More and more elderly and dependent people are choosing to stay at home rather than entering a retirement home. However, the house is not always adapted to their situation. Climbing the steps of the stairs in particular causes falls with serious consequences. The installation of a stairlift then helps them to regain a certain autonomy.
The stairlift is not a new product. It is mentioned as early as the 16th century. But the electric model was only created in 1923 at the instigation of the American C.C. Crispen. The principle ? Install a rail along the stairs that can accommodate a chair and that leads the user up or down. Of course, in 100 years, many improvements have been made in terms of safety, comfort, mechanism and use. Today, users have the choice between a multitude of models to mention only the straight, spiral or turning stairlift, the lifting chair, the mini-lift, a chair stairlift, the lifting platform for wheelchairs or the outdoor stairlift. The equipment includes a mains-charged battery and moves using the rails. It also has remote controls installed on the armrest, at the top and bottom of the stairs.
The stairlift market is booming. In Northern Europe, 50,000 units are sold each year. In France, 12,000 are sold every year. If the lift seat is so successful, it is because of its many advantages. Among the main arguments in its favor is staying at home. It allows dependent elderly people or people with disabilities to continue to stay at home without climbing stairs becoming an obstacle. Without this device, it would have been necessary to redevelop the whole house, which is a source of very significant expenditure on work. Moving is also avoided. Especially since at a certain age, being forced to move house is experienced as a traumatic situation. Beyond that, the stairlift guarantees the safety of seniors and prevents the risk of falls due to climbing stairs.
A stairlift is not chosen at random. Certain criteria are necessary, starting with the type of staircase. Not all stairs are compatible with all lift chair models. So take this into account before making your purchase. Another crucial point is the level of comfort. The seat must be adapted to the user, in particular to his weight and morphology. Models with a locking system that completely immobilizes the seat when getting up or sitting down are recommended. Security is not to be neglected. The lifting seat chosen must include several options:emergency stop, seat belt, automatic locking, automatic swiveling, obstacle detector... It is also better to favor battery-operated models (the cables can be potentially dangerous), with seat option foldable to have more space on the stairs.
