Stay Active With A Platform Lift

Being confined to a wheelchair can be a depressing situation for anyone, especially for someone who was very active before. Having to depend on someone else to lift you in and out of vehicles or carry you inside after a trip can seriously erode your self-esteem and make you feel like a burden. Many times, staying inside starts to seem easier than traveling and before long, isolation creeps in and takes over. Physical health is affected greatly by the mental state a person finds themselves in. A defeated attitude can lead to further health issues that would otherwise not exist.

The solution is to stay as mobile as humanly possible, getting out and about at every opportunity. Having a platform lift to aid in getting in and out of a vehicle and one to help navigate the obstacles to getting inside the house will help restore a feeling of self-sufficiency. These lifts are powered by electricity or hydraulics and work at the touch of a button, providing smooth, quiet assistance when needed. The weather resistant model does its work come rain or shine.

The issue of safety is a very real concern for people considering the purchase of a platform lift. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires that vehicles that have wheelchair lifts also have a safety lift interlock. Its purpose is to activate an alarm in the event of an unsafe situation in order to insure that the person using the platform lift along with anyone else around is not in danger. An example of such a situation would be the driver attempting to put the vehicle in gear while the lift is being used.

A residential platform lift offers a convenient and cosmetically pleasing way to improve wheelchair accessibility to your house. They will lift up to 72 inches, making them feasible for almost any style of home. With safety in mind, these lifts include a low platform with a non-slip surface, continual pressure switches and a 36 inch railing.