Overcoming Access Barriers In The Home

Speak to anyone with a disability or limited mobility and they will tell you that stairs are one of their biggest daily challenges, particularly if those stairs are in their own home. Here we explore the different accessibility solutions available.

When people living in multi-storey homes find themselves in a situation where they are no longer as mobile as they once were, whether it’s due to age, injury or illness, they will quite often move out of the home they love because they are no longer able to move around it safely or comfortably. Simple tasks such as climbing stairs are difficult and hazardous, and this lack of independence is a cause of frustration and embarrassment for many. The good news is there are solutions.

Depending on individual needs, a stairlift, wheelchair lift, or vertical lift in the home can be the perfect solution to giving people back their independence and providing a safe solution for moving between levels and around the home.

Stairlift

A stairlift takes a person up and down the stairs while they sit on a seat. P. R. King & Sons have a range of stairlifts to suit curved and straight staircases, indoors and outdoors. Our stairlifts are attached to a custom-made rail that’s attached to the staircase rather than the wall meaning no damage is done to the interior walls of the house. If you decide to remove the stairlift at a later date (e.g. if you’re selling the property), removal of the stairlift is a fast and straightforward process.

Vertical Passenger Lift

This is a traditional passenger lift (or elevator depending on where you’re from). There are a number of different types of vertical passenger lifts for the home, including roped hydraulic lifts, such as the MyDomestic lift and MRL traction lifts, such as the Symbio lift or the Valencia lift. Each of these different types of lifts offer unique benefits. To find out more, get in touch with our team.

Through-Floor Lift

This unique style of lift is an affordable and space-saving alternative to the traditional passenger lift. A hole is cut in the ceiling/floor between floors and the lift travels between that. The Lifestyle Lift   is one of the world’s safest through-floor lifts. Unlike many other through-floor lifts, the Lifestyle Lift offers fire protection between the upper and lower floors, whether the lift is parked upstairs or downstairs, to the requirements of BS5900:2012. It has also been tested and certificated by an independent fire research centre. View our through-floor lift comparison checklist here.

Platform Lifts

Platform lifts are specifically designed to fit wheelchairs. There are a wide variety of styles available in the market depending on requirements, including step lifts, vertical platform lifts, and inclined wheelchair lifts.  P.  R. King & Sons offers enclosed and open vertical platform lifts for indoors and outdoors, as well as inclined platform lifts specifically designed to travel up and down the stairs.

Portable Access Equipment

There are many portable lifts and portable access devices available for wheelchairs and the mobility impaired. Products such as the Super-Trac or Stair-Trac are specifically designed to provide safe and easy portable wheelchair access. A portable step lift, such as the Terry Portable, is a great solution for raised porches, inside garages with steps, and for use at other raised areas around the home. They can also be used in places such as schools and communities halls. 

If you or your loved one is having trouble with stairs and mobility in the home, contact P. R. King & Sons on 1300 775 464 for your free consultation, home assessment and quote.