How to Match your Wheelchair Lift to the Power Capacity of your Vehicle

Fitting a mobility device to your car isn't as easy as going out and buying a new car tyre or other standard accessory. The weight and fit of the equipment needs to be careful considered against the power capacity of your vehicle in order to choose the model that is best suited to your needs and abilities. One popular option perfect for higher capacity vehicles is the power platform range, which have a lightweight body, fully automatic operation and fold away neatly when not in use.

The wheelchair hoist was invented about twenty five years ago and since then and has come a long way in development and design since then. Today all kinds of mobility equipment and accessories, including standard model chairs, powered models and mobility scooters, can be elevated and stowed in vehicles of varying size and power range.

The wheelchair lift that you use to help bring your mobility to another level of freedom will depend on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as the type of hitch your car can use, your preference for mobility equipment and whether you require an automatic access lift or a simple carrier for your equipment.

With the great variety of wheelchair lifts available today it should be easy for you to find a model to suit your car, van, truck, four wheel drive or caravan. Many different mounting and operation options are available to suit your preferred methods as well as the demands of your vehicle, including inside or outside mount, electric or hybrid power and remote control or swing away.

The Benefits Of Installing Wheelchair Lifts In Vans

For people who have mobility disabilities, being in a wheelchair can place a real hindrance on how they would prefer to live their lives. In order to make getting around that much easier for these people, their families often opt to have a wheelchair lift installed in a van or similar large vehicle, allowing the person with a mobility disability the freedom to get around.

There are plenty of benefits for both the mobility disabled and their families through the use of a wheelchair lift, including:

• The ability for the disabled person to remain in their wheelchair during transportation, lessening the stress that being separated from their means of transportation can cause as well as the strain on family members who must lift the person.

• Electric wheelchair lifts are reasonably efficient to run and require little maintenance after the initial installation

• The adaptation of the wheelchair lift so that the disabled person is able to ride in the passenger seat or even drive the vehicle (which has been previously impossible) without having to leave the comfort of their wheelchair.

• It may be the difference between a disabled person being able to ride in a car or not – if their primary carer is an elderly person, is also disabled or is not always able to help them in and out of the vehicle (such as a pregnant woman who cannot lift), the disabled person may feel confined to their home most of the time.

For many mobility disabled persons, the installation of a wheelchair lift in a compatible van or similar large vehicle can be life changing – it will allow them the freedom to get out of the house whenever they like and to travel to all the places that they previously felt were unattainable.

Why Should I Get A Wheelchair Lift?

There are two reasons why you may currently, or one day, need a wheelchair lift in your vehicle. The first is that you may be elderly or have a disability that requires you to use a wheelchair, and the second is that you may be the carer for someone who is wheelchair bound.

For many people, a wheelchair lift can give them a new lease on life. If you yourself are wheelchair bound, a lift would give you the opportunity to get out of the house more and to do so in comfort. If you care for someone who is elderly or disabled, a lift can reduce the physical strain placed on you as it minimises heavy lifting and allows you to easily assist a disabled individual. This can be especially significant as people who may have before needed help to transport a wheelchair (such as the elderly, or pregnant women) are now able to do it themselves at the touch of a button.

If you have decided that you should invest in a wheelchair lift, you have two options: to buy a pre-modified vehicle, or to have your existing vehicle (if it is suitable) fitted with a wheelchair lift mechanism. Most mini-vans, buses and 4-wheel-drive type vehicles are suitable for such an installation.

Lifts can also be fitted in a way that best suits the vehicle and the type of wheelchair needing to be transported. A single-arm platform lift is only used for side-entry to a vehicle and is handy for cars that have minimal interior space (as it doesn’t take up much room). On the other hand, a dual-arm platform lift takes up a lot of interior space and, so, is often mounted in the back of the vehicle.

The purchase of a wheelchair lift is an important decision that anyone who is in a wheelchair or who cares for someone needing one should consider.