Get help, advice and information on all your Home and Family issues. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/vertical+platform.htm Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:08:06 GMT en Vertical platform lifts are primarily used by individuals who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters. They are used to transport a mobility device and its rider up and down the stairs. They are often found in residential settings, but many businesses also use them. This includes places like churches and schools. A vertical platform lift is designed to support the weight of a mobility device, such as a mobility scooter, and its rider. Most do not support less than 500 pounds and many can support as much as 750 pounds. In many cases a 2 people will ride the vertical platform lift at one time. This is common among husbands and wives, as well as caregivers. Some models are able to travel distances up to 12 feet. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/87044_Vertical_Platform_Lifts_In_Homes.html Sat, 24 May 2008 23:14:09 GMT Vertical platform lifts allow people to connect areas of different elevation throughout their home. In the residential environment these valuable devices are most often found at the entrance to the home. The front steps, especially in older homes, are often steep, narrow, and hard to navigate. A vertical platform lift or wheelchair lift, as it is often called, can bridge this gap and return the freedom you used to have when you were younger. Vertical platform lifts offer what is commonly referred to as either adjacent-access or straight-through access. The differences are explained below. The type of access refers to the way a user will enter and exit the vertical platform lift. This is an important consideration that should be made before you purchase the lift because often it must be configured by the manufacturer. Adjacent-access is when you enter the vertical platform lift, turn (usually) 90 degrees to the left or right and exit the lift. This is similar to how you exit a car. Pretend that enter a cargo van by walking through the back door. When it comes time to exit the van you turn to your right and open the side door. This setup can save space. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82411_Vertical_Platform_Lifts_Access_Explained.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:57:04 GMT Vertical Platform Lifts are like small scale elevators that connect areas of different elevation so that they are accessible to people in wheelchairs or those who are mobility challenged. One of the most common places to find these life saving devices is at church. Many churches are in buildings that have been around for many years. Often times these buildings were not designed to be handicapped accessible. Usually new additions and entrances and exits have been updated and made to be easily accessible by those in wheel chairs, but this is not always the case. Often there are many parts of churches that can not be accessed if you are not able to walk or negotiate the stairs. People of all shapes, sizes, and age visit churches and this is why so many churches invest in wheelchair lifts. This guarantees that all members of the parish will be able to fully enjoy, participate in, and feel connected with the church. One model of wheelchair lift that is particularly popular with churches is Ameriglides Portable Atlas lift. This lift is capable of holding over 500 pounds and can be moved. Since this lift is portable, it is easy to move it when it is not in use or to move it to a different set of steps. This makes it perfect to allow churchgoers access to the pulpit. These units are also keyed so that you can guarantee that it will not be misused. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82409_Vertical_Platform_Lifts_In_Church.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:56:12 GMT Vertical lifts or wheelchair lifts are a great investment if you or someone you love is in a wheelchair or has trouble walking. They work like mini elevators and are used to overcome differences in height found in homes. Here are some things to consider when purchasing and installing your new vertical platform lift. - It is probably a good idea to invest in a good set of lights to keep the vertical platform lift well lit. Some people get motion sensor lights that automatically cut on when they detect movement. This is great because you do not have to remember to leave the light on when you leave during the day, but return at night. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82404_Vertical_Platform_Lift_Tips.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:47:42 GMT Many people today who use wheelchairs or just have trouble walking have discovered the wonders of Ameriglide Vertical Platform Lifts. Ameriglide manufactures only the highest quality home medical equipment that has been thoroughly tested by experienced engineers. Vertical Platform Lifts or wheelchair lifts, as they are often referred to, have helped many Americans retain their independence and liberty. In older times if you were in a wheelchair it meant that you had to design your entire home around that fact. Elevators were reserved to those who were immensely wealthy or to commercial structures. This made it very hard for those with disabilities. It meant that you would very likely have to sell your home if you did not have some means of entering and exiting your home at ground level. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/82403_Ameriglide_Vertical_Platform_Lifts.html Sat, 22 Mar 2008 03:08:32 GMT Many times, especially in older homes, the stairs leading up to the front door can be pretty steep and narrow. This can make it very hard for those suffering from arthritis and other muscular disabilities to enter their own home and near impossible for those with wheel chairs. Vertical Platform Lifts solve this problem by raising the individual to the top of the stairs. Vertical Platform Lifts are installed parallel to the stairs and depending on the model often very little actual assembly is required. It is imperative, however, that a smooth, level, and unyielding base is used. The base should be able to support the maximum load capacity of the lift and the lift itself. So if the lift itself weighs 250 lbs and has a capacity of 500lbs then the base must be able to support at least 750 lbs. Always air on the side of caution, but usually a solid deck or concrete deck would be a suitable base. It is also important that the travel wall, the wall below the upper entry point of the elevator, is free of protrusions, fairly smooth, and gaps. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/81609_Installation_Of_Vertical_Platform_Lifts.html Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:00:16 GMT A Vertical Platform Lift is designed to allow those in wheelchairs or others who are mobility challenged to traverse the exterior stairs in their home. Vertical platform lifts are very similar to elevators in that they lift a square or rectangle platform straight up and down. Depending on the model there are many accessories and options that may either be necessary to fit your particular needs, or may just make your life a little easier. Many of the options are specific to the actual lifting requirements of the user. For instance the required lifting height can, depending on the model, be customized to support distances over 12 feet. http://advice-and.info/Home-and-Family/81608_Vertical_Platform_Lifts_Accessories_And_Add-ons.html Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:51:44 GMT