Many people who stay in their homes when they're elderly eventually need a stair chair lift. For couples that grow old together in their own house, finding the right stair chair lift can be difficult if each person has different needs. If you and your significant other both have a hard time with stairs and want to stay in your home, a stair chair lift installer who offers lifts from several different manufacturers will be able to help you find the perfect model for both your and your partner's needs.

Considering Your Needs

When shopping for a chair lift, there are several needs that you should consider. 

First, if either you or your partner suffer from dementia, you should get a stair chair lift that is equipped with a key lock. Lifts that have key locks can only be operated by someone who has a key. Although, as Silver Cross mentions, stair chair lifts that have key locks are often used in public or commercial spaces, a model with a key lock could also be used to prevent someone who has dementia from operating the lift unsupervised.

Second, if you or your partner suffers from back pain, you may want to look at stair chair lifts that start and stop slowly. These models that have gentle starts and stops are more comfortable for people who suffer from lower back pain, as there are no sudden jerks. You may want to consider one of these models even if neither you nor your partner suffers from back pain, because you might one day. According to estimates from the American Chiropractic Association, 80 percent of people have back problems at some time in their lives.

Third, you will need to get a stair chair lift that is capable of carrying both you and your partner. If one of you two is much heavier than the other, you should get a chair that is rated for the heavier person.

Looking at Models from Different Manufacturers

Stair chair lift manufacturers often offer more than one model, but some manufacturers don't provide a variety of features. If you or your partner has specific needs that a stair chair lift must meet, you may need to look at models from different manufacturers to find one that has the features you or your partner needs. The easiest way to quickly compare features across different models and manufacturers is by talking with a stair chair lift installer that carries models from different manufacturers.

Stair chair lift installers are like insurance agencies. Some installers work exclusively with one manufacturers, similar to insurance agencies that only offer policies from a specific insurer. Other installers are like independent agencies. They offer models from several makers, just as independent insurance agencies offer policies from different insurers.

At an independent stair chair lift installer's store, you'll be able to compare lots of different models side-by-side to each other. If one maker's models don't meet your or your partner's needs, another manufacturer's models will be only a few feet away. Additionally, a knowledgeable salesperson should be available to answer any questions you have about the different manufacturers and models. In just a few minutes, you'll be able to compare more stair chair lifts than you would ever see if you went to an installation company that worked with only one maker.

If you're having a difficult time finding a stair chair lift that meets both your and your partner's needs, look for a local lift installer that offers models from several different manufacturers. Such an installer will have a good selection of stair chair lifts, and they should be able to find one that both you and your partner will be happy with.