The decision to leave a much-loved home for a new property is often a very difficult one to make, all the more so if it feels brought about by circumstance rather than choice. For many seniors though, this is sadly necessary when the home they live in no longer meets their needs.
This can be because of illness, mobility or simply getting older, or sometimes, due to the distance of family, perhaps you feel that whilst you could manage, you know it would give loved ones more peace of mind to move somewhere more suited to senior living.
However, many seniors might choose to consider adaptations which may help enable them to stay put in their home, or ‘age in place’. Whether it is a bathroom refurb, improved floor coverings to reduce the risk of falls or potentially, a home elevator.
This, in our experience with thousands of delighted customers, can be a life-changing investment. How wonderful to remain in the home you love, within your community and network of friends, rather than feel compelled to move for practical reasons. There are a several ways in which choosing a home elevator can help you stay put in your home too:
Safety concerns
A home elevator massively reduces the risk of falls on the stairs, which is a very real danger for many seniors. In fact, falls are the leading cause of injury among older Canadians and 11 per cent of falls among over 70’s arise due to stairs, according to a study by Public Health Canada.
Whilst there are other choices to give upstairs access, such as a stairlift, for some seniors the act of getting on and off such a device is a risk in itself, considerably more challenging than simply boarding a lift and for others, depending on their condition or disability, this is not something to be done without someone else to help.
Full access to your whole home
The simple installation of a home lift (and you might be surprised how simple this can be, completed in just a couple of days work) can re-open the entirety of your home for business once more.
Instead of feeling that once you are on the ground floor this is where you will stay until bedtime, to limit the need to tackle the stairs, you are free to step into your new residential elevator and move freely between the floors of your home whenever you like, without the need for any assistance or fuss.
Family peace of mind
Coupled with the very real safety concerns is the desire not to give our loved ones any added worries. Of course, as we get older this is not something we can really control, our family members are only human and of course it is nice that they care, even if sometimes it becomes a little bothersome.
In our experience, the presence of a home elevator can take away a great deal of their worries. They know that a trip upstairs or down is unlikely to present any hazards, that you have a safe way of doing so unassisted. Also, you can access anywhere in the home that you need to, whenever the need arises. For many families, who do not live on the doorstep of their senior family members, this peace of mind is priceless.