Get help, advice and information on all your Home and Family issues. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/stair+lift.htm Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:08:06 GMT en Purchasing a used product can often be a gamble. Often if you buy a product like a car or furniture used than you have little or no recourse if it does not work. You also may in fact be inheriting someone elses problem. This can be especially true of home medical aids and home medical supplies. While it can be a risk to buy a used medical product, you can offset these risks in some cases. A stair lift is a home medical aid that is used to help transport a person up and down the stairs. Typically a chair is attached to a rail system that is secured to the stairs. In some cases a small platform called a perch is used in place of the chair. While most of these devices are very reliable and well built, there is a very large potential form misuse. This is why buying a stair lift from a private individual can be such a gamble. You have no way to guarantee that the device has been properly maintained or used. Unless your stairs are the same size as the private individual, you will also probably need to purchase extra rails to fit your stairs. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/86998_Buying_A_Stair_Lift_Used.html Fri, 23 May 2008 23:00:57 GMT A stair lift is a piece of home medical equipment that is designed to allow someone who is mobility challenged safely use the stairs. Typically a track is attached to the stairs and a chair or small platform is sent up and down the track by a set of hand or foot controls. There are several well known manufacturers of stair lifts including: AmeriGlide, Summit, and Acorn. A quality stair lift has been thoroughly tested for safety and has built in safeguards, but it is still very important to safely use and maintain these devices. One of the most important ways to ensure safety is to follow the installation instructions, properly installing the stair lift using the correct tools and materials. Most reputable dealers have trained installation technicians available, so if you do not feel comfortable installing the stair lift yourself, you should contact your dealer. Once the stair lift is installed it is imperative that you use the stair lift in the manner it was designed, especially paying close attention to the weight capacity. Most stair lifts utilize high grade materials, but you can put an unsafe strain on the device if you go over the weight limit. Stair lifts made by AmeriGlide are some of the most reliable and safe in the industry. They all utilize high grade aircraft cable that has a breaking point of 4200 pounds, but this does not mean that you should in any way disregard the stated weight capacity. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/86102_Stair_Lift_Safety.html Tue, 06 May 2008 16:38:02 GMT If you have ever bought a used car then you know you are taking a big risk. You may be getting stuck with someone elses lemon, or you may purchase it right when everything starts to need replacing. It is a gamble that for many ends up costing them a great deal of money. In addition you are trusting yourself, the lives of the people you love, and the other commuters on the road to something you do not really know all that much about. This is also true of purchasing a used stair lift from a stranger off of the internet or from the classifieds. Stair lifts, devices that carry individuals up and down the stairs, are valuable pieces of equipment. If you search the local classifieds or the online classified you will surely find a stair lift that on the surface look like a great deal. This is rarely the case however. You have no way of knowing if the stair lift was installed properly or used properly. Stair lifts have a maximum weight capacity, but many people do not always follow it. This increases the wear and tear on the motor and is extremely unsafe. In addition the stair lift you buy off of the internet or from the newspaper may have been exposed to the elements or otherwise misused. The chance of saving a few dollars is not worth the risk you expose yourself or your family to when you buy a used stair lift from a stranger. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/83282_Purchasing_A_Used_Stair_Lift.html Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:42:02 GMT A stair lift is a device that helps those with disabilities or people who have trouble walking go up and down the stairs. These units work by sending a chair or small platform up and down the stairs along an attached track. Stair lifts are generally very safe, but there are some things you should keep in mind when using one of these devices. Stair lifts are very helpful pieces of medical equipment; unfortunately to children they may look like toys. It is very important that you do not let young children use these devices unsupervised or in any manner other than the way that is recommended by the manufacturer. If your stair lift is in a public area, or if you will not always be there to supervise your unit you may consider purchasing a stair lift that can be locked with a key. This is the best way to guarantee that your stair lift will only be used in the way it was intended. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82370_Stair_Lift_Safety.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:19:37 GMT Stair lifts are devices that are used to help individuals with mobility problems ascend and descend the stairs. Using a small platform, called a perch, or a chair, these devices carry the individual up and down the stairs using a track system. Quality brands like Acorn, Summit, and Ameriglide are all thoroughly tested so that they will provide you many years of dependable service. These quality stair lifts are engineered in such a way that they will need very little maintenance. There are a few things however that you should keep an eye on. It is often said that an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. This is almost always true because most big problems started out as relatively small and benign things that could have been fixed if they had been caught. This is why it is important to pay attention to your stair lift. If you ever notice any movement or wobble to the track, then it is a good idea to inspect the braces and ensure that it is properly secured to the stairs. Most stair lifts require that the track be greased periodically. Check your owners manual and make sure you apply the proper type of grease at the frequency prescribed by the manual. This is probably the most maintenance you will ever have to do. There is also a fuse that may need to be replaced once in a blue moon. Otherwise, though, your unit should always move slowly and steadily. