Stair lifts are a wonderful way for the elderly to keep their independence and stay in their own homes.   When we get older it  is very important for the elderly to feel in control of their own lives and we all know the best way to achieve this staying put.  We all are aware that most of the time we still feel young in our minds and a stairlift can help to get us from A to B.  At Caremore Stair lifts we offer a wide range of stair lifts so if you need a stair lift we will be able to help you chose the best stairlift for you, fpr more information visit our web site and read more on our stairlift product range.

Stairlifts – Do you need help and advice when trying to purchase the right stairlift for you or a loved one.  Well look no further we can help you make the right decision, just fill in one simple form and we will respond quickly to your needs.  Whether you need stairlift advice or a stairlift representative to call we will help you all we can.

A swivel seat is a device that enables the top half of the stairlift (where the user would sit) to be rotated away from the staircase so that the user is facing another direction. It’s designed to make getting on and off the stairlift easy and safe. It’s main use is usually at the very top of the stairs for direct access to the landing area. They come in two options, manual and powered.

Manual swivel seats are the standard option on most current stairlift models. Powered swivel seats are an upgraded feature. Manual swivel seats are very easy to use but do require the user to,

1. activate the swivel seat by pushing down the swivel lever

 2. use of light assisted movement to rotate the swivel seat to face the landing area. Powered swivel seats make alighting even easier and are recommended if the user is experiencing difficulties with movement in their hips for example. Because the swivel seat process is automatic then this eliminates the use of the swivel lever and any assisted movement.

How they work – Manual Swivel

Once the stairlift reaches the very top of the stairs and has stopped, the user can push the swivel lever down to activate the swivel seat. The swivel levers are located at either side of the seat so that the user can use their preferred hand to push gently down. (Powered Swivel) Once the stairlift reaches the very top of the stairs and has stopped, there will be a short delay and then the swivel seat will automatically start turning towards the landing area. Step 2. (Manual Swivel) Once the swivel seat is activated via the swivel lever the user can then gently swivel the seat by use of there hips, legs or hands. The seat is designed to be very easy to rotate so that minimal effort is required. (Powered Swivel) The seat will start moving towards the landing area slowly and gently. The swivel motion is powered by a motor meaning no movement from the user is required.

Powered  Swivel

 Once the stairlift is fully rotated and is facing the landing area, the chair will then automatically lock in place for safety so that the user can’t then fall down the stairs. It can be left in that position for the users next trip or it can be folded away flat against the wall to create space on the stairs.

In order to calculate a price for your stairlift a surveyor will have to visit your home and take a variety of measurements,  when these measurements are done a stairlift price can be calculated, your stairlift can then be prepped exactly for your staircase and installed with the minimum fuss.  The aim of this blog is to ensure you know what measurements will be taken and why.

Stairlift Measurement One - There will be a side of the staircase which the stairlift would sit best.  This is decided many times by practicality and the surveyors knowledge and the surveyor will suggest the left side or the right side of the staircase and tell you their reasoning.

Stairlift Measurement Two – There must be at least 750 mm clear at the bottom of the stairs. If there are any obstructions such as radiators or power points, or openings such as doorways, if so a suryeyor using their experience will inform you of what needs to be achieved to get the stairlift to fit.  Stairlifts can sometimes have an adaption added to make the stairlift fit more appropriately

Stairlift Measurement Three -  A measurement for the top of the staircase to the bottom of the stairs is determined to gain the overall length of the staircase, this will determine how long a rail you will need.  In some cases a staircase can be so long a jointed rail can be needed this needs to be determined by the surveyor.

Stairlift Measurement Four – The width of staircase needs to be measured as there is a minimum width needed to fit a stairlift onto.  If the staircase is narrow there are sometimes alternative stairlift products that maybe of help such as a sit stand stairlift or a perched stairlift as these take less width on the stairs.  A stairlift advisor would advise you of alternatives.

Stairlift Measurement Five – count the actual number of steps where the stairlift will be fitted onto.

Stairlift Measurement Six – The measurement is to ensure there is adequate clearance from obstructions at both the top of the stairs such as radiators doors or a powerpoint

Stairlift Measurement Seven – Locate the most convenient power point fpr the stairlift to be plugged into.

A surveyors job is complex as they have to have the skill and knowledge to assertain the best stairlift to suit your needs.  If the job is untaken accurately the stairlift will fit onto the staircase exactly and will be installed within hours with no fuss at all.  So now when a surveyor visits you will know what to expect and i hope will have gained some specialist knowledge into the whole process.  Please don’t try to do this yourself as i can not express enough that measurements have to be exact and done with extreme precision.  The surveyor detailed above is for a straight stairlifts and curved stairlift are measured very differently.

Replying to a forum quote for a customer who was wanting some advice when buying a stairlift.

I  have been working in the stairlift industry for many years and the great thing about the industry is you can barter! Don’t accept your first quotation shop around. First of all get your facts sorted and assess your products start by visiting caremore stairlift information site to get a copy of a free stairlift comparison chart and get familiar with the top models on the market and then assess the stairlifts features and make sure they fit your requirements such as heavy duty models or the slimmest stairlift on the market. Get three quotations and you could be amazed at the savings you can make.

