If we’re lucky, we’ll all live long and happy lives where we get to age in place. The term “age in place” describes a person who lives in the residence of his/her choice, for as long as he/she is able to. In many cases, this requires a considerable amount of support from family members, caregivers and mobility solutions. Not surprisingly, the majority of Canadian seniors wish to age in place.
As reported by Newswire.ca, courtesy of March of Dimes Canada, 78 percent of Canadians want to age in their current homes. However, only 26 percent predict they will be able to do so. What is holding them back from being confident? The National Home Modifications Survey conducted by March of Dimes Canada, found these statistics. It also reports that 93 percent of seniors agree that home modifications help people to age in place.
How do stair lifts help seniors to age in place?
A home stair lift is a motorized chair that slowly and safely glides up and down a set of stairs. It is affixed to a metal rail that is mounted to the stair treads. Stair lifts can be mounted on either straight or curved staircases. This makes it easy to access other levels of your home with any type of stair design. These excellent home safety solutions enable both wheelchair users and individuals who may struggle with balance to safely get up and down the stairs.
For many seniors who live with disabilities, living in a home with multiple levels is problematic. Their inability to access various levels of the home sensibly makes living uncomfortable. As a result, many older adults confine themselves to one level of the home. They are unable to interact with their family members in normal and natural ways. This leads to feelings of isolation, loneliness and sadness.
Who are the most common users of stair lifts?
Many seniors battle with diminishing strength and balance issues. As a result, they find it harder to stay steady on their feet. Such mobility solutions as walkers and canes most certainly come in handy for such individuals. In many cases, these seniors can walk on flat surfaces with little to no trouble. However, climbing up and down the stairs is difficult.
Wheelchair users also greatly benefit from having stair lifts in their homes. As long as they can safely transfer themselves laterally, a stair lift makes it much easier for them to get up and down the stairs independently and safely. For some individuals, a recent injury or surgery is the reason they can’t access different levels of the home. For them, stair lifts are wonderful solutions too.
Would a stair lift help your elderly loved one to age in place?
If you’re the caregiver of an older adult and/or person with a disability, installing a stair lift in your home is a wise choice. “Remaining independent and avoiding long-term care are key drivers for more than half of Canadians, including over 60 percent of seniors, who said they are planning to modify their homes for care reasons,” reports March of Dimes Canada.
If you have any questions about the stair lifts offered by LifeCare Mobility Solutions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 416-267-9800 or email us at info@lifecaremobility.ca. You may also contact us by filling out the form on our Contact page!