Wheelchair lift, lifting you from your problems
Posted by on 3rd September 2009
It is so simple for majority of us to be able to move around with out any problem that we do not realize the value of such a great gift. Not every human being is blessed enough to enjoy this freedom. A temporary or permanent disability can restrict an agile individual into a wheelchair. Combine the disability with accessibility issue and the problem becomes a predicament. It becomes very difficult to climb the stairs,move around in a building,catch a train,a boat, a plane or visit a school,church, or auditorium. This is where the concepts of wheelchair lifts and ramps have come to the aid of the disabled person.
A wheelchair lift is a device to elevate a wheelchair to a certain level against stairs, a barrier, or a vehicle enabling the occupant to overcome or board it. A wheelchair lift can be a manual, hydraulic, or powered device. It facilitates the mobility of wheelchairs and their users inside or outside their homes and at places where a ramp is not feasible. A wheelchair lift can be classified into different categories based on how it operates, and the place where it’s used. Let’s first take a look at the types of wheelchair lift based on how they operate.
A wheelchair lift can be hydraulic, manual, or powered. A hydraulic lift,as the name suggests, uses hydraulics to lift the chair and guarantee it’s smooth operation. They adjust quickly to any terrain or height requirement and are not affected by a power failure.
A manual version is cheap and easy to manage. If the disability is not severe, or if another individual is available to help the user, then it is quite economical to use this option.
A powered wheelchair lift is economical compared to a hydraulic one, but requires some repairs and maintenance. It is very user friendly and hence it is much saught after by older people and people with a greater degree of disability. The possibility of power failure which affects the performance of this lift can be overcome by a battery or a backup system. You can even customize them with an automatic door opener or a telephone jack.
Second category of wheelchair lifts is dependent on how you are going to use them, whether as a lift for vehicles or lifts for home use. A lift for a vehicle helps lift a wheelchair and its occupant in a van, car, SUV, or truck. A home lift comes in either a shaft type or an enclosed type. If you merely require a platform, then shaft type will be ideal for you. For a safer operation, you can use the enclosed type.
As you can notice, wheelchair lifts are designed with an intention to give easy access to wheelchairs and scooters,especially in those cases where ramp is ineffective because of height or lack of space.
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