Stair lifts are aids that were developed and built for the elderly and disabled to assist them in moving around the house, specifically, climbing or descending stairs.

It can get very stressful for a person with disability to climb up and down the stairs . It is not only difficult, but also dangerous given their condition. Stairlift was developed with just this thought in mind. Technically it’s not a very complicated invention, but for those who are in need, this can be a very helpful aid to have around the house.

Traditionally the only option for people with moving disabilities has been to find a new place to rent or buy, where there is no hindrance in movement because of stairs. As long as there are no stairs, climbing up and down cannot cause discomfort. But, in other cases if person does not want to move out of their place of occupancy, then stairlift the only option and a good one of that. It helps climb stairs without the danger of falling down or tripping with a very calm and smooth ride.

Stairlift can be easily installed to any stair case of any shape. There are two major types of stairlifts, straight stairlift and curved stairlift. Both can be quickly installed and easily operated and they are designed to fit most staircases.

These stairlifts are specially designed to run on a track that has a chair installed on top of it. The track should be installed with extra care to make sure it will not get loose and will be able to bear the weight of the person. There is also a motor installed with the chair that helps in moving the chair up and down the rail. In order to operate it all that needs to be done is to have a seat, make sure you’re sitting tight and won’t fall down, press a button and the stairlift starts moving.

Most modern stair lifts are quiet, efficient and provide a smooth ride. A toggle switch is used to operate the stairlift that is mounted on the arm of the chair. The movement is controlled by gently pressing the toggle switch. Once pressed the chair slowly starts to move and will only stop when the pressure is removed from the switch or when it reaches its final point.

Stairlift comes in two types, straight and curved. Both are easy to install and can be installed in almost any home. The only difference between the two is that straight stairlift is used for staircase that goes straight up without any curves while the curved stairlift has to be specially designed and installed to accommodate any curves and turns in the staircase. Ideally, any home can be fitted for a stairlift.

Typically the chair of the stairlift footrest stops in line with the top stair making it easy to get up and leave the chair.

When installing a chairlift you need to consider a few things. The stairlift isn’t required to run adjacent to a wall, since the track needs to be mounted to the stair treads, it can be mounted on either side of the stair case. Ideally it should run closer to wall, but if you feel it would be hindered by something like a window sill then you can install it on the other side as well. The rail should be given 8” on top for landing and about 14” at the bottom, so make sure you adjust the track accordingly. Make sure to leave around 2-3 feet at the landing so that there is ample space for the person to get off the lift chair and move about.