Stairlifts Information and Answers to Questions You Didn’t Want to Ask

It’s becoming more and more popular for older adults to remain in their own homes, or to move in with children – or move their adult children in with them. For many people, stairs are the only real barrier to remaining at home with family. Stairlifts, once a fairly exotic and expensive solution to limited stairway mobility, are rapidly becoming mainstream as an active, independent generation of adults starts butting up against aggravating limitations in their daily lives. If mounting the stairs is increasingly a chore that fills you with dread – or you’re confined to one floor of your home because you can’t manage the stairs – a stairlift may be the answer for you.
It’s not unusual for older adults to see ads on television for chairlifts and stairlifts, consider them wistfully and then dismiss the thought of installing one in their own home because of some misconception or other. Check out these answers to questions that many buyers were too embarrassed to ask.
Aren’t Stairlifts Expensive?
Expensive is in the eye of the beholder. They’re actually considerably more affordable than most people believe, especially when you compare the expense to the cost of moving house or moving into a nursing care home. Before you decide that you can’t afford a stairlift book a consultation with a company that sells and installs them to find out just how affordable they can be.
Won’t I Have to Get Zoning Permissions?
It’s very rare that you’ll need construction permits or zoning permission to install a stairlift in your home. You should always check with your local regulations, of course, but installing stairlifts doesn’t require any major modifications to your home at all. At most, you may need to have new wiring inspected by an electrician before you can start using the lift.
Won’t I Get Stranded If There’s a Power Outage?
Modern stairlifts operate on a rechargeable battery similar to the ones used for electric wheelchairs. In general, you’ll get about 8 to 10 hours of use from a fully charged stairlift.
Don’t Stairlifts Get in the Way of Others Using the Stairs?
Chairlifts are designed to fold up and out of the way when not in use. Most staircases are plenty wide enough to allow passage past the folded chair, and many are wide enough for a pedestrian to pass beside the chair if necessary.
What If I Need a Stairlift Outside?
There are stairlifts that are specially designed for outdoor use. They feature weatherproof housing for the power and drive train mechanisms, as well as waterproof coverings for the seat.
Aren’t They Kind of Ugly?
Modern stairlifts come in a surprisingly wide variety of styles, and you can often select from an assortment of seat cover fabrics so that the chairlift fits into your home’s décor as closely as possible.
If you have other questions, contact a local supplier of stairlifts, who will be happy to answer them for you.