Elderly Parents Live In A Two Story House? Help Them By Installing A Stair Lift
If your elderly parents own and live in a house that has two or more floors, you may be concerned about the dangers of them using the staircase. Mobility is often a problem for the elderly and can continue to worsen as they get older. Stairs can be dangerous and a fall from stairs can cause broken hips and serious head injuries. Because of this, it's not a decision to take lightly. There are several things to consider, most importantly of which is your parent's safety. Fortunately, stair lifts can be installed to help.
What your parents want you to know
However, you may be questioning why your parents want to continue living there and is it time for them to move to a one floor home or assisted living. Here's what your parents may want you to know:
- They fulfilled the American dream of being homeowners. Many elderly who have lived in their homes for years own their homes outright, which means they have no mortgage payments to worry about. This is comforting when you're on a limited income as many elderly are.
- They are comfortable right where they are. There's something to be said about being in comfortable surroundings, knowing how everything works, knowing where everything is, and knowing the neighborhood. Familiarity and comfort are important to many people in their retirement years.
- They want to be as independent as possible for as long as possible. Another important thing that may be heavily in your parents' thoughts is that they do not want to lose their Independence as long as they can help it.
Now that you understand where your parents may be coming from, it's time to accept their decision to remain in their home and help them achieve that by making their home as safe as possible.
How to make your parent's home safe
The most crucial thing to take care of first is that dreaded staircase. Fortunately, there are many types of stair lifts available today and, if the right one can't be found, there are companies that custom-make stair lifts. Be sure to get one with a battery backup in case the power ever goes out.
If there are stairs going into the basement and that's where the laundry room is, there are attachments that can be fitted to stair lifts so your parents can easily take the laundry back and forth to and from the laundry room.
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