Wheelchair Lifts

Wheelchair lifts allow wheelchair access to facilities that have not been constructed for wheelchair use. Thanks to disability laws, organizations, and ordinances, wheelchair ramps and lifts are commonplace in our workplaces, shopping centers, schools, and government buildings. An important aspect of wheelchair lifts is for automotive use in cars and vans. Wheelchair lifts come in many different styles, including materials, features, moving/lifting mechanisms, etc. so it is important to get a general understanding of the differences to expect when shopping the market.

One of the most important aspects of the wheelchair lift is that is can move the wheelchair user over staircases and other elevated terrain, thus enabling the wheelchair user to reach higher and harder to reach places such as the top of stairs.

Some wheelchairs have already incorporated stair climbing in their design. The iBot wheelchair, for instance, uses advanced gyroscopes and two sets of wheels to climb stairs. There are also other wheelchairs that use a modified tread design similar to the tread of a tank to climb stairs.

If your wheelchair does not already incorporate some kind of lifting and/or climbing mechanism, which most do not, you will need to find a wheelchair lift to help elevate your wheelchair to the desired access level but there are cost involved in either design.

In regards to the cost of the lifting mechanism, electric wheelchair lifts can be less expensive than their hydraulic wheelchair lift counterparts and are often times easier to maintain and repair. Most electric wheelchair lifts contain an emergency back-up battery system, which makes them ideal for use in instances where there are power outages. Make certain you ask your sales rep about the lifting mechanism, backup power source, and warranty of the lift before purchase.

Disabled lifts come in all shapes and sizes, from portable wheelchair lifts to common elevator shaft wheelchair lifts. Review your wheelchair lift application before consulting your sales rep.

If your application has enough room to use a wheelchair ramp instead of a wheelchair lift, you may want to consider this as a smart alternative to the wheelchair lift. Generally the wheelchair ramp will have less moving parts creating a longer life and less expensive cost. If on, the other hand, your application is space dependent, you will want to take into consideration the type of lifts available, the materials used, the lifting mechanism, and the warranty.

If you are considering purchasing a wheelchair ramp, please read our article on common questions to ask your sales rep.