Blog article
15 min read
Finding the right home elevator for seniors
Blog article
Introduction
Finding the right home elevator for seniors should be a priority for all homeowners wishing to age in place, but it is not always the case. While 80 percent of adults over 50 want to remain in their home as they grow older, only about a third think that they will need to invest in home adaptation for them to do so, according to the AARP.
However, if you are an owner of a multi-story home, you should think about home modifications that will allow you to access all the levels of your home comfortably and safely. Installing a home elevator will reduce the risk of accidental falls and ensure that you can get around the house at any age. That makes residential elevators a wise investment for all owners of a multi-story home.
Is buying a home elevator worth it for you? And what is the best home elevator for seniors? There are no simple answers to those questions, but this blog will explain the advantages of getting a home lift and help guide you through your options.
Benefits of residential elevators for seniors
Getting a residential elevator for seniors has many advantages in terms of accessibility, convenience, safety, and property value. It is also a good way to ensure that you can age in place for the long-term future.
Home accessibility
One of the key benefits of installing a residential elevator is that it improves the accessibility of your home, especially for individuals with reduced mobility. A residential lift makes you less dependent on your staircase and provides comfortable access to all the levels of your home.
Convenience at home
Another significant advantage of installing a lift in your home is the convenience it brings. Just imagine the feeling of reaching all the floors of your home with the push of a button. In addition, if you install a lift at home, you will never need to carry heavy items such as laundry baskets, shopping bags or cleaning equipment up and down the stairs again.
Home safety
It is a well-known fact that stair related injuries increase with age. However, even young and fit individuals risk falling when they are in a rush or when carrying bulky and heavy items up and down the stairs. In the UK for example, falls on stairs occur every 90 seconds (British Standard 5395-1: 2010). Taking the elevator is much safer than taking the stairs at any age and even more so as you reach your senior years in life.
Adds value to your home
A residential lift is a smart investment because it adds property value to your home and makes it more attractive in the real estate market. Homebuyers of any age will appreciate the everyday luxury of a residential elevator and be prepared to pay extra for it. In addition, many will also like the prospect of buying a home that is already equipped and ready for their senior years.
Future-proofs your home
Getting a residential elevator is a smart and efficient way to future-proof your home, whether you are a senior or not. With age, most people find it increasingly difficult to climb the stairs, but even temporary mobility problems due to knee or foot operations will make it hard to use the stairs, regardless of your age. Furthermore, if a member of your household needs a mobility device like a wheelchair or a walker, having an elevator at home will be essential.
Specifying your home elevator
Today, there is an abundance of residential elevator models with different price points, purposes, and designs. We have prepared a few questions that will help you specify the best home lift solution for your needs:
- How many floors does your lift need to serve?
- Do you want the elevator to accommodate a wheelchair?
- Where do you want to place the lift?
- What is the available floor space for the lift (width x depth)?
- What is the available headroom (distance between floor and ceiling) on the top floor?
- Are things like the look and color of your lift essential to you?
- What is your budget?
Types of residential elevators for seniors
Depending on your answers to the questions above, some home elevator types for seniors will be more suitable for your needs than others.
Wheelchair home lifts
Not all residential lifts for seniors are suitable for wheelchairs. This is the case for very small elevator sizes, whose doors and platform/lift car are not large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. In general, your home elevator should have a platform size of at least 1000 x 1267 mm (w x d) or a lift car of at least 1100 x 1300 mm (w x d) to suit wheelchair users.
Please visit our wheelchair lifts page to find out more.
Lifts for small homes
If the space inside your home is limited, and you are looking for a very small elevator, space-efficient elevator models, such as the Cibes A4000 is a great option. The smallest size of this platform lift model is small enough to fit into just 1 m2. While a lift in this super compact size will make your home a lot more comfortable and safer for your senior years, it is far too small for wheelchairs and walkers.
Outdoor lifts
If you want a wheelchair-friendly elevator but cannot find enough room to install it inside your home, we have a solution for that too. The Cibes Outdoor Lift is available in 2 wheelchair accessible sizes and is equipped to withstand almost any weather conditions.
