As we age, our home may not be as easy to navigate as it once was. Getting up and down a set of stairs may be a chore because of decline in mobility. The risk of slipping and falling in the bathroom is likely much higher, especially if there are no grab bars in the bathtub/shower, or near the toilet.
An option for older adults who are having a difficult time getting around at home is a senior living facility. However, these types of facilities do not offer the familiarity and comfort that a home does. A home is full of memories from parties and gatherings with family and lifelong friends. It is the place where a majority of older prefer to stay as they age.
Outdoor wheelchair lifts, which are also commonly known as vertical platform lifts or porch lifts, provide a safe, accessible way to enter/exit a home, school, church, or other building.
During the winter months these types of lifts may difficult to access after a snow or ice storm. However, there are ways to ensure a wheelchair lift is still accessible throughout the winter season, and we share those tips to winterize your wheelchair lift in this blog post.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” The holiday season has arrived, bringing lots of joy and cheer and families and friends together for parties and gatherings.
Whether you have recently become disabled or have been living with a disability your whole life, you have likely needed to make modifications to your home to support an independent lifestyle. Home modifications can make parts of your home more accessible.
Lifeway Mobility Chicago (formerly EHLS), a local Bruno Diamond stair lift dealer, has a showroom equipped with six fully operational stair lifts. Visiting a stair lift showroom can be very helpful for:
If you are a veteran, we would first like to say thank you for your service. You put your life on the line to protect our freedom and keep us safe in our home country.
Lifeway Mobility was proudly featured on HouseSmarts Radio with Lou Manfredini via WGN Radio Chicago 720! HouseSmarts is a well-known home improvement and lifestyle show that provides homeowners with tips on home renovation and repairs.
Lou and his team were interested in speaking to an expert about aging-in-place and making homes more accessible, and selected Lifeway Mobility as the guest to interview.
You don't need to use your legs to develop a green thumb. With a few accommodations and modifications, you can do anything on four wheels that others do on two feet. This includes gardening, a therapeutic and stress-relieving hobby. With a few design changes, gardening from a wheelchair can be a fruitful endeavor.
For most, long-term care planning is not something that is on their radar. However, for older adults making a long-term care plan is something that should be done sooner than later. A first step is learning more about what long-term care is and about the variety of services that are available.
"They're Coming Home!...Now What?"
Whether the stay at the hospital was expected or due to an emergency, homecoming is what everyone is waiting for - but it must be planned for to ensure a safe transition home.
We wanted to share a recording of our webinar, "Tips from the Experts: Maintaining Independence at Home", for those who were unable to attend when it was presented live on October 28th, 2020.
"My dad had a stroke and can't climb the stairs inside or outside his home."
We hear stories like this every day and our Accessibility Specialists are experts at solving mobility challenges in a variety of environments in and around the home.
If you or a loved one struggles with mobility, this FREE webinar provides invaluable tips and product recommendations to help maintain mobility, safety and independence.
After a long winter, the weather is finally warming up – and there’s no place most of us would rather be than outdoors. Whether you define it as the chirping of birds or the smell of wildflowers, spring is definitely in the air. It’s a beautiful season – and we think it should be accessible to everyone.
Lifeway Mobility announced today that it has acquired the assets of Home Mobility Solutions, Inc. (HMS), Downers Grove, IL, through its subsidiary, Extended Home Living Services, Inc (EHLS), Arlington Heights, IL.
Founded by Mike Cleary, HMS has served greater Chicagoland and northwest Indiana, offering accessibility solutions including stairlifts, wheelchair lifts, modular ramps, bathroom modifications and elevators, for over 12 years.
A through the floor home elevator is exactly what it sounds like. It is a home elevator that literally travels through a floor cutout in the ceiling of the lower level and the floor of the upper level. These types of home elevator models are newer to the market when compared to hydraulic elevators and some of the other types of traditional style home elevators.
If you have worked in or been to an elementary, middle, high school, or even a university lately, you may have noticed that there are many diverse situations that need to be accommodated for: wheelchairs, walkers, space for physical and occupational therapy, barrier-free playground equipment, etc.
Many schools throughout the country are older and were not built with these accommodations in mind, and despite the Americans with Disabilities Act, some schools are not as compliant as they could be. So, if you are an administrator looking to adapt your school’s environment for students with disabilities or a parent wanting more access, read on for more tips on accessibility!
If you or a loved one use a wheelchair or a mobility device like a power scooter, walker, rollator or cane, you know that winter weather can make leaving the house even more difficult. Home access equipment like a vertical platform lift (VPL) can help alleviate this challenge, but snow and ice can still be an issue.
Fast approaching is that wonderful time of year when family and friends gather to celebrate the holidays. Often that means events and parties that include elderly parents, friends or relatives. Whether an elderly relative or friend with limited mobility is coming for the afternoon or staying longer, it is best to consider their safety and comfort.
More than 3 million Americans use a wheelchair and over 10 million use some other form of walking aid, according to statistics. If you have limited mobility and require the use of a mobility aid such as a wheelchair, scooter, or walker, you’d likely benefit from having a ramp or vertical platform wheelchair lift (VPL) installed in your home.