We are all wondering how the election is going to effect us espiecally businesses in the stairlift industry as we watch with baited breath to changes in financial policies. As things stand at the moment the elderly can gain grants for items such as stairlifts, as this helps the elderly stay in their homes which is great for the elderly and cheaper for the government.  But with the election looming and parties all threatening massive cuts in spending it does make you wonder which of our services we will see cut.

The FT.com states, “The policy pledges are designed to shore up the Conservatives’ “grey vote” by nullifying Labour claims that the Tories would cut benefits for the elderly after the election.  The Tory leader told pensioners “you have my word” that his party would protect the fuel payments, bus passes and TV licences, along with the means-tested pension credit which is believable as these items have met the news headlines, but i can see smaller services such as mobility equipment such as stairlifts and mobility aid budgets been cut leaving our most vunerable in a longer queue for equipment.

We will all have to wait and see but worrying times seem to be a head for us all.  Read the article in full

Over the last few years the stairlift industry has changed rapidly as a fight for dominance in the market has occurred.  When i first joined this market Stannah were market leaders by far and you could not imagine anyone trying to compete for market share.  The industry was slow, and i mean slow to get an appointment and even slower to get your stairlift installed – there was a queue and you had to take your turn.  Then Acorn Stairlifts arrived to market.

If ever one company totally changed an outlook of the stairlift industry this was it.  At first Acorn Stairlifts sold reconditioned stairlifts and demand was very high, this was because of their excellent speed of apointment and just as excellent speed of installation of a stairlift.  The company started to take market share from Stannah and other small companies such as Brooks Stairlifts, Bison and Minivator. 

After been constantly short of reconditioned stock due to large demand and the need for a new stairlift that could be installed easily, the Acorn Superglide was born.  This stairlift was something else as the stairlift could be installed in less than an hour compared to three hours for the fitting of other stairlifts and fitting could be done the next day when needed.  Can you imagine the change this had to the industry as industry giants were still thinking about making an appointment for a surveyor to visit and Acorn had made a visit and a stairlift installed and a very happy customer to boot.  The new Acorn Supergilde stairlift had taken the market by storm.

Now one company who had taken research and development very seriously was a small company called Bison and they invested in new technology in their stairlifts, espiecally in their curved stairlift.  When Bison Stairlifts got into financial difficulty Acorn bought out Bison and now had their own curved stairlift the Acorn 80.  Acorn now have a full range of stairlifts to meet your needs.  Oh and in the middle of all that they also bought out a small company called Brooks.

The latest change to the market is that a company that owned Freelift bought Minivator stairlifts, so it really has been all change for the industry, but one thing is for sure Acorn Stairlifts are always the one to watch as they claim they are the biggest retailers of straight stairlifts in the UK, and i am not surprised after all speedy service is what they have always been about.  Now if you want to compare all the stairlift models mentioned above use our stairlift comparison chart

Acorn Stairlifts having recently merged  the Bison Stairlifts into its product range and are now calling it the Acorn 80.  According to Acorn sales are doing well on this new product and they are happy that they now have a curved stairlift to offer their customer base.

This curved stairlift is a strong competitor as it is modular based and can be manufactured to you needs quickly.  Speedy of stairlift installation is very important to customers who need a stairlift immediately in many cases.  This can be due to a fall and returning home from hospital which has left a person frail and vulnerable when using the stairs.

The Acorn 80 is designed for more complex staircases and is taylor-made to the contours of the staircase so the ride is smooth and comfortable with easy dismount after use.  The stairlift is slim and folds away discretely on the stairs so other users can make full use of the stairs.  The best way to see if an Acorn Stairlift would be the most practical solution for you or a relative is to visit our stairlift information website and book a visit from one of our friendly surveyors who will measure your staircase and give you some informative practical advice to help you make the correct decision for you

This is wonderful example of a curved stairlift and i hope this information has gone some small way into helping you in your purchasing decision.  If you want to see other curved stairlift feature take a look at our stairlift comparison chart that has been designed to help.

When you are buying a stairlift it is a whole new experience for most, people generally have little knowledge on how  a stairlift works so i am going to try and answer the most frequently asked questions that people ask when a surveyor visits.

The most common misconception is that a stairlift is fitted to the wall not the steps, but the stairlift actually fits  onto the stairs so it does not disrupt your decorations.  Nobody wants they decorations disrupted!

For more frequently asked questions just visit our stairlift information site and you will gather more information

The second question we often get asked is can we make stairlifts to fit around a bend.  Yes! These stairlifts are a little more complicated as they have to manufactured to your individual staircase so things can be a little bit more pricey but well worth it.  So if you get a stairlift surveyor to visit you have been warned!

For more detailed technical bits you may want to take a look at our comparison chart that we have put together for you as it has all technical details that you may need to assess the best stairlift for your needs. 

Now i hope this has been helpful for you and good luck with your stairlift shopping.