Wheelchair Elevator

In the past, people suffering from paralysis due to birth defects, illness, or accident, have led a sequestered lifestyle. If able to live at home, the disabled have been restricted to one room, or floor, of the house. Going to public schools is out of the question. Going to public concerts or mall shopping is unthinkable. In fact, many handicapped people have lived in homes usually reserved for the incapacitated elderly. How sad! Today, adding a wheelchair elevator can make all the difference.

Speaking from personal experience, elevators have enabled the handicapped to attend school, gain a college education, have a career, and live a fulfilling and happy life. Today, elevators are mandatory in multi-story public buildings. Also, elevators are required to have Braille button identification, phone access in case of an emergency, and enough room to transport a wheelchair-bound individual and a friend or caregiver. Finding an elevator in a public building is expected; not finding an elevator, in a public facility, is inexcusable. No surprise.

However, finding an elevator in a home is definitely surprising. In most households, an elevator is a dream, not a reality. Nevertheless, Illnesses, accidents, and birth defects are no respecter of persons. From the individual living in the slums to the richest person in the world, people need wheelchairs. Everyone is susceptible to life’s challenges and the adverse affects of old age. So, for the individuals who have been financially blessed, and have adequate space, a wheelchair elevator in the home is a great idea.

Before deciding to purchase and install a home elevator, potential consumers should be informed about the necessary specifications for a permanent electronic lift. The Savaria Concord website has a list of requirements for a home elevator:

• Elastomeric Bumpers
• Spring Buffers (24" minimum Pit Depth Required)
• Magnetic Floor Selection, Stopping and Re-leveling
• Final Upper Limit
• Negative Pressure Switch
• Variable Speed Pressure Compensated Proportional Valve
• Submersed Motor
• 16' Rail Sections
• 8' Rail Sections
• Final Drawings Included With Confirmed Order
• Operating Instruction Labels
• Dupline Programming Tool (P.L.C. only)
• Mechanical Rail Shoring BlocksConductor Cable For Hoistway to Pump Wiring 40'

The elevators can accommodate a 2-4 story home. Also, the elevators are customized to blend in, and accentuate the décor. Instead of looking like a public foyer, the closed elevator can simply look like part of the room. Open, the elevator can actually be designed to compliment the room.

In conclusion, the need for wheelchair accessibility is not determined by social or economical status. For most people, finding affordable alternatives, to moving from a home with stairs, can be a major challenge. However, for the blessed few that have the resources to make the life of a disabled family member a little easier, an in-home elevator may solve the problem of stairway barriers.

Next article: Wheelchair Carrier; Bring Your Wheelchair Wherever You Want