There are a number of options available to make using a stair lift easier. An occupational therapist or an impartial sales adviser will be able to specify the ones that are suitable for the users needs.

The most obvious option is to have a swivel seat stairlift. This means that you can swivel the chair when you reach the top of the stairs, so that you are facing away from the staircase when you get off. This makes it much easier and safer to get on and off the lift. The stairlift chair then acts as a barrier so that if you were to lose balance you could not fall down the stairs. A swivel seat is a standard option on most stairlifts these days, so you shouldn’t have to pay extra. If possible try and visit a showroom to compare the different stairlifts available.

Powered swivel seats are also available if you are unable to turn the seat yourself. This will add to the cost quite significantly and the quality can vary according to the manufacturer. As always seek independent advice and get prices from more than one source. If a powered swivel isn’t necessary at the moment but could be useful in the future make sure the seat can be adapted.

A recent development is the option of a two-way powered swivel. This enables the user to get off the seat in the most convenient position at the top and bottom of the stairs. This is a costly option and isn’t necessary for most people, however it can be of great use in certain circumstances. At the time of going to press only one of the manufacturers is able to provide this option.

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The stairlift is another machine intended to let a handicapped or an aged person to get through the hassles of facing humps and bumps and conquering heights in their homes. Mobility is one of the primary issues dealt with by a stairlift.

The inability of the person to move on their own does not only bring interruptions to normal living but also bring forth a sense of inferiority to the person. With a stairlift, a handicapped or an aged individual can freely move from one place to another without asking assistance from anybody else.

On the other hand, independence is another factor which can be greatly affected by any stairlift. The act of doing things on your own promotes a sense of worth within. By using a stairlift, the handicapped and the aged can move up and down the stairs and to and fro the house humps without being worried about by other family members.

There are a multitude of choices for stairlifts nowadays in the online market. Before clicking on a certain model for purchase you must have knowledge on the actual needs of the user. Some users might only have weak knees but are still capable to sit and get out of the stairlift and can walk on flat surfaces. This case only requires you to purchase a cheaper stairlift that primarily caters to the climbing problem. However, some disabilities cause a person total immobility that you need to have a stairlift that does not only bring the person up and down the stairs but also to fro the house multi-floorings. This could be more costly but more useful for the user.

On the other hand, the user’s physical environment should also be looked into. The stairway is a great consideration.

The shape, the height and the structure of the stairs to which the stairlift will be attached should be focused on. A straight stairlift, logically, cannot fit a curved or bent stairway.

All these and more are just a few of the many things to consider when buying a stairlift. The handicapped or the aged further need some features for security. Look for a stairlift with a seatbelt to ensure that the user is intact as he goes up and down the stairs. You can also take one with sensors that anticipates barriers along the way and automatically stop for safety.If you are not certain about what to purchase, you can consult the user’s occupational therapist for some recommendations. You can also inquire from the manufacturers who know every detail of their product.

Oftentimes, a call could send in representative to your home who will assess the physical characteristics of your house and who will look for a stairlift which perfectly suits the user’s needs.

You might want to have a second thought in buying a stairlift for your loved one. If you have the money, why not take one of the stairlifts offered online all for the user’s safety and mobility. You might not know your money’s worth until you see your handicapped or aged family member smile for independence.

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Buying a stairlift is a major investment and the secondhand or reconditioned stairlift market is a perfectly legitimate one. Indeed, major manufacturers such as Stannah do offer secondhand stairlifts but would-be purchasers should be cautious about some unscrupulous dealers.

There can be problems when buying secondhand stairlifts. Straight rails can be safely re-used to install a second-hand straight stairlift but curved secondhand stairlifts always need new rails. This is because even if the carriage is secondhand, the rails have to be tailor-made to fit individual staircases because they must not obstruct doorways and must fit tightly to the stairs. Experts in the industry say it is just not possible to use secondhand curved rails safely.

Some people have purchased Stannah curved rails that have been re-manufactured from a number of old rails which have been cut up and welded together in an attempt to fit to a particular staircase. They are known in the industry as ‘cut and shuts’ – named after a similar practice in the secondhand car market.

Many customers have been misled into thinking they were buying genuine Stannah rails as advertisers have made no attempt to clarify the fact that the rails they are selling have been re-manufactured from a selection of old Stannah rails.

Due to the limitations of this re-manufacturing process, the quality and fit of the rails to the staircase is generally extremely poor and – most importantly – the stairlift could well be unsafe.

To be sure that you a receiving a brand new rail then you will need to go directly to Stannah or one of their approved dealers. Approved Stannah dealers all sign up to an agreement not to use cut and shut rails, giving the customer peace of mind that they are getting a brand new, and most importantly, a 100% safe rail.

It is also worth considering that companies that use cut and shut rails are not authorised dealers and therefore cannot buy spare parts from Stannah. This could seriously effect their ability to maintain and service your stair lift. This also means that their stair lift engineers have no training from Stannah.

If you have received a quotation from a company for a curved rail stair lift and they cannot prove that they are authorised dealers, then you should contact the manufacturer to see if they are on the approved list. If you think you have bought a stair lift that uses a cut and shut rail then you should contact the original manufacturer who can advise you what to do next.

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