The Many Different Varieties Of Stairlifts

Stairlifts - or as they're sometimes called chair-lifts or stair-glides - are mobility-aiding

devices which help people who have trouble getting up and down stairs. Constructed from a mobile chair or platform, which runs on rails up and down a staircase, the person having trouble with the staircase is able to ride up and down, rather than being forced to walk the staircase.

There are two main categories of stairlifts, which all models fall into. The first is stairlifts designed to go up straight stairs, which are called 'straight-rail' for obvious reasons. These are easier to install, with a mass-manufactured model simply needing to be cut down to size before it's fitted in someone's home. The second, designed for staircases which aren't straight, are the 'curved-rail' stairlifts. These need much more work to ensure they fit each individual curving staircase exactly, often costing more due to the inability to simply mass-manufacture them like straight-rails.

In addition to these small differences, different models of stairlift have other features which can change the cost, and allow for personal preferences. A major decider is size or the ability to fold away, with slimmer stairlifts costing more, but allowing easier use of the staircase for those who do not need to use it. However, in this case care needs to be taken so that the lift is able to carry the weights it will often be asked to carry, and the strength of the stairlift is another determinant of price.

Whilst seat-belts are standard for all chair-lifts, other safety features, such as battery-backup power to ensure operation in a power cut and 'key-switches' to prevent unauthorised use by small children, can also be found if desired, but at a serve increase to the prices.

The British government offers grants which can be sought to help cover the cost of stairlifts, as well as other mobility-aiding devices, if you have a disabled relative in the form of a 'disabled facilities grant'. This is part of the government's drive to be more helpful to the disabled, with disability access not only in private residences, but also public buildings. This same campaign has seen many schools and government offices, built before these laws were enacted, retrofitted to include stairlifts, among other devices.

by: Rachel L. Bull

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