For someone in your house who is stranded in a wheelchair, nothing seems to be more painful than the thought of being overly dependent. The lack of mobility does not only inhibit one’s sense of physical self, but also disheartens one’s self-esteem. While the wheelchair can provide the person with the “horizontal” mobility he deserves, however, he is still deprived to go up or go down whenever he wants to. And the steep staircase will always be a high barrier.
Don’t deny these people their rights to move freely and independently, especially inside their residences. Provide them with wheelchair lifts.
Wheelchair lifts for home usage intend to give wheelchair-bounded patients and the entire household the comfort and convenience they need. Generally speaking, most wheelchair lift types that you’ll see on the market are grouped into two categories: for traveling and for home use.
Indoor wheelchair lifts have both advantages and disadvantages. One good thing about these lifts is that, since they are installed inside, they are protected from harsh weathers. It will also allow the “wheelchair-ridden” to go up or go down on his own inside his house. However, most of these wheelchair lifts eat up a lot of space. And more importantly, they can be a bit costly. Yet as compared to installing a home elevator in your house, a wheelchair lift is not such a bad idea after all.
Home wheelchair lifts are either permanent or portable. Lifts that are permanent are those that are attached to the wall or to the staircase, and thus cannot be moved. Otherwise, if the lift can be moved, towed at the back of the car, and can be brought anywhere, it is portable. The latter type can be temporarily uninstalled and stored when not needed. This way, it won’t consume a large space in your house. Portable wheelchair lifts can either be foldable or retractable.
There are three types of commonly used residential wheelchair lifts. These are the Inclined Platform Wheelchair Lift, the Vertical Platform Wheelchair Lift, and the Portable Wheelchair Lift.
Inclined Wheelchair Lifts are used to aid the patient to travel up the staircase. Instead of seats, these lifts have a platform that will carry the wheelchair upstairs or downstairs. If you are interested to avail this type of lift, make sure of the following:
- A battery backup system (used when electric connection fails)
- It folds up (so it won’t eat a huge space)
- Side guards
Vertical Wheelchair Lifts, on the other hand, bring the patient up and down just like an elevator. It must have the features of a safe normal elevator. Before availing, consider:
- The cost of installment and the people who will install the lift
- Obstruction Sensor (this feature makes the lift stop when a barrier or an impediment is present along the path)
- Emergency Stop Switch
Lastly, the Portable Wheelchair Lifts can be folded and stored when not in use. These can be electric, hydraulic, battery or manually operated. Some Portable Wheelchair Lifts require a ramp or even an installation. Make sure they have:
- Side gates and walls
- Emergency stop button that is within reach
- Hydraulic backup in case of electric or mechanical malfunctions
- Obstruction Sensor
Generally, these wheelchair lifts should have platforms that allow single-handed entrance, control, and exit. For safety measures, communication gadgets must also be available.