3 Types Of Home Equipment For Wheelchair Users
According to recent statistics, about 2.7 million people in the United States use a wheelchair. Some of these people were born with a condition that impaired their mobility. Others became wheelchair-bound due to an accident, injury, or illness. No matter the reason, most users know that wheelchairs come with certain challenges. One such challenge is how to get from one place to another inside their own home.
These three types of home equipment make it easier for wheelchair users to get around their house.
1. Wheelchair Stair Lift
Stairs in the home make it impossible for a wheelchair user to go to the upper or lower rooms of a house. To alleviate this problem, a wheelchair stair lift can be installed on the stairway. A stair lift is a device that is installed on the staircase and allows the user to ascend or descend the stairs, usually with just a push of a button.
Stair lifts are usually for those who have some mobility but can't navigate stairs very well. Wheelchair stair lifts are a heavy-duty version of a stair lift than enables a wheelchair user to get on the lift while in their chair to go up or down the stairs.
2. Wheelchair Ramps
Even just one or two steps of a home's exterior can present a problem for wheelchair users. For this reason, a wheelchair user will need to install a ramp so that they can safely enter and exit their home.
Wheelchair ramps are made from a variety of materials including aluminum, wood, galvanized steel, and concrete. There are pros and cons to each type of wheelchair ramp. For those who want to construct their own ramp, they can easily make one out of wood. However, ramps made with galvanized steel provide the best traction and they don't allow snow or water to accumulate.
3. Hoyer Lift
A Hoyer lift makes it possible for a caretaker to get a wheelchair user in and out of their chair. A Hoyer lift also helps transfer a person in a wheelchair from their chair into their bed and vice versa. A Hoyer lift works by putting the wheelchair user into a sling and then using the lift to raise them up out of their chair. The Hoyer lift then lowers the person in the sling onto a bed or another seating system.
The Hoyer lift has wheels which allow the person sitting in the sling to be wheeled from one location to another. The different types of Hoyer lifts include manual/hydraulic, electric, or battery-operated.