There are two types of stairlift. Straight and curved. The first is designed for straight stairs. The footrest of the lift will normally stop level with the top stair. It may be possible to use a straight stairlift on some configurations of curved stairs.

The second, and generally far more expensive type, is a ‘made to measure’ or ‘curved track stairlift’ which can travel around bends on the stairs and can be made to run on to the landing. Prices vary according to the length of the stairs, the number of bends and the complexity of the bends.

It is worth noting that although far more expensive, the resale value is negligible, as the rail is made to measure and can only be re-installed on an identical staircase.

Curved track stairlifts can be fitted on either side of the stairs, the layout of your staircase will determine which is most suitable. If you need a curved track stairlift you will need to pay a deposit to the company that you are dealing with. This will normally be about 30% of the cost of the lift. The deposit is required because the company are committing themselves to building a stairlift rail that will only fit into your house. You should not have to pay a large deposit if you order a standard straight lift as these can usually be adapted to suit another staircase.

In certain circumstances it is possible to fit a straight stairlift on stairs that have a turn at the top. For example if you have a straight run of stairs with three steps winding onto the landing. Or a straight flight and a quarter landing with two more steps, a folding platform stairlift could be the solution. A straight stairlift is installed with extended legs, so the footrest stops in line with the landing. A solid wooden platform is then built around the footrest of the lift. This platform can then be used to walk safely onto the landing. The platform is hinged so that it can be folded back against the wall to enable other people in the house to use the stairs.

It is also possible to have a powered platform so the user doesn’t have to bend to raise it. Please note that the folding platform option is not suitable for everyone. If you are prone to dizzy spells or feinting or if you have very poor mobility this is not a viable option. Seek independent advice.

Christian Dunnage is a director of Dolphin Mobility Ltd, a UK based independent supplier of stair lifts and mobility products http://www.dolphinlifts.co.uk and author of http://www.stairlift.co.uk an impartial online guide to having a stair lift in your home.

Choosing the Right Equipment Is Essential

The correct equipment will make a big difference to a disabled person in helping him or her to live independently in the home. Before buying a disabled stairlift, the disabled person is well advised to get advice from a specialist and to try out the equipment before purchasing it. It is essential to purchase what is right for the disabled person and that too, at the right price. Often, due to ill-health, old age or disability one is unable to ascend or descend stairs and will thus require a disabled stairlift that should give back the freedom of access to a disabled person. This may necessitate purchasing the disabled stairlift from a specialist firm and solution provider, and obtaining impartial advice should help decide on which type of disabled stairlift is most suitable.

Some of the desired features of a disabled stairlift include unique fire response system, call stations, generous vision panels, in-car lowering, in-car telephone and over speed governors. There will also be need for special grab handles and special controls that will provide additional safety features for the disabled persons.

There are special disabled stairlifts made that can be used with wheelchairs and are designed for safety, flexibility as well as independence, and with advanced design features, one can get even more benefits. There are different modes that can take seated, standard as well as large wheelchairs up to three meters in height and even three and a half meters up. With free-standing tracks, there is no need of a load-bearing wall and so allows greater choice in where to locate the disabled stairlift. It would also have fixed internal ramp that provides a gentle incline and makes accessibility easier. The car does not take much room and allows for increased space outside the lift for maneuvering a wheelchair.

The disabled stairlifts may also have multi-handed doors and controls that can be fitted to either left or right, and with clever designing, it is possible to even change both controls and doors from left to right and vice versa. To provide the disabled person with even more independence, there can also be provision for powered doors, which is mostly an optional feature. Valuable information on stair lifts can be found at http://www.assist.servicefeeds.com/

Service Feeds is a web based resource database of information. www.servicefeeds.com