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82369_Stair_Lift_Maintenance.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:37:09 GMT When buying a stair lift one important consideration is the installation of the lift. Most reputable companies can install the lift, but this is something that almost anyone can do with a few ordinary tools. Usually you can save a lot of money by installing stair lifts yourself. It is extremely important, however, to follow all directions provided with the lift and to use the proper tools. If you do not feel comfortable installing the stairlifts than you should have the lifts professionally installed. This does change the price significantly, but is worth it if you can not physically install it yourself or do not have any family in the area. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/80155_Installing_A_Stair_Lift.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:05:32 GMT Choosing an Electric or Battery Powered Stair Lift The advent of technologies has made great impacts on human lives. It has improved ways of doing things in various health related concerns and disability issues. The Stair lift is one invention that has provided tremendous effects in easing the need to go up or downstairs for people suffering from painful joint or back injuries. Many lives have improved and become more comfortable after installing an electric or battery powered stair lift in their homes. It is important to take note which type of stair lift to choose if you decide to have one. There are advantages and disadvantages when opting for a battery powered lift over an electric one. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/79992_Choosing_An_Electric_Or_Battery_Powered_Stair_Lift.html Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:29:55 GMT It is usually seen that a multi-storied office or hotel uses stair lifts that help in solving the problem of mobility that can save time in unnecessary movements in ordinary stairs. The best stair lift will understand the need of an organization that can be home, office or hospital depending upon the needs. A best stair lift that is installed in the hospital will help in taking the patients from one floor to another without causing any pain or discomfort to the patient. The lifts that are installed in the hospital are big enough to accommodate the stretchers, wheel chairs and beds so that there is no problem in transporting all the equipments from one place to another. In offices, lifts help in saving time while one moves from one floor to another. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/72129_How_To_Find_The_Best_Stair_Lift.html Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:21:27 GMT Stair lifts are a great invention that help the elderly, the handicapped, or people with temporary disabilities. They help people be independent and provide safety while moving up and down the stairs. In case of not so serious problems, they provide a cheaper alternative to caregiver services. How do you go about purchasing the stair lift that suits you best? There are so many out there that confusion is inevitable. The best one is obviously one that is most comfortable and functional. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/67969_How_To_Choose_The_Perfect_Stair_Lift.html Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:39:04 GMT Are you having a hard time moving the stairs? When going down, do you feel scared of falling? As far as you are concerned, your decision boils down to two choices transfer your room to a more convenient location or get a home stair lift. Before you can determine the right stair lift for you, it is likewise important to learn the pros and cons of buying home stair lifts. At first, transferring to a lower level seems to be a logical choice but then again think of the many renovations that you might need to undertake. For one, you might have to make revisions in the room where you would transfer. In the end, this endeavor might involve a lot of manpower and budget. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/67310_Choosing_The_Perfect_Stair_Lift_For_Your_Home.html Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:35:09 GMT Stair lifts serve the purpose of moving individuals up and down the stairs with ease and comfort. They are utilized by people who are in a wheel chair or have bad knees and other medical concerns that make climbing stairs a big dilemma. Stair lifts are ideal for older people and women in their pregnancy stage as well. They can be found in different locations such as shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals, or other establishments that have several floors. Wheel chair lifts are the most prominent found in public places. Depending on the make of the lift being used by the establishment, there are various ways that these lifts work. The most popular kind of wheel chair lift is one that has a chair on the lift. This is one of the most difficult lift to use because it demands that the individual be mobile enough to transfer from the wheel chair to the chair on the device. Here, another person should assist the handicapped in transferring to the top of the chair or back which will depend on their need. Likewise, another person will have to carry the wheelchair in moving to different levels of the stair in order that they can return to the wheelchair. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/64676_Some_Help_Choosing_The_Perfect_Stair_Lift.html Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:17:17 GMT