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.
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
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.
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.
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.
If the stairs start to become too difficult to manage at home, there are usually two options that people can consider to solve the problem. The first option is to remain at home (with modifications), and the other is to move to a senior living or assisted living facility. Both are feasible options, but many prefer to remain in their home because it prevents the stress of having to move again, and makes it possible to remain in the place that has so many positive emotional ties. A home is a place of comfort as it is where most people build lasting memories with family and friends, whether it be from holidays parties, or social gatherings with friends.
Layout and Design
Overhead ceiling lifts have been available for many years. Most people are not aware that such items exists. Depending on a person’s mobility, an overhead track lift could be a great solution for anyone having difficulty transferring from bed to chair. We normally recommend a lift system over the bed area. In this particular home we installed a lift that travels from the bed into the family room, through the hallway and into a bathroom. This is not a typical lift layout, but we pride ourselves in creating solutions for our clients.
Structural Modifications
This two story home has been engineered with TJI joist and multiple ceiling heights. Most new homes nowadays have such a joist. TJI Joist and overhead lifts don’t go well together, and here’s why: ceilings are made to hold the floor above, not a hoist from below. With some design work and modification to the ceiling and door ways, we were able to get this track system installed.
Types of Overhead Lifts and Alternatives
If one is considering a ShowerBuddy transfer system, it’s good to understand that in most cases this can prevent a rail from traveling throughout the home. We would normally recommend an overhead lift that starts over the bed transferring onto a TubBuddy system. This way the end user can be rolled over a toilet and slide into the tub.
There are multiple types of installations available for overhead lifts. We prefer to use a wall mounting system which would prevent modification to the ceiling. Such installations are normally quick and can be removed with very little damage to the walls. If one wishes to travel from room to room, a wall mounted system cannot be used.
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For seniors and those with limited mobility, grab bars can be a lifesaver. There are many types of grab bars that can be added throughout different rooms in a home to provide stability for people who have trouble walking.
The bathroom is often the room that makes the most sense for the installation of a grab bar because it is the most dangerous room in a house for seniors or those with limited mobility. In fact, falls in the bathroom due to a wet, slippery floor is one of the top causes of injuries for elderly men and women. Whether it's the barrier that makes it difficult to get in and out of a tub or shower or a toilet that is tough to get off of, the bathroom definitely presents its challenges.
After being diagnosed with ALS, Larry chose to prepare his home to accommodate his FUTURE accessibility needs. The key word is FUTURE. Learning of the diagnosis was not easy, yet he has accepted it, and with acceptance comes change. He has taken multiple steps to achieve a wheelchair accessible home, to plan for the when:
When he needs a power chair
When he needs access into his home
When he needs a bathroom that will fit a power chair
When he needs to get downstairs
When he needs to go outside to enjoy the outdoors
When he needs support from loved ones
Larry is a very special man, husband, father, grandfather and friend. We invite you to meet him to learn how he has chosen to plan for his FUTURE, for WHEN he will need a wheelchair accessible home.
If you plan to add a wheelchair ramp to your entryway, you may be wondering how long it needs to be. Some people might think a shorter ramp is better because it takes up less space and may cost less money. However, if you add a ramp that is too short for the rise of the entryway being ramped, it can be both hard to use and a safety hazard. This often results in a very steep ramp that may resemble a ski jump!
Stepping over the edge of the bathtub wall can prove dangerous for many elderly and disabled people. Create step-in access to your tub/shower with a tub cut out, a low-cost tub-to-shower conversion solution that will provide step-in accessibility to your existing bathtub.
