If you are in a wheelchair and you live in a house with stairs, you already know what a challenge you face when it comes to your personal mobility. There are a variety of different solutions to help you have mobility independence in your own home if you are in a wheelchair, and in this article we will discuss three possible solutions for navigating stairways.
There are essentially three different types of stairway mobility lifts to consider if you are in a wheel chair: an elevator lift, a wheelchair platform lift and a stair lift. Wheelchair platform lifts may be preferred over other types of chair lifts for stairs by those in a wheel chair, since they do not require the user to leave the wheelchair when using the lift as a stair chair does, and they also require less structural remodeling than many elevator lifts.
A wheelchair platform lift allows a person to easily move between house levels without having to leave the comfort of their chair. They can be installed directly on any stairway with a wall, and they are quite solid and safe to use when properly sized, installed and maintained. Most wheel chair stair lifts can fold away when not in use, so they do not create any obstacles or blockage on the staircase they are installed on. Of course, local building codes and safety considerations need to be taken fully into account before installation, and you will generally need a professional contractor with experience in stair lifts to make sure that it is installed correctly and safely.
There are several different manufacturers of wheelchair platform lifts, and you should do careful comparison shopping before selecting your final model. However, given the advantages they create in terms of mobility and freedom for those in wheelchairs, they can be a quite valuable addition to your home.