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Akron Beacon Journal Stair Lifts Feature

12/8/2023

Stair lifts are becoming more popular in American homes Jill Sell Akron Beacon Journal Homes and Living “There’s usually an interesting reason someone wants access to their basement,” said Pete Newstrom, vice president of finance and accounting for Arrow Lift, a company that provides solutions for home accessibility challenges. “It’s very common that we have clients who may not have been able to access their basement because of mobility issues for years and who haven’t been able to use their woodworking shop or sewing room.” But Arrow Lift, located in Beachwood and serving clients across the country, can often install a stair lift or other mobility appliance such as an elevator or vertical wheelchair lift that makes lower level visits a possibility. “I remember helping a gentleman who was doing ships in a bottle in his basement. Another client was a model train enthusiast with a whole train track set up in his basement,” recalls Newstrom, a second-generation member of the 38-year-old, family-owned company. “One of the most memorable was a gentleman in his 90s who wanted to get down into his basement so he could use his treadmill.” Of course, access products also travel to second floors and higher and allow residents to safely reach bedrooms, bathrooms and other rooms above the ground floor. A stair lift is the most economical and popular solution and its appearance in homes is increasing. The device consists of a mechanized chair attached to a railing and is made to fit both straight or curved stairways. Chairs usually pivot outward for easy access and seats fold up, out of the way. Depending on the model, stair lifts can often accept a maximum of 400 pounds. Stair lifts suitable for outdoor use are also available and are sometimes used for back yard deck access, front porches or waterfront situations. Mike Simko, president of Access Solutions, Inc., in Akron, believes baby boomers are driving sales as they “start having difficulties with cardiovascular issues, knees and hips.” In addition, the housing stock in many areas of northeast Ohio tends to be older and includes second floors, he said. “Stair lifts are a perfect fit for those homes,” said Simko. “A lot of folks have been in their homes forever and don’t want to move. There are age-in-place facilities, but a lot of folks don’t have the resources for those. We also have seen that the psychological impact on people can be kind of detrimental if they aren’t in their home anymore.” Covid-19 also had an impact on stair lift sales. Some individuals and their families felt that it was safer to stay in their homes rather than move to an assisted living or nursing home facility where the risk of exposure to the virus was greater. Simko also said government stimulus money also was an incentive for buying a residential stair lift. According to ReportLinker (a tech company that delivers market data and forecasts), the stair lift market size is expected to grow from $1.03 billion in 2023 to $1.30 billion by 2028. While Asia is the largest market for this product, North America is the fastest growing. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.73 percent is expected from 2023 to 2028. Both Simko and Newstrom believe home stair lifts tend to be the most economical way for individuals to improve access when compared to moving, building room additions, remodeling or hiring aides. “You can remodel – bring the washer and dryer upstairs or build a shower and bathroom on the first floor. But that can easily go to $20,000, $30,000 and take months to complete,” said Simko. “A typical straight stair lift allows people to get to that bedroom or bathroom on another floor, averages about $3,000, and is done in two to three weeks. No structural alterations are required, there’s no damage to the home, and it can always be removed and you’ll never know it was there.” (Depending on the manufacturer,
type and location in the home, stair lifts generally range from $2,500 to $50,000 for a luxury product. Except in very rare cases, traditional Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for stair lifts or other kinds of mobility devices. Most private health insurance plans follow that example and also will not cover the equipment.) Arrow Lift will provide a free service to remove and haul away a stair lift if it was the original installer and the lift is no longer needed. The company will also offer a partial buyback depending on the device’s model and age. Arrow Life may also be able to relocate the lift to another home. But as a seller of a house with a stair lift, don’t be too quick get rid of the device before the home is put on the market. Stair lifts can be an attraction to some buyers. If sellers do hear too many objections about the device, then they perhaps can think of removing it. SAFETY ISSUES We have probably all seen those comedies where a stair lift suddenly goes haywire and launches its chair and user through the roof. Of course, that’s not going to happen. Stair lifts are pressure activated anyway, so the chair won’t move much if pressure is not applied to the control — there is no constant on/off switch. “The entire purpose of a stair lift is to increase the safety of the person using it,” said Newstrom. “The reason we don’t sell over the internet is because we might think something is going to work based on a photo of the staircase. But if we meet the person who is going to use it, we might see them struggle with something unique and we will make our recommendations accordingly for their abilities and challenges.” Many mobility device retailers will make home visits and/or have showrooms where clients can see and test products. Simko also reminds clients that stair lifts in the United States must adhere to strict national safety codes and that accident stats are low. If instances do occur, they are usually the result of “intentional, irresponsible use” of the device, according to Simko. Newstrom said stair lift safety depends on proper installation, correct maintenance (“you wouldn’t drive a car for 10 years and not have the oil changed”) and “providing the right stair lift for the right purpose for the right staircase.” “I don’t know if in 39 years of business that I ever heard of anyone free falling from a stair lift,” said Simko. “There are all kinds of safety features to protect people.” Safety experts suggest accidents can be avoided by: the proper use of seat belts; keeping stairs free of clutter; allowing only one person at a time on the lift; and never standing on the chair. (We are assuming some precocious child would be the one to try that trick or maybe someone who partied a bit too much.) OTHER OPTIONS “A stair lift is an ideal option for a lot of people to solve mobility challenges. But they are not the ideal solution for everyone,” says Newstrom. “There are certainly cases where moving out of your home and into a facility with more support is necessary and we recognize that. And even for people who are staying in their home, other solutions may be more appropriate.” Newstrom said one solution is a wheelchair lift, a platform that moves between floors or the garage level to the main living area. Home elevators may also be suggested to individuals using walkers or wheelchairs. “The individual situation determines what our company recommends,” said Newstrom. “It’s not just about selling one product to everyone, but having a variety of solutions. Normally, there are one, two, or three options we can offer a person to help them stay in their own home.” Simko, too, believes his company’s responsibility is to educate consumers and help them make what is probably a once in a lifetime purchase. Access Solutions’ trained staff also will assist buyers of new home construction who are preparing to move into “their forever home.” These homebuyers are looking ahead, he said, and preparing for the time they may need an elevator or another type of adaptability product. ACCEPTANCE Sometimes the elderly, those with health concerns or mobility issues are reluctant to have a stair lift installed in their home. They may feel others will see them as frail, or they believe the object isn’t safe or because they think the device is unsightly. “We get calls from folks whose mom or dad is struggling, but insists they don’t need a stair lift,” said Simko. “Sometimes it helps when an adult child tells their elderly parent that getting a lift would help them, too. They say that they will be able to sleep at night and not worry about a parent falling down the stairs.” Fears about safety issues (including how one gets out of the chair at the top of the stairs) can be put to rest if the potential user tests out the stair lift in a showroom. In addition, some objections to a stair lift are based on the lift’s potential to “ruin” the look of a home. “The chairs can be pretty basic,” admitted Simko. “But they are not something you are going to sit in and watch TV. The appliance will get you from one floor to another in 12 to 25 seconds. It’s not going to be a big, plush La-Z-Boy.” No, but Newstrom said there has been more of a focus on approving the appearance of the seats and units in general over the past few years. Not all chairs are gray or beige or look utilitarian. Interior designers and stair lift manufacturers are paying more attention and designing seats with attractive upholstery and different materials. Some seats are a cheery red and can be parked against a second-floor accent wall that is the same color, making it almost camouflaged. Stair lifts are also quiet and battery powered so noise is not a factor, and in case of power failures, no one will be stranded. “The thing we hear most often after an installation is someone saying, ‘we should have done this a long time ago,’” said Newstrom.

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