Using a Stair Lift to Increase Stair Safety

Climbing the stairs is something that can be very difficult and quite dangerous for a senior. Every year staircase falls are responsible for the majority of all accidental deaths and hospitalizations for seniors.

Often, these falls could be prevented by ensuring that the stairs are in good working order, but for seniors who suffer from limited mobility or poor vision, simply having a well repaired staircase will sometimes simply not be enough to increase staircase safety. In these cases, a stair lift can be installed onto the steps to increase safety.

Stair lifts are designed to safely move a senior up and down the stairs. Most stair lifts make use of a chaired system, which provides a safe place for the senior to sit as they move up the stairs. The chair moves along a metal track that is either attached directly to the steps of the staircase or to the wall.

While the chaired stair lift system is the most common type used, a standing stair lift is also available for people that can not sit safely in a chair. Standing stair lifts provide a small platform for the user to stand on as they ascend or descend the staircase, but it should be noted that a higher degree of balance is required to use standing stair lifts, so they should be avoided in most cases. This is of course with the exception of when medically necessary, such as after a knee replacement surgery.

People who use wheelchairs or other types of mobility vehicles, like mobility scooters, also have a stair lift available. For these individuals an inclined platform lift is used, which is very similar to a chaired stair lift, except in place of a chair, a large metal platform is used. Inclined platform lifts are very popular, but they do require a rather large staircase, so may not work in all homes.

One of the biggest advantages of stair lifts is that they typically cost a great deal less than a installing an elevator would. This is of course with the exception of curved stair lifts, which can be quite expensive.

Curved stair lifts are more expensive than straight stair lifts as a result of the fact that the stair lifts track must be custom bent to fit the curve of the staircase. Since there is no standard when it comes to curved staircases, so as a result the curved stair lift must be custom made specifically for the staircase. This results not only in a much longer build time, but also a significantly larger price tag.

However, for those that do not have a straight staircase, it is important to determine if it is actually curved or if it is 'L' shaped. An 'L' shaped staircase is one that is basically made up of two straight staircases that are placed together at a right angle. For these types of staircases, a stair lift is available that is less expensive than a curved stair lift, yet still more pricey than a straight stairway lift would be.