Affordable residential elevators
We also offer safe and reliable home lifts for seniors who are on a tight budget, such as the Cibes A5000. This affordable residential elevator is great for seniors and has its lowest price point in standard configuration and in standard sizes 1000 x 1467 and 1100 x 1467 mm (w x d). To give you a rough idea of the price of a standard Cibes A5000 servicing 2 floors, it starts at around 23 000 €. In addition, the Cibes A5000, like all our screw-driven lifts, have low maintenance costs compared to other elevator types.
If price is a top priority for you, you can read more about it on our home lift price page.
Bespoke designer lifts
If on the other hand the aesthetic qualities of your home elevator are very important to you, we have good news for you. Lift models like the Cibes Air and the Cibes Cloud Plus come in a wide range of sizes and offer you a great range of colour and material options to customise and style your lift so that it blends in seamlessly with the interior design of your home.
Check out our reference pages to get inspiration or use our Lift Configurator to try out different design options.
Home elevator accessories for seniors
Adding just a few user-friendly home elevator accessories will make a world of difference for most senior lift owners.
Concealed door openers
Our automatic door openers are hidden inside the door frame and automatically open the doors when your elevator arrives to landing. Door opening and closing speed are customisable.
Wireless elbow button
This extra-large call button is placed a few feet from the lift which allows you to wait for the lift in the same spot, without needing to back away when the automated doors swing open upon lift arrival.
Folding seat
This feature offers you a comfortable seat during travel when you need it. The folding seat is easy to fold down, and it automatically folds up against the wall when you no longer need it.
Other useful options
Examples of other useful options:
- Infrared lapheld lift controls
- Voice announcement
- Level indicators
Related questions & answers
What is the difference between a home lift and a stairlift?
There are several differences between a home lift and a stairlift and you should carefully consider the pros and cons of both options to make sure that you choose the best solution, both for your immediate and long-term needs.
Pros and cons of home lifts
A home lift is a system that travels vertically from one floor to the next in a safe and efficient way. There are home lifts with different drive systems, like hydraulic, belt-driven, or screw-driven, for example. Our screw-driven platform lifts are delivered with a ready-made lift shaft so you do not need to build a masonry shaft unless you want to. Buying a platform lift roughly costs as much as buying a new kitchen. However, the installation is fast and cost-efficient and this type of home lifts have a long lifespan (calculated lifetime of approximately 25 years). Given that a platform lift offers comfort to the whole family, it will also add considerable value to your property.
Pros and cons of stairlifts
A stairlift is a chair or a platform that is propelled by an electric motor and travels along the staircase in an inclined motion. Stairlifts are available for straight and curved staircases and generally do not require any, or very limited, structural work for installation. Although the initial investment of a stairlift is comparatively low, a stairlift has a relatively short lifespan (6-10 years) and pure accessibility products like stairlifts rarely add real estate value to your home.
Do you want to learn more about the difference between a home lift and a stairlift? Then we advise you to visit our blog.
Can you install a lift in an existing house?
Yes, it is possible to install a lift in an existing house, and today there are many space-saving and cost-efficient home lifts that are easier to install in an existing home than conventional residential elevators.
While conventional elevators generally need a lot of space above and beneath the lift as well as the construction of a bulky, concrete hoistway, there are other lift solutions. Screw-driven platform lifts, for example are compact, preassembled solutions that even include a ready-made, modular lift shaft. As platform lifts require minimal building work and can be installed on a much smaller footprint than conventional lifts, they offer you a space-saving and cost-efficient alternative that will fit into almost any existing home.
How do I choose a home lift?
You should choose a home lift that fits your needs and your home. Your lift choice varies depending on a wide range /various of factors, such as:
- How much space do you have available?
- What accessibility requirements do you have?
- How many floors does it need to service?
- What is your budget?
We offer a range of home lift products to future-proof your home and enhance your comfort. Choosing a lift will depend on your style preferences, accessibility needs and available space. All our lifts are machine-room-less and pit-less, meaning that they require minimal building adaptation and only take 2-3 days to install.
We recommend that you contact our sales representatives to get advice on which lift best suits your needs.
Conclusion
Home elevators offer many benefits to seniors, in terms of general comfort and convenience. In addition, a lift adds value to your home and ensures that you can access to all floors and functions of your house regardless of your age and physical shape. To sum it up in just a few words: buying a home lift is a smart and future-proofing investment in your well-being and safety.
Do you want to know more about our residential elevator solutions? To get in touch with your closest Cibes dealer for a free design consultation, just use the contact form below, and we will get back to you shortly.
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