MANY wheelchair users rely on stairlifts to help them get up and down their homes. However ‘real’ through floor lifts are now becoming a realistic – and affordable – alternative to the mechanical stair device as it can offer some significant advantages. A downside to a stairlift is that wheelchair users may need help getting on and off the device. There are also the risks of falls and injuries.
Wheelchair lifts can fit up to three passengers as well as a standard-sized wheelchair. Not to be confused with a wheelchair platform lift, step lift or vertical lift, a wheelchair lift is a ‘real’ through floor lift and can be installed in your home. They also give wheelchair users independence to move around their home unaided.
Many wheelchair lifts on the market are reasonably fast compared to a stairlift that can take several minutes to travel up to the next floor. They are also more affordable than you might think. A wheelchair lift from Stiltz Lifts, for example, which does not require load bearing walls or use hydraulics and plugs straight into the wall using a normal 13amp socket, is less than £10,000.
Wheelchair home lifts are also considered to be very reliable, unlike stairlifts that can breakdown with regular servicing and maintenance costs – depending on how often it is used – an ongoing added expense. Stairlifts can look slightly unsightly in some houses, while wheelchair lifts can look nice from an aesthetic point of view and do not take up much space.
As with a stairlift, most wheelchair lifts can be disassembled and moved to a new property. Alternatively, the lift would add value to the home.
For more information about wheelchair lifts from Stiltz please click on the hyperlink and for standard through-floor lifts here.
www.stiltz.co.uk/trio-home-lift-overview.html
www.stiltz.co.uk/duo-home-lift-overview.html
