Wednesday 12 January 2011

About Stair Lifts

Handicap stair lift is another form of stairlift but they are not exactly the same. A stairlift can serve as a multipurpose equipment that can carry wheelchairs and transportation carts. On the other hand handicap stair lift are used solely for users with disability and unable to ascend a flight of stairs. Handicap stair lifts are manufactured in different models to suit the different stairs it will be installed in. There are the straight handicap stair lifts and curved handicap stair lifts that are for curved staircases. Whatever the kinds of rails used, the stair lifts can be used to transport heavy stuff between floors. Standard stair lifts measure about 25 inches and the rails weigh 30kg. Stair lift can be folded compactly against the wall when it is not required. The platforms are pulled by cable or chain along the rail track. The seats on the handicap stair lifts are comfortable with footrests and armrests. The seat heights are adjustable too.

Handicap stairlifts are simple to operate and can function at the touch of an on and off button. Curved stair lifts are more expensive as they require the manufacturers to send engineers to the house to measure the curved stairs and build according to the dimensions. Handicap wheelchair stair lift are well fitted with safety features to ensure the well being of the users on top. However, one should still be caution when buying used stair lifts. For a start, when checking the used lift, always ensure it has a safety belt. Some lifts have been operating for years and the safety belt may have worn off. This is highly dangerous for handicap stairlift users as they may fall off the stair lift during movements.

When purchasing stairlift, you should consider the models and the profile of the users before shelling out a substantial amount to buy.While choosing the handicap lift, one should keep the user's disability in mind. The user of the stair lift should get themselves in and out of the lift seat comfortably with little or no assistance. They should also be able to stand on their own two feet for a short amount of time. Handicap lift still require a fair amount of user effort to fulfill its potential. If the user is unable to transfer out of the wheelchair comfortably and has problems standing, chances are the handicap stairlift does not meet the need. If the user is able to stand on his own, we can use a perched stair lift.

They should also have the strength to manually push the buttons on the stair lift. I can understand some users may experience problems exerting strengths with their fingers. Users with these problems should choose handicap stair lifts which are operated by sensors or maybe voice commands. These special lifts will cost more due to the additional technology built in. Users must be able to keep their upper body upright on their own without a back support. Because if they do not maintain their posture on the handicap stairlift, they face the danger of slipping off the lift seat and further injuring themselves. Last but not least, the safety belt should be in working condition and secure the user firmly in place.

Handicap stair lift that intends to carry wheelchairs up and down the staircase have to be assessed separately as the different wheelchairs have to be taken into consideration. The size and weight of the wheelchair should be taken into consideration. The stair lift chair will also be considered as users of all age range might be using the lifts. User issues such as stiff knee can be addressed by have a handicap lift that leans forward and wider stair chairs. Fear of heights can be reduced by installing handrails for users to hold on while on the handicap stair lift. Guardrails have the ability to provide additional assurance and safety to the users, hence, lessening their fear and anxiety.

As handicap lift users may have different disabilities, there are a variety of controls that suit different users comfortably. For example, users with bad eyesight can respond the the audio signals given out by the stair lift when it is moving or terminating. There are handicap stair lifts which have sensors built in across its platform. These stair lift sensors pick out obstacles in the path of the handicap stair lift and stop moving upon detecting danger. These sensors should be found in old stairlifts too. Sensors can also double as speed delimiters to check the speed of the moving handicap stair lift. A safe travel speed is around 0.15 meters per second for straight rails handicap stairlifts and much slower for curved rails stairlifts.

Tag : stair lifts,handicap stair lifts,acorn stair lift,stair design

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