More Americans are buying and installing stair lifts in their homes than ever before. But it’s not only here in the States – the global stair lift market as a whole is experiencing significant growth. This is largely due to populations getting older and medical breakthroughs helping those with disabilities lead healthy, independent lives.
For the elderly or those with permanently limited mobility, installing a fixed stair lift is a common decision. After all, if you or a loved one will need ongoing assistance ascending or descending stairs, why not install a stair lift that’s built into the staircase permanently? Surely that means you’ll never have to worry about moving around the house again, enjoying the freedom and comfort of being at home.
But this isn’t necessarily the case. There’s a key fact about permanent stair lifts that often flies under the radar – especially during the buying and installation phase.
Here’s the thing:
A permanent stair lift isn’t a permanent solution
A lasting, permanent solution should fix its problem for good. In the case of a stairlift, that problem is limited mobility. As much as we’d like it to be the case, a mobility impairment doesn’t simply disappear when we’re out of the house in a different environment, such as going to the doctor or visiting friends and family. On the contrary, these are situations where a mobility impairment is most noticeable – and most in need of a solution.
So if you’re considering installing a permanent stairlift in your home, or in the home of a loved one, then you’ll also need to factor in their freedom of movement outside the house. Thankfully there are a number of options available, such as our Genesis Mobile Stairlift, that are easy to use and minimally disruptive to daily life.
Simply put: if you own a permanent stairlift and value freedom of movement beyond the staircase in your home, then you’ll also need a Mobile Stairlift (or something similar).
Permanent stair lifts aren’t suitable for emergencies
Another notable drawback of permanent stair lifts is their speed and complexity. While perfectly fine for getting around the house normally, they are simply too slow and clunky for use in an emergency. When evacuation is needed, for example in the event of a fire or earthquake, every second counts and every risk should be minimized.
While this isn’t exactly a secret, it’s important to acknowledge the implications for you and your loved one. If you own a permanent stair lift, you’ll need an additional mobility aid for use in an evacuation – such as our Mobile Stairlift Evacuation Chair.
Choose a mobility solution for all circumstances
While you could choose to install a permanent stair lift and buy additional products for freedom of movement and evacuation, this is an expensive and often unnecessary option. With the quality of Mobile Stairlift products on the market today, such as those in our online store, you or your loved one can enjoy the benefits of permanent stair lift without having to deal with its fixed limitations.
Our Mobile Stairlift works inside and outside, giving you or your loved one the freedom and comfort to experience the best of both worlds. If you’d like to learn more about stairlifts, visit our comprehensive resource page, Stairlifts 101: Everything To Know Before You Purchase.
If you have any questions and would like to message a member of the team, click here.
