Stairs. For some people, they represent a few seconds-long climb from one floor to another. For others, they may as well be mountains completely insurmountable. When one’s mobility issues hinder his/her ability to climb stairs, it’s truly best that he/she doesn’t attempt to climb them at all. Statistics have proven that far too many Canadians are hospitalized due to slips and falls.
If you live in a home with an individual with mobility issues, it’s of paramount importance that you significantly limit his/her risk of slips and falls. In many cases, that means installing a stair lift so that your staircase can be transformed from an insurmountable climb to an easy-to-ascend pathway.
Stair lifts are known for vastly improving life at home for those with mobility issues. Here are three ways how:
1. They eliminate the risk of falling down the stairs.
It only makes sense to start with the obvious, right? When your loved one is comfortably seated in a stair lift with his/her seatbelt fastened, you guarantee that no fall down the stairs will occur. Instead, a safe and smooth ride up and down the stairs is secured. The importance of preventing falls cannot be understated.
According to Comfort Keepers, “about one third of the senior population over the age of 65 falls each year, but since many incidents go unreported by seniors and unrecognized by family members or caregivers this estimate is most likely quite low. Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and older, and the risk of falls increases proportionately with age. At 80 years, over half of seniors fall annually.”
2. They restore a sense of independence.
This is especially important for individuals who require the aid of caregivers. For many of them, it’s quite difficult having to accept that they can’t do things on their own. Naturally, people value their independence. And stair lifts enable those with severe mobility issues to get up and down the stairs on their own. Stair lifts, it can easily be argued, are equal parts confidence boosters and safety providers!
“If you avoid going upstairs as much as possible, or you rely on the aid of a caregiver to help you make the trip, it impacts your independence considerably,” agrees Remodel Direct, “Regaining the full use of your home and the freedom to go upstairs whenever you want or need to on your own stair lift can restore your sense of freedom and independence and make your day-to-day life more enjoyable.”
3. They make life easier on caregivers.
Let’s not forget that when a household includes an individual with mobility issues, it gives the other members of the household a number of caregiving responsibilities. Stair lifts eliminate a major chore for those who would otherwise have to help their loved ones up and down the stairs. Does it sound like a stair lift could improve life in your home?
Please don’t hesitate to contact Advantage Home Health Solutions to learn of the many other ways stair lifts can improve life at home. We’d be happy to discuss the numerous stair lift options we have available with you. Call us at 403-460-5438 today! You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact Us page.
