It is often not easy for people who are afflicted by cognitive disorders to climb the stairs. It is not un-common for those with these types of disorders to be unsteady on their feet and so the stairs can be a very dangerous place. When these types of disorders are added to a case of arthritis or a muscular problem, then it becomes even more difficult, so many people choose to install a stair lift.

Stair lifts are a mobility aid that can be used in the home and carries a person to the top of the stairs and back down again. Most of the stair lifts that you will see, use a chair to carry the person up and down the stairs. A few models are available that use a platform and require the occupant to remain standing as they are moved up and down the stairs, but since these require a strong sense of balance, they are generally not recommended unless necessary for medical reasons.

The size of the chair that these medical devices use varies by model. Heavy duty stair lifts tend to have a wider seat, with reinforced armrests and backs. These models are also wider seats and tend to have extra padding on the seat. Many stair lifts offer foldable seats, so when not in use; the seat can be folded up to take up less space on the stairs.

While generally it is unadvisable to get a platform stair lift unless it is absolutely required due to medical reasons, these types of lifts do take up less space, so if you have an exceptionally narrow stairway, you might not be able to fit a traditional stair chair and might be better off going with a platform stair lift. These lifts are sometimes called perch lifts and the platform is fairly small, so most times, it is better to go with the stair chair.

Stair lifts are controlled by an attached remote control, but most also come with at least two wireless remote controls. These are placed at the top and bottom of the stairs and are used as call buttons, much like an elevator. The buttons on both the wired and wireless remotes need constant pressure to move the lift and if you take your finger off of the button, the lift will stop moving. This is a safety feature and can not be overridden.

It can be very dangerous for people to use the stairs if they are mobility challenged, so a stair lift is often the best and most cost effective way to increase stair safety. A stair lift for a straight staircase can be installed very inexpensively and in only a few hours, so there is really no good reason not to install a stair lift onto a straight staircase.