Sadly, medical science has not yet progressed to the point of being able to repair nerve damage. As a result, many people each year end up in wheel chairs as their only means of getting around within their homes or in stores. There are several different styles and types of wheelchairs; therefore there are several different types of wheelchair lifts with different features. Here are some of the features that one should look for when shopping for a wheelchair lift.
What Kind Of Wheel Chair Are You Using?
One of the first things to consider is what type of wheelchair the person is using. If the wheelchair is one of the old fashioned, hand-pushed variety or an older model electric wheelchair, it will take a different type of wheelchair lift than what some of the newer power scooter type wheelchairs require when it comes to a wheelchair lift.
What Is The Vehicle Like?
Next is the type of vehicle the person will be driving or riding in. If the vehicle is a large van, it is easier to get a wheelchair lift kit that sits in the side door and allows the person to roll up on the platform and raise it to the level of the van’s floor then roll on inside. If the person is going to be driving or riding in a car, he/she will have to transfer into the vehicle and then employ the wheelchair lift to move the wheelchair and store it during transit. One common type of wheelchair lift for this mounts to the top of the car and lifts the folded chair up and slides it into a storage cabinet on top of the car.
Lifts For Electric Mobility Scooters:
If the person uses an electric mobility scooter type chair, this will require yet a different type of wheelchair lift if not driving a van. As these electric mobility scooters do not fold up the way traditional wheelchairs do, they are normally hauled on a rack mounted to the back of the car.
The person who uses the chair gets into the car, and then has a family member take the electric mobility scooter to the wheelchair lift and store it. Most of these wheelchair lifts simply raise the wheelchair off the ground a few inches then tilt in toward the car to help secure the wheelchair. Portable wheelchair lifts are the type of wheelchair lift that is most often associated with vehicles. Some are manual while others are battery powered and can be stored easily when not being used. Most have either a folded or retractable design. When used in conjunction with a vehicle, potable wheelchair lifts tend to fold itself right into the vehicle.
Do Some Research On Laws and Regulations First:
Keep in mind that you will have to do some research and locate all the laws and requirements concerning wheelchair lifts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that all wheelchair lifts on vans must have a safety lift interlock. This safety interlock device sounds off an alarm if there is an unsafe condition, such as if the vehicle attempts to move forward or backward while the lift is currently deployed. The alarm also prevents any vehicle from shifting itself into drive when the lift is being operated. Other federal mandates include:
- Retaining barriers placed along the edge of the platform
- A threshold warning signal to alert any passengers of an unsafe condition
- Handrails to ensure security
- Interlocks to prevent any accidental wheelchair lift movement
Other Important Features:
Some other features that are good to look for in a wheel chair lift include:
- An electric or automatic roll stop to assure the wheelchair stays right in place when operating the wheelchair lift
- A threshold sensor mat located inside the vehicle to warn any user against exiting the vehicle if the wheelchair lift is not exactly level with the vehicle’s floor
- A platform that is slip resistant
- A manual integrated backup system in case there is a power failure; the manual system is a pump that provides the ability to raise and lower the platform of the wheelchair lift manually
- A bridging mechanism to allow users to board the wheelchair lifts safely from inclines and sidewalks
- Choose a control for the wheelchair lift – there is an on-lift control, the hand-help control which is the most common, or the optional remote control
Virtually everyone who is confined to a wheelchair will need some sort of wheelchair lift at one time or another. Features that one should look for in a wheelchair lift are dependent on the type of wheelchair that is in use and the type of vehicle the person drives or rides in when away from home. It is best to consult with a mobility equipment expert when looking for the ideal wheelchair lift that will meet all your needs.
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