If you are a wheelchair user or perhaps one of your family members has issues with their mobility, what modifications have you made to your home to allow easier access? Back in the day, ramps were the solution for entry and exit into homes and, for a while, that served a purpose. But nowadays, thanks to technology, there are far better alternatives available. Step lifts for wheelchair access and for disabled people have helped millions around the world to live a better life. This article takes a closer look at how these ingenious devices can help anybody with mobility issues in their own home.

Ramps?

So, ramps were a pretty practical solution for allowing wheelchair-bound users to gain access to and from houses and other buildings but they had limitations:

• • Ramps are not always that comfortable for wheelchair users

• • They can often be difficult to install correctly

• • Hardly aesthetically pleasing and usually need to be modernised to fit the home effectively

• If the wheelchair user is severely disabled, it can be challenging for them to get around using ramps in the home or other buildings

Vertical platform lifts

Instead of a ramp for your wheelchair access in the home, why not look into a smart vertical platform lift instead? These work equally well in both residential and public buildings and you may be surprised by the reasonable costs. This type of installation is perfect for those who require both safety and reliability in the home or workspace. By using specially designed integral ramps, these vertical platform lifts can come in many sizes to suit almost every type of building style. The be both enclosed and unenclosed and usually do not need a support mast to be fitted. With quick and simple installation on offer, it is no wonder that vertical platform lifts are so popular amongst wheelchair users around the world.

Step Lifts

Another cool and proven alternative to ramps in the home is stepped lifts. These are typically low-rise designs that offer amazing independent access both outside and inside the home or workplace. Thanks to a myriad of versatile design styles, step lifts can be installed within 1 working day. These offer wheelchair users a level of independence with a very reasonable outlay and minimal disruption in the home or workspace. Typically, these will have a travel distance of around 500 mm to 1 metre and as such, will suit most building designs perfectly.

Home Lifts

This solution is an excellent choice for both disabled and non-disabled folk in the home because who doesn’t enjoy a little luxury. Home lifts are very popular and the ‘through the floor’ lifts are available in a number of cool and sleek designs. They will impress your visitors and enable any wheelchair users with class and style. Quite often they become a visible focal point and are considered a wise and useful upgrade to any modern home.

We’ve talked about a variety of home lifts including step lifts and vertical platform lifts, great for improving mobility around the home and making ramps rather obsolete by comparison.