Mobility Info - Canada
Stairlifts
Stairlifts are useful devices for people who have difficulty climbing or descending stairs. Most stairlift users still possess some walking capability over level ground, but the assistance provided by a stairlift will avoid the problem of being confined downstairs or even having to move house, making it a practical and economical solution.
A stairlift – sometimes also known as a chair lift or stair glider – is a powered lift comprising a seat, usually with armrests and footrest, that travels on aluminium or steel rails attached either to the stair treads or the walls. Stairlifts for straight staircases are the most common, yet curved and spiral stairs can also have them installed. However, since these need to be tailored to particular premises, they are more expensive than straight stairlifts.
Electrically powered cables, chains or rack and pinion systems pull the lift along the rails. Installation of a stairlift can normally be achieved in a few hours, depending on the complexity, with no or minimal building alteration required. Likewise, a stairlift that is no longer needed can be quickly removed with little trace.
The seat is controlled by a push button, joystick or toggle switch located on an armrest. Some lifts have one or two remote controls that either the user or an assistant can operate; others have a wander lead allowing the occupant to control the chair from the most comfortable position. The chair tends to start slowly and smoothly to prevent jolting, before speeding up to a rate of between 70 and 150cm per second. Some models have an audible signal that lets the visually impaired know when the chair reaches the top or bottom of the stairs. Many companies offer chairs in a choice of colours and décor to match existing furnishing.
Traditionally, straight stairlifts are powered from the mains but also have a battery back-up in the event of a power failure. This prevents the user from becoming stranded half way up or down the stairs. Additionally, most stairlifts incorporate some kind of emergency stop system, such as sensors that will stop the chair should it encounter an obstacle. Most curved stairlifts employ rechargeable batteries that are continually topped up from charging points at the top and bottom of the chair’s journey. This system is increasingly being used for all types of stairlift.
Types Of Stairlift
The most common type of stairlift is the seated variety. The user sits at right angles to the stairs and transfers on and off with the help of a locking swivel seat mechanism. This permits the occupant to get on and off safely without having to make awkward or dangerous movements. The armrests usually lift up to facilitate this too. It is possible to carry a walking stick or crutch on most stairlifts. Special seats and harnesses are available for those who need them.
Standing stairlifts are another type of lift that is an alternative for people who can both walk and stand, but perhaps have other mobility issues that prevent them sitting or bending their knees easily. As the name implies, a standing stairlift lets the user stand on a small platform with one or two guard rails to hold onto. This type is also ideal for a narrow staircase because it generally takes up less space than the seated kind.
A perching stairlift is an intermediate solution. This looks similar to a standing lift but has a small, upholstered area to rest the behind on, rather like the ‘extra’ seats on some tube trains and trams.
Wheelchair platforms are large stairlifts that allow wheelchair users to push themselves or be pushed straight onto a platform, thus eliminating the necessity to transfer between the wheelchair and stairlift. While the platform folds up to the wall when not in use, the equipment still takes up a lot of room so is only really suitable for a wide staircase with plenty of clearance.
As most stairlifts only require 24 volts to run, they can be installed outside. In such cases, the controls at the top and bottom of the lift are housed in lockable steel boxes. The control key on the stairlift can be removed for security, and seat covers are available to protect the chair from the elements.
Considerations Before Purchase
Firstly, consider the user’s mobility problems. Are they capable of using the stairlift themselves or will they need a carer to help them operate it? Is their condition likely to worsen over time, rendering the stairlift unsuitable or redundant?
If you are thinking of getting a standing lift or a wheelchair platform, make sure there is enough headroom. For seated varieties, consider the ideal side of the stairs for the user’s mobility impairment. For most people, the layout of the stairs will dictate which side the stairlift can be installed, but where putting it either side is an option, the user might have a preference according to their mobility needs.
The layout of the house and the size and shape of the stairs will be of prime consideration. The stairs might be curved or in an L shape, a mixture of straights and curves, or have landings somewhere in their course. Doors, thresholds, bulkheads, banister rails, radiators and the like can all pose problems to the installation of a stairlift, but most can be overcome. For example, hinged rails can be installed that fold out of the way of obstacles when not in use. Where stairs have a sub-landing with a few further steps at right angles, it is usually possible to install a manual or motorised folding platform that obviates the need for two separate straight sections or a curved section. In this instance, the user leaves the seat to transfer over the last few steps via the platform. Bear in mind that this can leave the user quite high up as they transfer.
Remember that other people in the house will need to use the stairs. For this reason nearly all stairlifts can be folded away when not in use, but on particularly narrow stairs the presence of a stairlift can still pose problems, especially if other members of the household are large or have mobility problems themselves.
A stairlift’s mechanism is quite complicated so it is a good idea to have the apparatus tested once or twice a year by a qualified engineer and serviced annually. A well-maintained stairlift should provide twenty years’ service.
Second-hand Stairlifts
An alternative to buying a brand new stairlift is to source a reconditioned stairlift. Straight stairlifts are relatively easy to re-site; the rails can be lengthened or shortened and swapped to the other side of a staircase (“rehanded”). Generally, curved stairlifts are not as easily reused because they are originally tailored to a specific staircase. However, it is often possible to reuse the seat and motor of a pre-owned lift along with a new set of tracking.
If you get a reconditioned stairlift, check that it is long enough. Remember that a system that spanned fifteen steps in one house might not do so in another, because the size and gradient of steps vary. Check also that a reconditioned lift saves you enough money over a new model to make it worthwhile; sometimes the cost saving will not be very much.
It is best to source a used stairlift from a recognised lift manufacturer or from a specialist reconditioned lift company. They will have done a proper safety check and can install it and offer a guarantee.