Lifeway Mobility (formerly EHLS) has been proud to help those living in Chicago that are disabled by providing safety solutions such as wheelchair lifts, stair lifts, home elevators and bathroom modifications. With that being said, we are happy to share with you that Access Chicago, Chicago's premier event for those who are disabled, is returning this summer!
While commercial and residential vertical platform wheelchair lifts look similar, there are differences between the two that make commercial units suitable for use in schools, churches, theaters, restaurants, and other public buildings.
Do you or one of your family members use a wheelchair or have difficulty with the stairs outside of your home? Lifeway Mobility Chicago, formerly EHLS, offers a number of products that can eliminate the hassle of getting up and down the stairs, and provide you, a friend, or family member with a safe solution. The products that Lifeway sells and installs are wheelchair lifts, stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and even pool lifts for those who need assistance getting into a pool at home! An outdoor accessibility solution will increase your independence and allow you to enjoy your front yard and/or backyard again! Below are a few details that will help choose the best possible solution for your Chicago area home
Best Outdoor Wheelchair Lifts for Homes in the City and Suburbs of Chicago, IL
Porch Lifts
A porch lift, which is also known as an outdoor wheelchair lift or vertical platform lift, is a common solution for wheelchair and powerchair users that need assistance getting in and out of their homes. These type of lifts are cost-effective and have a large enough platform that will enable wheelchair and power chair users to get in and out of their homes safely and independently. The porch lifts we sell and install are made by the top manufacturers in the industry: Bruno and Savaria. Make your deck, porch, or garage accessible with a porch lift from Lifeway Chicago!The two pictures below are porch lifts that we recently installed in the Chicago, Illinois Area
Inclined Platform Lifts
Lifeway will usually only recommend an outdoor inclined platform lift when a porch lift or outdoor stair lift cannot be easily accommodated. Like porch lifts, inclined platform lifts have a large platform that wheelchair and powerchair users can easily roll onto. However, instead of traveling vertically, these lifts carry users over the staircase on a rail system that is mounted alongside the stairs. Some even refer to them as a "magic carpet" because of the size of the platform and the way they ride. There are models available to accommodate straight and curved staircases and even ones with multiple levels or intermediate landings.
Best Outdoor Stair Lifts
An outdoor stair lift is perfect for those who have limited mobility and need assistance getting up and down the stairs. Stair lifts provide a safe and easy way to access the front yard, back yard, patio or even a lake! (see photos below) Bruno's straight and curved outdoor stair lifts are built to withstand all four of Chicago's weather seasons. Restore your independence and enjoy Chicago's beautiful summer weather with a stairlift!Is an outdoor stair lift protected in the rain and snow? Yes, Bruno's Elite outdoor stair lift comes with a cover that protects it from any precipitation.
Best Wheelchair Ramps
A wheelchair ramp is one of the most common accessible solutions for those who need assistance getting in and out of their home. There a number of wheelchair ramps available including aluminum modular, wooden, and concrete. All of these ramps are great accessible solutions for wheelchair and powerchair users. One foot of ramp is necessary for every inch of vertical rise.Aluminum modular ramps are the most popular because they are cost-efficient, easy to install, require little to no maintenance, and will not rot or rust. There are three different surface options available for the aluminum ramps we offer: solid, expanded metal, and perforated. All three surface options are slip-resistant, and the expanded and perforated options provide increased drainage for rain and snow. Aluminum wheelchair ramps are also the quickest wheelchair ramp option available. These types of ramps can be installed and ready to use in a few hours. Aluminum Ramp in Joliet, Illinois Aluminum Ramp in Yorkville, Illinois
Pool Transfer Lifts
A pool lift provides a safe and easy way for those with limited mobility to enter and exit a pool! Everyone enjoys going in a pool on hot summer days in Chicago. However, entering and exiting a pool may be difficult for those with limited mobility. A pool transfer lift safely lifts a person in and out of the pool, allowing them to enjoy the pool just like anyone else would!
For more information on any of these home accessibility solutions, please call us @ 847-215-9490!
If you’ve been researching home accessibility or products such as stair lifts or ramps, you may have come across the term universal design. While it may sound like some sort of New Age philosophy, it is really the cornerstone of the accessibility movement.
According to the National Center for Caregiving, there are an estimated 44 million American adults who provide unpaid caregiving to seniors and adults with disabilities. Of these, 14 million are considered “high-burden” caregivers who provide 21 or more hours of unpaid caregiving per week. Many of these caregivers are untrained and underprepared. The high stress and physical demands of caregiving can have serious consequences on the caregiver’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
Most parents can clearly remember the first years of their child’s life - patiently waiting for those first steps and making sure to hover close by in case of a fall. Once walking is "mastered" parents will still make sure to do what they can to prevent slips or accidents from happening in the home. It’s in our nature to make sure that we help loved ones as much as we can to keep them safe. But, the “I can do it myself” was the familiar cry that told us how badly they wanted to be independent.
Join our free CEU webinar, "Home Modifications to Overcome Stairs", on Wednesday, Nov 29th.
Lifeway Mobility's accessibility experts will provide helpful tips and educational information about solutions that can make the stairs navigate easier & safer to navigate at home.
