If you have limited mobility, or if you are caring for someone with limited mobility, then perhaps a wheelchair lift would be a benefit. Wheelchair lifts are ideal for people who need to reach higher areas, for instance in a two-story home. Wheelchair lifts come in different types for different uses.

The two most commonly used types are the stair wheelchair lift and the van or automobile wheelchair lift. The stair wheelchair lift is used in the home to transport the user to a higher floor. They aid in the climbing of stairs by transporting the user and the wheelchair up and down the stairs. Stair lifts are also used in this aspect, however, stair lifts do not allow for the wheelchair to be moved. Wheelchair lifts are more suited for people constrained to a wheelchair because they allow the user to move up and down the stairs without help, and do not require that the user be removed from the wheelchair.

Automobile wheelchair lifts are used to aid in getting the person into a vehicle, normally a van, although the lift can be fitted to most vehicles, whether it is a van, truck, or car. These lifts help the individual into the vehicle without removing them from their wheelchair. It makes it much easier for the person to travel, because they are not constantly being lifted and placed in and out of their wheelchair. It also helps the caregivers, simply because they do not need to lift and carry the individual.

Having a wheelchair lift means more mobility and independence. Not having to be lifted and carried upstairs, or lifted and placed into vehicles helps handicapped people feel that they have more freedom to come and go as they please. Needing to go to an upstairs room means not waiting for someone to have time to lift and carry them upstairs. Not to mention the ease of not having to fold the wheelchair and carry it upstairs also.

Determining what use you have for it is the main factor when choosing the type of wheelchair lift that you need, although some people have lifts for their homes and their vehicles. This simply makes the every day tasks easier, and gives the handicapped individual more freedom and more mobility. Having more independence can mean the difference between feeling like a burden and living life to its fullest.