Many people around the United States have problems with mobility. By some estimates, there are about 53 million people around the country who have a disability. Many of these people have a disability that impacts their mobility. As a consequence, at least 6.8 million of them use some kind of device to help with mobility. When people get older, most want to stay in their homes and look for technology to help with that There are a number of new devices that can help people around their home. If you, or someone you love, uses something such as an electric wheelchair, one of the elderly lift assist devices or a mobility scooter, you may be looking to have a wheelchair lifts for home installed. There are a few things to think about and look into before you take the plunge.

1. You should look at your home. For the most part, stairlifts can be made to fit just about any kind of staircase you may have in your home, you should spend some time measuring yours. The more straight your staircase, the cheaper the stairlift will be. If you have two staircases to deal with and one is straight, that may be the one you want to use for your medical chair lift. Another reason you may want to get a stairlift for the straight stairs in your home is that if this is not something you are going to use for the long term, you will find it a lot easier to sell a stairlift that works on stairs that are straight.
2. Think about the power source you will need for your stairlift. You can get one that will run on AC power. Most elderly lift assist devices and wheelchair lifts can be wired this way. One upside to this option is that there is often a lot less you have to do to maintain the unit than if you get one that is operated with battery power. Another real upside is that a stairlift that words off of your home’s power is that you will not have to worry about getting stuck half way up the stairs. This is a much more reliable way to power a starlift.
3. You can go the battery power route, too. If you life in an area without reliable power, this is the way to go. The good news about this kind of power is that a battery should last you about a year. The length of time the battery will last is somewhat determined by how often you use your device but if you are concerned about your power supply (say you rely on your own source of power through solar panels), this may be better for you.
4. Look for the kind and size of stairlift that you need. People have different needs when it comes to stairlifts and elderly lift assist devices so make sure you know how much assistance you will need. For example, there are some people who really just have some trouble getting up and down the stairs, while others use a wheelchair or other device to get around. You may need a different kind os stairlift depending on what it will be moving up and down the stairs.
5. Talk to your insurance company to see if they will cover any parts of the stairlift installation and costs to buy or rent it. Before you talk to anyone about the installation costs and what it will set you back to buy or rent a unit, you should have a chat with your health insurance carrier. There may be ways you can get at least part of your new stairlift covered by your plan. You can also reduce you costs by looking at used models and the possibility of renting one (if this is not a permanent thing). They can help you minimize costs.

People with problems getting around have more options now than at any point in history. There are multiple kinds of elderly lift assist devices, lifts for power wheelchairs and an array of stairlifts to fit just about any home and any need. Having a disability and problem with mobility should not force you from your home.