Safety and home
Stairlift
A stairlift is a motorized chair that rides on a rail fixed to a staircase. It carries a person up and down stairs while seated. It suits people who can transfer to a seat but cannot climb stairs safely. A professional installs it.
Why it matters for your family
A stairlift can let a person keep using bedrooms and bathrooms on other floors. AARP says Original Medicare typically does not pay for home safety equipment or modifications, so families should expect to pay out of pocket unless a plan says otherwise. AARP's stair guide gives wide price ranges, with higher costs for landings or turns. Families often buy too soon or too late. A lift will not help someone who cannot sit upright or transfer safely. A common mistake is to skip a trial or an assessment. Ask an occupational therapist whether it fits, and compare quotes. Moving the bedroom downstairs may be an option.
Source: aarp.org
Read more: What is Home Care? How to Benefit from These Services?
Related terms
- Home modificationsHome modifications are changes to a house that make it safer and easier to use for an older adult or a person with a disability.
- Fall preventionFall prevention is the set of steps that lower the chance an older adult will fall.
- Mobility assistanceMobility assistance is help with moving around, such as standing up, walking, using stairs, and getting in and out of a bed, chair, or car.
- TransferringTransferring, as an activity of daily living, means moving between surfaces, such as bed to chair, chair to standing, or wheelchair to toilet.
- Home safety assessmentA home safety assessment is a room-by-room check of a home for hazards that could cause falls or injuries.
- Wheelchair rampA wheelchair ramp is a sloped surface that lets a person using a wheelchair, walker or scooter get over steps or a raised threshold.
