If you are one of the millions of Americans with mobility issues and you live in a multi-story home, you may have considered having a residential elevator installed. When considering a home elevator, there are two distinct elevator classifications that homeowners should consider.
A ceiling lift can be a great alternative to an accessible bathroom remodel when budget is limited. Any sort of bathroom remodeling involves permits, construction, and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Lifeway Mobility is humbled and honored to be recognized as a Bruno Diamond Stairlift Dealer for the 8th consecutive year in 2024! The Bruno Diamond Dealer Award, which originated in 2016, is an award that is given to Bruno dealers that finish in the top 3% of Bruno’s sales throughout North America. Prior to 2016, Bruno's top dealers throughout North America had been referred to as “Bruno preferred dealers.” The “Diamond” Dealer award is recognized as a more prestigious award.
Savaria through-the-floor elevator Conveniently access two levels of your home "through-the-floor" with a through-floor elevator from Lifeway Mobility! Through-the-floor elevators are innovative and unique and make it easy and safe to travel between two levels (up to 14') in a home. These types of home elevators mesh practicality and can be installed almost anywhere, without the need for a shaft or an electrical room. For anyone struggling with going up and down stairs, a through-the-floor elevator could be the quickest and best solution to help improve one’s lifestyle, and could be a more attractive alternative to a stair lift.
As a trusted stair lift provider for 30+ years, we have heard several stair lift "beliefs" that in reality are not true. In this blog post, we debunk the 7 common myths that people have about stair lifts so that you can know the real facts.
Watch the Webinar: Modifications for Home Accessibility The Accessible Systems - Lifeway Team presented the 1st of our Hospital to Home webinars January 25th 2023 Watch a recording of the webinar here This webinar covers a wide variety of accessibility solutions with live demos from the Accessible Systems showhome on Denver. It is for Discharge planners, Case and Care managers, Social workers, Nurses, OTs, PTs, Home care providers or Anyone interested in post discharge planning for those with limited mobility
Lifeway Mobility Denver, a Bruno Diamond Stair Lift Dealer, has a showroom in Englewood, CO, with fully operational stair lifts on display. A stair lift provides an easy way to navigate the stairs for those with limited mobility. For many, it's a life-changing solution as it can provide renewed independence at home.
Depending on the mobility of the individual that will be using the stair lift, there may be one or more options that may need to be added to provide extra comfort, convenience, and safety. The stair lift options listed below are the ones that are most commonly recommended to meet customers' specific needs.
San Diego, CA– Lifeway Mobility, a team of trusted home access professionals, is pleased to announce it is expanding its coverage area in southern CA into San Diego. Lifeway will now offer stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and a variety of basic transfer aid solutions to those living in San Diego County.
Watch the October 27th Webinar Date / TimeThursday, October 27th1pm-2pm Eastern Time Julie McMurray of the Alzheimer's Association and Amy Finke of Lifeway Mobility will explain how dementia affects a person's safety awareness, explore home modifications to support independence, and provide helpful resources.
Kansas City, MO - Lifeway Mobility (“Lifeway”) is pleased to announce it has acquired Health & Comfort Equipment Service, LLC in Kansas City, MO. Health & Comfort has over 30 years of experience in the home accessibility industry in the KC Metro Area and greater Topeka, KS, providing stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and other accessibility solutions. This new partnership allows Lifeway Mobility to further expand its service offerings throughout Kansas and provide services in the state of Missouri.
The early signs of ALS are when muscle cramps and twitching, weakness in hands, legs or ankles or difficulty speaking or swallowing begin. Loss of movement follows, and then moving around the home becomes progressively more difficult. The help of a caregiver, whether that person be a professional or a family member, is eventually needed. Home accessibility is better when you can plan ahead and enjoy the freedom to move around your home without big obstacles.
