Stairlifts for the Elderly


As much as we all try to hold on to our youth and try to remain fit and healthy, sometimes age catches up with us and we start to have mobility issues.  Some people may choose to plod along a little longer, trying to stay mobile.  Others, however, may opt to have stairlifts installed to ensure that they travel up and down the stairs safely and comfortably.

Types of Stairlifts for the Elderly

There are two main types of stairlifts for the elderly available on the market.  These are:

  • Straight stairlifts which can be fitted to those staircases that have no bends or corners
  • Curved stairlifts which can be fitted to staircases with bends and corners, including spiral staircases.
Within these types, there are categories that describe the seating arrangement that is available on these stairlifts.  The seating arrangements for stairlifts for the elderly are:

  • Seated stairlifts, allowing the user to sit comfortably and safely whilst travelling up and down the stairs.
  • Standing stairlifts, whereby the user stands on a platform facing the wall, whilst holding on to two railings either side
  • Perched stairlifts, allowing the user to face away from the wall and be in a position between standing and sitting.
  • Wheelchair stairlifts, which come with a platform that can fit a full wheelchair on them.

Prices of Stairlifts for the Elderly

Stairlifts for the elderly, unfortunately, do come at a considerable expense.  Straight stairlifts are by far the cheapest, at around £1,500 for a new stairlift including installation.  Curved stairlifts, however, are custom made to fit an individual staircase and are hence more expensive at around £4,000.

It may be possible to reduce the costs of stairlifts for the elderly by opting to buy second hand stairlifts.  This is mainly a viable option for straight stairlifts, as second hand curved stairlifts still need to be adapted to fit your individual staircase, meaning the price between new and second hand is not much different.  A second way to keep prices for stairlifts for the elderly down is by installing the stairlift yourself.  Straight stairlifts in particular are very easy to install.

If you do find you are unable to afford the cost of stairlifts for the elderly, you may want to consider contacting your local authority to find out if they have any grants available to assist you in the costs.  These grants are often given to people on a range of means tested benefits, meaning they are on very low incomes.  Alternatively, you could consider renting stairlifts for the elderly.

Whichever stairlift you decide to purchase and whichever way you are able to finance it, the main thing is that stairlifts for the elderly allow you to no longer have to live in fear of the staircase, being able to once again have full use of your home.  And as outdoor stairlifts for the elderly also exist, you may also be able to once again fully enjoy your garden, sitting in the sunshine whilst enjoying a good book and a nice cup of tea.

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