Home Healthcare Equipment and Supplies
Index
Van Lifts
While a regular, non-motorized wheelchair may be folded and placed in a regular automobile or van, the same cannot be said for a motorized wheelchair, which is just too heavy and bulky.
There are two types of wheelchair lifts that are used with a vehicle, a platform lift and a rotary lift. The platform lift is a small platform that is an integral part of the van. It lifts out of the van, the wheelchair is rolled onto it, and then the platform is raised and the wheelchair is rolled into the van.
Platform Lift
The platform lift can be completely automatic, the lifting performed by the user at a touch of a button, or the platform can be semi-automatic, which entails the user folding and unfolding the platform before using. The automatic platform offers more flexibility and independence to the wheelchair user.
A platform lift can accommodate up to 600 pounds in most cases, easily lifting a wheelchair and its user.
Rotary Lift
The other version of a van lift is the rotary lift. It does not offer the same flexibility as a platform lift. Using a hydraulic or electrically-operated boom, this boom swings out from the van, and lifts the platform with the wheelchair into the van. It is not as user friendly as the platform lift, and its weight capacity is restricted to usually 250 pounds.
Ramps
Another alternative is the use of ramps, a low-cost option. Small ramps are extended out from the van, and then the wheelchair and user are placed into the van via the ramps. There are some products which provide either side or rear entry for the wheelchair. A major issue here is that the incline of the ramps can be steep, which would necessitate an attendant, and even a power wheelchair could have problems getting into the van, depending on the weight of the chair and its user.
Costs and considerations
Costs for the lifts range from $600 to $3000. Some units have remote-controls, which allow flexibility in operation. Some units use the vehicle’s original battery power for operation, others have a separate system.
Some units are fairly large, which requires a full-size van; others are small enough to be used with a mini-van. Several of the rotary lifts will work with a vehicle to place the wheelchair into the back of a car’s truck or into a pickup truck bed.
There are many manufacturers of wheelchair lifts and ramps, offering basic ramp functions to totally-prepared wheelchair accommodations including driver controls. There are companies which can provide a vehicle already prepared, or an existing vehicle can be modified by a specialty firm.
House Ramps and Lifts
There is a wide and varied range of products available for a wheelchair user to enter and exit their home.
House Ramps
The obvious and most elemental of these is a ramp leading to a door of the house. This can be an economical alternative to a lift, but there are factors to consider. The primary concern is to make sure the incline of the ramp is low enough for a non-motorized wheelchair user to navigate with a minimum of physical exertion. This too applies to the user of a motorized wheelchair, but to a lesser degree.
Typically, a ramp built for access into a house would have a platform such as a deck or porch at the top of the ramp, allowing the user easy access into the house, plus a level entry between the ramp and the door threshold.
In using a ramp, the space requirement becomes a concern, and the area needed to build a ramp. The property must be large enough to accommodate a lengthy ramp, and if this is not possible, then a chair lift would be in order.
Chair Lifts
A vertical platform life may be necessary is a ramp is not applicable. This is a motorized lift controlled by the user which would lift the user and the wheelchair from street level into a home. There is also the option of an inclined platform lift, which operates in a manner similar to a wheelchair stair lift, but is built to withstand outside use. The wheelchair use would drive the wheelchair onto this lift at the foot of the stairs of the house, and would ride up the lift platform to gain entry into the house.
The vertical lift operates in a straight up-and-down manner, similar to an elevator, and could be used at any door in the house, including garage entry.
Areas to consider when employing either a vertical of incline lift are the weight requirements, handrails and locking gates at the ends of the lift, and battery backup power in case of a power outage in the house. Also, ensure the area is well lit for nighttime use.
Stair Lifts
A stair lift in a multi-storey home offers the user the flexibility and dignity of using all areas of his or her home. In simple terms, a stair lift is a device that is comprised of a chair which climbs and descends a staircase via a rail fastened to the staircase.
The lift is electrically-operated, and several models have a built-in battery backup in case of a power outage.
The stair lift operates on a robust track. The rack, or foundation of the track which fastens to the staircase, may incorporate a cable/chain drive or a rack and pinion drive. This type of drive incorporates a wheel gear (pinion) which meshes with a toothed rack.
Track length may vary from 16 to 24 feet, depending on the installation. The chair travels up and down the track at a predetermined speed, and does not deviate from these factory settings. There are several sensors in the chair area which automatically shut down the unit if it detects any obstacle on the stair case. The lift also incorporates sensors at each end of the track which automatically stops the stair lift at the end of its travel.
Most chairs incorporate a sensor switch (usually found in the seat bottom) which prevents the unit operating unless the chair is occupied. Other safety features include sensors which shut down the unit if the chair is climbing or descending quicker than intended, footrests on the chair, and a seat belt in the chair.
Some options found on stair lifts include a locking system which prohibits unauthorized use, a hinged rail for the bottom of the staircase, which folds up out of the way when the lift is not in use, and a remote control offering complete onboard operation.
Most chair lift systems can accommodate 250 pounds, and can range in price from $2500 to $5000 depending upon the application.
