Being able to feel safe and comfortable at home is going to be an important need for the foreseeable future. One way to ensure safety for those with limited mobility is to identify areas throughout the home that may pose a high risk of a fall, such as a staircase
After reading the title of this blog post, you may be thinking "what marathon is Lifeway preparing for? Aren't all large gatherings 
cancelled?". While we're not preparing to run an actual 26.2 mile marathon, we do believe we're prepared to navigate through this COVID-19 crisis period, which we as a team are relating to a marathon.
Getting in and out of the home when there is a staircase preventing safe access is a type of need that has been especially critical at this time. Many are trying to bring loved ones home from a hospital, nursing home, or senior living facility to safeguard their health.
During this unprecedented time, our home is the safest place to be. For people over the age of 65 or those at higher risk for COVID-19, it is crucial to stay at home to reduce the risk of being exposed to the virus. However, just like everyone else, they still need food, 
prescriptions and other essential products to remain healthy.
During these unprecedented times, the safest place where everyone can be is the comfort of their own home. As a result, some have been trying to bring a parent or loved one home from a senior or assisted living facility temporarily to prevent potential exposure to COVID-19.
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 is committed to the health and safety of its clients and team members and the services we provide. These two guiding principles have informed our recent decision to modify our work protocols.
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 seniors who are having a difficult time staying safe at home is a senior living facility. In most areas around the country, there are many senior living facilities that offer care and assistance. However, a senior living facility does not have 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 seniors prefer to stay as they age.
If you just had your stair lift installed, but still have a couple of questions in regards to service or maintenance on the lift, you've come to the right place. This post lists a number of commonly asked questions that we receive from stair lift customers after installation.
Burnsville, MN - Lifeway Mobility is pleased to announce that it has invested in Disabilities, Inc., doing business as Twin City Stairlifts/Ability Solutions, Burnsville, MN, which has been “Helping People Stay Where They Live” by providing accessibility solutions for individuals with limited mobility for almost 20 years.
Professional caregivers can provide different types and levels of care on either a short-term or long-term basis, including:
But how do you know what type of care you need, and what type of caregiver can provide it? Here are the types of in-home caregivers you might experience, from the lowest level of care to the highest.
If you're not familiar with the term, visitability is a structure's ease of access for people with disabilities and limited mobility. For those with limited mobility, even small obstructions can become a barrier to moving freely throughout a space.
This short checklist can help you determine if your home is accessible to your guests.
Lifeway Mobility Minneapolis, a Bruno Diamond Stair Lift Dealer, has a showroom in Burnsville, Minnesota that is equipped with four fully operational stair lifts. We invite anyone interested in a stair lift to visit our showroom:
Bruno Independent Living Aids has redesigned their most popular straight stair lift, the Bruno Elan. The stylish Bruno Elan SRE-3050 has several new features that will improve upon its predecessor’s unique blend of affordability and high-quality craftsmanship and performance.
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.
If you have limited mobility, cooking meals from scratch at home can be too tiring, difficult, or even dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have delicious, nutritious meals at home.
Dozens of food delivery services are available to take away the burden of shopping for ingredients, choosing a menu, and even food prep, from grocery delivery services that let you shop from home and do all your own cooking to a chef that comes to your home, cooks, and cleans up.
When you are in a wheelchair or have limited mobility, travel can be a challenge. Everything from getting to your airport gate and into your seat to finding hotel rooms and tourist destinations with ADA accessibility can add an extra layer of concern to your travel plans.
The good news is, you’re not alone. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 25.5 million Americans have disabilities or mobility issues that affect their ability to travel and 21.9 million still get out of the house for vacations. Here is some helpful information for those who have mobility issues and plan to travel.
There are an estimated 3.3 million wheelchair users in the United States. As a result of increased awareness and new legislation, more and more travel destinations are seizing the opportunity to change their thinking about accessibility tourism. Instead of treating it as something that must be managed separately, more destinations now consider accessibility as mainstream. Along with mints on pillows and individually wrapped soaps, travelers will often also find wheelchair ramps and LU/LA elevators in many hotels.
In a 2018 study by AARP, 76% of American age 50 or older said they would like to remain in their current residence as they age. However, as dealing with daily life at home grows more challenging due to accessibility limitations, memory problems, and other issues, staying at home becomes less possible. According to the AARP survey, only 46% of older adults think they will be able to stay at home.
The installation of a stair lift provides a safe and easy way for people with limited mobility to navigate between the floor levels of their home. The process of purchasing a stair lift is often a smooth one as stair lifts safely fit on most staircases. However, there are times when the extended rail of the lift at the bottom of the stairs presents an issue or two that needs to be addressed before installation.
One of the most common is that the bottom of the staircase ends in an area that receives a lot of foot traffic on a daily basis. Straight stair lift rails must stick out at least 16 inches past the bottom step, which can lead to the rail becoming a tripping hazard. Another potential issue is when there is a door at the bottom of the stairs. This is common when the lift is installed on a staircase that leads down to a basement.
If you’ve been thinking about buying or renting a stair lift, you’re probably wondering which model is the best one to buy. Ranking any type of product can be subjective and if you ask 100 people, you’re likely to get many different answers. However, when you compare several makes and models of popular stair lifts side by side, it’s not too hard to see which ones rank better than others.
Since April is Occupational Therapy Month, it’s a good time to reflect on how occupational therapists help improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world each year.
Despite the important services they provide, many people don’t understand what an occupational therapist (OT) does. An OT is a licensed health and rehabilitation professional that works with people of all ages with mental, physical, developmental, social or emotional problems to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills.
As we age, our balance, strength and vision can begin to decline and navigating stairways, steps, stoops and landings can become increasingly difficult. Progressive illnesses and injuries can also cause these familiar household structures to become hazardous. In fact, falls are the leading cause of death and injury to older adults and a common reason that people give up on independent living.
For some seniors, the stairs can become too difficult to navigate due to limited mobility, weakened muscles, and lack of stability. As a result, the stairs at home become a daily hassle and are eventually avoided. When the stairs become a challenge, many seniors may consider downsizing to a single-level home or moving into a retirement living facility. However, both of these options can become very costly. Fortunately, the installation of a stair lift provides a quick, and cost-effective solution, while providing many other benefits.
The most obvious benefit is that it provides a safer way to use the stairs at home. Using a motorized chair to get from floor to floor reduces the risk of an injury at home as the stairs are one of the most common areas that present a high risk for a fall. Missing one step while walking up or down a staircase can result in a broken hip, leg, or a variety of other serious injuries.