To escape the summer heat, nothing can be more relaxing than a dip in the pool. Or when it’s cool, a dip in the hot tub can be just as rewarding. For people with a disability, or anyone bound to a wheelchair, and even older adults that have lost some coordination, balance and overall mobility, taking a dip can become challenging and sometimes dangerous. The risks are falling and drowning.
Hartford, CT - Lifeway Mobility, Inc. (“Lifeway”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Accessible Systems, Inc. (“ASI”), a leading provider of home safety and accessibility solutions for people with limited mobility in the Rocky Mountain and southwest regions for over 22 years.
Most seniors want to age in place in their homes, well past retirement and into their golden years, and with a bit of help, they can. When circumstances change, specifically in the areas of mobility and ability, seniors may look for ways to make the rooms in their homes more easily accessible for themselves.
There are many reasons landings are added to stairs. They allow stairs to change directions and also provide a space for people to rest, if needed. Stair landings are also needed when a door at the top of the steps swings inwards towards the stairway.
It's officially the summer season, which means warmer weather and more time outside enjoying fun activities in the sun. However, it also means there will be a higher chance for severe thunderstorms with high winds that can cause power outages.
A complete bathroom remodel is anything but a small project. Whether you are choosing to upgrade your bathroom for aesthetic reasons or to increase your home’s value, there are some crucial elements you should consider before you bring your project to life! Functionality should be at the center of your remodel but creating a functional bathroom no longer means you have to sacrifice style and features. Designing the bathroom of your dreams in your master suite or updating the guest bath to serve a variety of purposes is easy with a little inspiration and a great design team.
Due to the pandemic, more patients with complex needs are being discharged directly home, which can cause challenges for healthcare facilities and patients. Home care and home access are part of the solution to help those with limited mobility remain in their homes safely and on parallel path to help minimize readmission.
Limited mobility and/or balance issues can restrict someone to the first level of the home and prevent access to a bedroom and shower upstairs. A senior veteran named Robert was dealing with this exact issue, until he and his family learned about stair lifts, and had one installed by Lifeway Mobility.
A stair lift provides a safe means for accessing the second-floor level of a home or a basement, for people with limited mobility or balance issues. In this case, it was an easy and affordable solution that allowed for regained independence at home after a fall on the stairs.
When evaluating your home for wheelchair access via a ramp, there are many factors to consider, such as the location for installation and type of material. There are many types of ramps available and for each individual's needs and situation, the best solution is going to vary. In this post, we'll compare aluminum and wood ramps and briefly review the best locations for the installation of a ramp.
The State of Colorado has created a tax credit with the vision that individuals with an illness or disability wouldn’t be deterred from retrofitting their residence for health, welfare or safety reasons due to financial constraints. The state income tax credit which was created under the bill known as HB18-1267 gives homeowners up to $5,000 per qualified individual per year for eligible costs incurred while retrofitting a residence. This credit is available for years 2019 through 2023. The Colorado Legislature recently passed clarifying legislation (HB19-1135) to make dependents and spouses eligible. It also allows for up to a $5,000 credit per person in the family with a disability. Maximum tax credits per year are limited to $1,000,000. Who Qualifies for the CO Home Modification Tax Credit? The following criteria determine eligibility: Have an illness, impairment or disability that necessitates the requested home modification; and Be an individual taxpayer with an adjusted family income at or below the income limit, which is $150,000 for the 2019 income tax year. If the qualified individual is not the homeowner of the residence being modified, they must have the owner’s permission to modify the residence.* Please note, if a dependent is the only person with a disability in the family, then that family is not eligible to utilize this tax credit. The residence being modified must exist before the work begins – the work may not be completed during initial construction of the residence. The residence must be the primary residence of the qualified individual. The residence must be located in Colorado. Be necessary to ensure the health, welfare, and safety of a qualified individual Increase the residence’s visitability Enable greater accessibility and independence in the residence for a qualified individual; Be required due to the qualified individual’s illness, impairment or disability; and Allow a qualified individual to age in place; Meet the Division of Housing’s Home Modification Construction Specifications; and Be completed in the tax year for which the qualified individual will receive the tax credit.