Home helps that make life more comfortable
THE BIGGEST single reason why people invest in a life-enhancing stairlift is osteoarthritis.
Often called ‘wear and tear arthritis’, it affects 80 per cent of people aged over 50, to some degree.
The main symptom is pain and stiffness in the joints. And when these are weight bearing, such as the hips, knees and ankles, it can begin to restrict mobility.
Fading leg strength is another reason that a stairlift can become an indispensable home help.
Scientists have recently found that nerves controlling the legs decrease by an average of 30 per cent by the age of 75, and this can make muscles waste away. This can be delayed by keeping fit for as long as possible. The stairs can be a particular challenge — and a place where you really don’t want to fall.
Investing in a stairlift removes this obstacle. Instead of soldiering on in pain and discomfort, you can let the stairlift take the strain and glide you smoothly and safely between floors whenever you feel like it, effectively turning your two-floor home into a bungalow.
Some people worry that their stairs are too narrow, steep or unusual for a stairlift. But expert companies have come across nearly every staircase situation and can provide a solution.
Stairlifts fit to the wall and plug into the nearest available domestic socket, so there is no need for rewiring or disruptive structural work.
ANOTHER solution is a home lift. This can be installed almost anywhere in the home, with minimal disruption, thanks to its compact footprint, drive mechanism and dual-rail technology.
A compact type has a footprint of less than a square metre, is whisper-quiet and takes just one day to install.
It travels on self-supporting stilts, which eliminate the need for load-bearing walls. And the electric motor is neatly hidden from view, at the top of the home lift.
It can make life so much easier and more comfortable.