Across North America, movement-related challenges are among the most common issues that seniors face. Roughly one in five seniors struggles with mobility, a number that rises as seniors age. While there is no shortage of mobility-enhancing ways to support daily living, navigating some parts of the home can still prove stressful for many. Fortunately, wheelchair accessible home lifts can provide much-needed mobility support between levels of a home.
Below, let’s dive into some key signs that a conversation about a home lift may be warranted. Read on with the RAM team to learn more.
#1: You Feel Anxious Going Up & Down Stairs
Staircases can turn nearly any once-comfortable home into a source of daily anxiety. If this is something you’re dealing with, you’re not alone. Some self-reported studies have found that nearly 92% of surveyed adults have worries about falling down stairs. For many seniors, these worries don’t stem from strength alone, but from the unpredictability of navigating stairs daily.
Dealing with the functional changes that come with aging can feel challenging and overwhelming. Stairs require balance and coordination, often making them one of the most challenging parts of the home for seniors. Seniors face many health-related challenges that directly affect their mobility. From arthritis and chronic pain to reduced stability, loss of confidence when moving up and down stairs is a common and completely understandable experience.
#2: You’re Starting to Rely on Mobility Aids
As people age, it’s increasingly common to rely on a mobility device. In the United States, at least 14% of adults aged 65 and older rely on a mobility aid. By the age of 80, this number skyrockets to 40%.
Common mobility aids include:
- Walkers
- Wheelchairs
- Canes
- Scooters
That said, while many of these mobility aids offer meaningful support for most on flat surfaces, they’re not typically designed to assist with support between home levels. This is where a home lift can bridge this gap and provide support for these vertical distances when needed most.
#3: You’ve Been Limiting Which Floors You Use
When aging in place, it’s natural to undergo several home changes to accommodate shifting lifestyle needs. These changes are a fantastic way to ensure usability for years to come, and can include moving your bedroom to a lower level to installing non-slip flooring in bathrooms. That said, if you’re avoiding certain levels of your home completely or have been condensing your entire lifestyle to certain rooms, that’s a telltale sign that it may be a good idea to consider further alternatives.
There’s no reason for any of your home’s square footage to go unused. A home wheelchair lift can help support unrestricted movement throughout the home so that you can enjoy every room and level to their full potential.
#4: You Plan to Stay in Your Existing Home
As people age, many have to decide whether to move to a more mobility-friendly place or make modifications to make the home more comfortable. For many, the decision to stay in the home they’ve lived in for years comes naturally.
Aging in place involves making strategic, practical decisions to make your home more comfortable and ultimately livable. While this can involve larger renovations, smaller changes, such as installing handrails, improving lighting, and installing a home lift, can make a significant difference in overall functionality.
Support For Staying at Home with RAM
At RAM Elevators + Lifts, we believe that every space should remain accessible. That’s why we’ve helped make over 35,000 more buildings more accessible since our beginnings nearly 40 years ago—and with an additional goal of 10,000 more by 2028.
Ready to start planning and talk through your home lift options? We’re ready when you are. Reach out to us or visit our website for more information.