Allowing handicap wheelchair-bound persons ingress and egress in public places, buildings as well as transport systems like airlines, ships, busses and trains, even in their homes or cars require certain structures that can facilitate them in getting to their desired location. This is now a legal requirement in the land and the medical industry is quick to offer contraptions that aid in the mobility of disabled persons.

Ramps are everywhere and less expensive, allowing handicapped persons on wheelchairs to get into both public and private elevated roads and walkways, doors and sidewalks. But for other points of access, wheelchair lifts may be necessary.

These are simple platforms that have powered hydraulic, pneumatic or electro-mechanical articulation to raise and lower wheelchair-bound persons and enable them to overcome any vertical boundary such as multiple stair steps or heights which ramps may be impractical to overcome.

Types of Lifts

There are different kinds of lifts that address situations or locations. Regardless of type, the legal requirements specify certain safety features like ensuring independence to self-operate and providing rails that users can cling to while being operated.

The most common are wheelchair lifts for home use which are simple electro mechanical platforms attached on stairs in multi-storied homes, allowing wheelchair users to ascend and descend a flight of stairs that have them.

Recent technical innovations allow cars, vans, SUVs and trucks to have specials lifts that allow disabled persons not only to be elevated to allow ease of ingress and egress from these vehicles, but also to drive them if the vehicle is specially designed not to use foot pedals to brake and accelerate them.

While such contraptions are needed to customize road vehicles to accept wheel chaired persons, there are now new models with wheelchair lifts for cars coming out right from the factory specially designed for them.

Legislation has also mandated the installation of suitable lifts in public transports like busses, ships, aircraft and trains, including their proper care and maintenance to ensure they are always available in aiding the mobility of disabled persons.

If you are planning to improve handicap accessibility of your home from outside and within, first check if simple ramps can do the job. Otherwise, there are numerous companies offering generic and customized lifts that can fit your specific needs. Check with your Medicare if you can be entitled to deduct these against your benefits.