*Please note, durable medical equipment and other items that are not installed or affixed to the residence are not eligible modifications. The process to claim this tax credit begins with evaluating the qualification criteria carefully and then determining what modifications your home needs. You will need to have a written estimate of the cost before you apply to the state for tax credit consideration. To claim the tax credit, you will need to apply with the state of Colorado. Once your application is complete and submitted, the state will approve your application. Homeowners will need to send invoices and receipts from the project to the state, along with pictures of the project. After the work and the application are complete, you will receive a Tax Credit Certificate to file with your income taxes. Schedule your free, in-home consultation today with one of our accessibility experts and make your Colorado home safer and more accessible. We can help with wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, ceiling lift systems, and accessible bathrooms you need to stay in your home. Find an accessibility specialist near you. Additional ResourcesHome Modification Look BookHome Modification Construction SpecificationsHome Modification Tax Credit Program Guidelines
Dale is wheelchair bound and will soon be discharged from the hospital. He doesn’t have a lot of support at home, and because of his disability, his immediate concern was not being able to get his pants up on his own after toileting. Accompanied by his OT, Whitney of Spalding Rebah PSL, and her OTA student, they toured the Lifeway Mobility showroom in Denver and explored various bathroom accessibility solutions. Below are 4 steps Dale & his OT followed that can help make toileting graceful and independent for older adults and those with disabilities. 1. Toileting Height Customizing your toilet height is step one of toileting for anyone with mobility challenges. If you are standing and sitting, the height of the toilet is very important. The most common toilet height is 13 inches, but a taller toilet can make standing up and sitting down so much easier. Newer toilets are ADA height or 15-16 inches. Also, you can add a porcelain insert called a toilevator underneath the toilet (red arrow in image above) to add 3.5 inches more or add a elevated toilet seat for 5 more inches. A bidet is another option that can added for easy cleaning, warm water, warm seat, and other luxuries. Bidets can replace the seat on any toilet. They do not need a second seat or a transfer and do not require a power outlet close to the toilet. 2. Shower Chair or ShowerBuddy A second step to make toileting an art, is consider a bath or shower chair that rolls over the toilet. These types of products are made at the correct seat height to roll over the toilet, and eliminate the transfer to the toilet. In the seat is a cutout so that you don't have to move from the rolling chair. These chairs can also roll in to the shower for bathing and cleaning. The ShowerBuddy has the advantage of connecting to a bathtub or shower and allow the seat of the chair to slide into the tub or shower. 3. Overhead Ceiling Lift During the visit, Dale was educated on the SureHands ceiling lift with the Body Support system. This overhead lift setup is great because it grips in just the right places when lifting: Under the thighs and under the arms. It mimics the arms placement and gentle lift provided by a caregiver. Best part is that it can be operated independently. The OT demonstrated the use of the ceiling lift from a bed while Dale looked on. It was then Dale’s turn to test the SureHands ceiling lift out, from his wheelchair. This required some extra hands during the initial trial run, which is common. A sling variation was then attached to the ceiling lift. The goal was to find the best solution that would help Dale toilet independently, while remaining comfortable and painless. 4. Bedside Commode Most health care professional will recommend a bedside commode, which is like having a plastic toilet in your bedroom. Bedside commodes are helpful but typically a last resort. A bedside commode is made of a steel or plastic frame with a bucket under the toilet seat. Art of Toileting Summary In all, the show home tour, the education about the various toileting solutions, ceiling lift systems, and the actual trial runs took the group just over one hour. The end result? Dale found his ideal body lift and transfer solution and left with a smile under his mask, and newfound reassurance that he’ll be okay on his own once he gets home from the hospital.
You have decided you need a stair lift. Maybe you are caving to the nagging from well-intentioned and worried family members. Maybe you have read the shocking statistics. Like, one-fourth of Americans over the age of 65 fall each year, and the older you get, the more likely these falls can be fatal.
