According to the Canadian Medical Association, Canada is undergoing a massive demographic shift. Their website reports that there are now more Canadians over the age of 65 than there are under 14. By 2036, older adults will make up a quarter of the population. A recent CMA survey, conducted with the help of the National Institute on Ageing, found that 96 percent of Canadians want to age at home and live independently for as long as possible.
At LifeCare Mobility Solutions, one of our top objectives is to enable older adults to live independently. For many years, our installations of stair lifts, all throughout homes in the Greater Toronto Area, have given many seniors and individuals with mobility issues the ability to access various levels of their homes on their own.
How does a stair lift help to boost an individual’s independence?
A stair lift is a battery-powered, motorized chair. It is mounted to stair treads enabling users to safely glide up and down a staircase. Available for both straight and curved staircases, stair lifts can be installed on either indoor or outdoor staircases. Because of its extremely easy-to-use mechanical nature, a stair lift greatly boosts an individual’s independence. All that is needed to operate a stair lift is the pushing of a button.
In addition to seniors with limited mobility, stair lifts are excellent solutions for individuals who have recently endured injuries or have undergone surgeries. These great solutions are also ideal for homes that have regularly-used appliances on multiple levels. For example, in many houses, laundry rooms are in the basement. Installing a stair lift is often a much more cost-effective and safe solution than relocating the laundry room to another floor of the home.
What are the main components of a stair lift?
A stair lift consists of three major components: the rail, the chair and a power source. A rail is installed and affixed to the staircase close to the wall. It does not require a wall support. The rail allows the stair lift to safely glide up and down the stairs without taking up too much space. Staircases are left with plenty of room for other home inhabitants to easily walk up and down the stairs.
The chair is a comfortable seat that also comes with folding components. The armrests, seat and footrest can all be folded in when the stair lift is not in use. This offers home inhabitants more space to use the stairs as they normally would. The power source of a stair lift comes in the form of 12v batteries. These are always being charged when the stair lift is idle at either the top or bottom of the stairs. It is charged by plugging the unit into any regular 120v household outlet.
What are some of the top features of a stair lift?
Swivel seats offer users the ability to have their stair lifts turn by 90 degrees in order to make for easier exits and entries at the top of the stairs. Seat belts are also standard. Naturally, this safety feature ensures the protection of stair lift users. Obstruction sensors stop stair lifts if there are any obstacles on the stairs.
At LifeCare Mobility Solutions, we offer high-quality stair lifts from Access BDD, Handicare and Bruno. To learn all about them, 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!
