As people age, thoughts turn to how long they can continue living independently in their home.
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There comes a point where the choice of moving into residential care looms large.
A common trigger for abandoning the family home are the stairs.
As mobility becomes impaired through age, illness or accident, stairs no longer suit and instead can become a barrier to access.
An effective way to get round the stair issue and extend the viability of your home rather than move out is to install a lift.
"There are two basic trigger points within the family that usually cause people to consider this option," says Vern Cottee, NSW distributor for the Residential Lift Company (ResiLift).
"Senior members of the family consider they are getting to the point where they want to to future proof their home if something happens like a fall, or ill health etc.
"Or children have had to deal with parents who have had an incident in the home that's led to a broken limb, so something has to be done to enable those parents to remain in the home."
ResiLift is committed to providing affordable, compact lifts which can fit into an existing home and which comfortably meet Australian Standard and National Construction Code safety criteria.
All ResiLift models are retrofitted into existing homes and are freestanding, meaning there's no need for a lift shaft or significant works to modify house structure.
The bulk of the Residential Lift Companys work involves retrofitting a ResiLift into an existing home for both ageing and disabled clients.
The process to install a ResiLift is simple. You contact ResiLift to discuss what lifts are available.
ResiLift offers several Australian designed and manufactured options, including walker and wheelchair-friendly models and dual entry designs.
"They then get a no-obligation site assessment and from there that can lead to a contract if that's what they want to do," Mr Cottee said.
"For eligible applicants there may be financial assistance available via My Aged Care and NDIS.
"Each case will be considered on its individual merits."
Applying can take between four and eight weeks and installation can usually be done between 2-4 days.
Two things make the lifts exceptional, according to Mr Cottee.
"First, the lifts can be installed in open plan. Second, the technology used means they're always active and cannot fail.
"The numbers also add up as installing a lift can be cheaper than the stamp duty involved in moving house."
Mr Cottee says feedback from customers make his role as NSW distributor very satisfying.
For more information visit www.residentialliftsnsw.com.au or ring 0419 974 970.