Caring for Elderly Parents – Stair Lifts

This is a guest post by Cole Watts. Cole is a writer for USMedicalSupplies.  US Medical Supplies is a trusted online brand with over 14,000 medical products including stair lifts, adjustable beds, and lift chairs for the elderly.

For so many of us caring for elderly parents, we are often faced with many crisis’ situations early on. One of the first problems we often have is what to do with our loved one’s home.

Once our parents reach a certain age, we can find that their home is literally filled with thousands of obstacles that can be problems for our parents and the number one problem that we can often forget about is the stairs.

Falling or tripping down the stairs is one of the major causes of broken bones and sprained joints in the elderly, and we often have to to monitor them for the dangers that they present to our parents.

Thankfully though we have stair lift technology that can often help our loved one’s get up and down stairs with just the click of a button and eliminate potential hazards that our parents might face when coming up and down the stairs.
But how safe exactly are stair lifts? Are they easy to use? The answers to these questions are yes, and yes, provided that you follow some simple advice.

1) Buy new, not second hand, and choose wisely.

It is always recommended to purchase a new stair lift from a reputable dealer, rather than a second hand one from a private sale because the model that was right for someone else, may not be the most appropriate for you. Specifically, a stair lift must be able to fit in the required space in your home, and must be capable of carrying your weight and width. Stair lifts fit differently per the home so a measurement before installation is a must. Secondly, a used stair lift may no longer be in warranty, and may have defaults that are not obvious at the point of sale. In a private transaction, there is no money back guarantee or support if something goes wrong!

2) Have your stair lift fitted and serviced by a qualified stair lift engineer

While many models of stair lift can be fitted by the homeowner, it is recommended to seek expert advice if you have any doubts about your ability to correctly fit the device. The last thing you want is for the stair lift to fall off its track when in use, or for the chair to be at the wrong height! It’s also important to take good care of your stair lift – keep the seat and track clean and free of dust that might clog the mechanisms, and have it serviced by an approved engineer to preserve the validity of the warranty and keep the device in perfect working order.

3) Pay attention to the safe use of your stair lift

Stair lifts are easy to use and very safe, but do make sure that you don’t use one recklessly and without careful attention. To avoid accidents and injuries, don’t rush your maneuver and ensure that you are correctly and comfortably seated before setting off. When disembarking from the seat, place your feet firmly on the ground and take care if you need to twist so that you do not injure yourself. Some stair lift models have swivel-seats to eliminate this risk. To avoid the situation where the stair lift may be at the top of the stairs when you are at the bottom, simply invest in a second remote control. Keep one upstairs and one downstairs, and your problem is solved!

Stair Lifts were once seen as just a cheap old technology but with mentions in movies like Disney’s animated “Up” stair lifts are no longer seen as just an cheap technology but instead a technology that will help give peace of mind to those of you caring for elderly parents.

Cole Watts is a writer for USMedicalSupplies. US Medical Supplies is a trusted online brand with over 14,000 medical products including stair lifts, adjustable beds, and lift chairs for the elderly.

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