
Using a level platform, you’ll be able to travel independently. Inclined platforms use special safety sensors, so there’s no need to worry as you go from one floor to the next.
Heavy-duty stairlifts are great for individuals with a high weight capacity. It’s common for a heavy-duty stairlift to be able to hold as much as 300 lb.
Be sure to find out the exact weight capacity specifications before purchasing any of the designs we’ve mentioned. The last thing you want is to have your lift fully installed, only to find out that it won’t meet your needs.
Get Referrals and Advice
As you get ready to purchase a stair lift, get referrals. Reach out to family and friends who already have stairlifts in their home, and see which design they suggest.
You can also reach out to local social services to get their opinion on which stairlift is the best. Reaching out for advice makes it easier to find out what stairlift design will fit within your budget and which brands perform the best.
Best Questions To Ask
Once you have a good idea of what design you want, you can start reaching out to companies for quotes. As you call, you’ll want to make sure you’re asking the correct type of questions.
For instance, ask the representatives what models of stairlifts their business sells. Find out what the differences in each model are, and take notes. When getting prices, ask if the fee covers the installation of the stairlift as well.
Finally, to get firm numbers, ask for a personalized quote. A professional mobility member can assess your staircase needs and give you a realistic price point.
Maintaining Your Mobility
Finding the right stairlift is all about maintaining your mobility and independence. You deserve to be able to move around your house, and the right lift design will help you get there.
Since reaching out to family and friends for referrals is a great place to begin, start making a few phone calls right now. The more details you can get about their stair lift, the better.
When you have a brand name in mind, call a team of mobility experts for a quote. For more advice, take a peek around the rest of our website.
