Stairlifts, chairlifts and ramps can enhance the quality of life for elderly people or individuals with disabilities by helping them do tasks that they are no longer able to do because of illness, age or injury. Sometimes, people may put off buying a lift or ramp because of cost or other reasons. But with a variety of models with different price points and features available, it’s easier than ever for individuals – and their care managers – to decide which ramp or lift is right for them.

Below, we look at a diverse group of products from some of the industry’s leading providers. 

Vertical Platform Lift

The vertical platform lifts offered by Alaska Stair & Elevator allows wheelchair users and disabled individuals to travel up and down on a solid platform. The platform has 42-inch high sidewalls for safe vertical travel. Lifts can be free-standing, installed inside a constructed shaftway, such as an elevator, or be installed inside a factory-provided enclosure. Alaska Stair & Elevator platforms can complement any décor and are also compliant with standards set by the American Disability Association. The company offers vertical platform lifts by manufacturers Garaventa Lift, Bruno and National Wheel-O-Vator.

Inclined Platform Lift

In addition to vertical platforms, Alaska Stair & Elevator also offers inclined platform lifts. This type of lift allows a mobility-disabled person to travel up and down the staircase on a solid platform. These lifts can be residential or commercial as well as indoor or outdoor. Outdoor models need a covering to prevent ice and snow buildup on the rail system, which is wall-mounted or tower-mounted depending on site conditions and owner preference. When not in use, it folds up to occupy as little as 11 inches from the adjacent wall.

Threshold Ramp

AlumiRamp offers a number of ramps for increased mobility. The company’s threshold ramp is a lightweight aluminum ramp used primarily on small thresholds and one-step obstacles up to four inches.

Rubber Threshold Ramp

Another AlumiRamp product, the rubber threshold ramp is useful for sliding glass doors, doors that fit tightly in their frame, and small spaces up to two and a half feet wide. All sizes come with tapered edges and a molded slip-resistant surface.

Telescopic Channel Ramp

The telescopic channel ramp, also an AlumiRamp product, is a two-piece ramp made of lightweight aluminum with a black nonskid surface for traction. This device is particularly useful for wheelchairs and some scooters. This ramp has two separate pieces, or channels, that form a pathway for the wheels of a manual wheelchair when the two parts are used together. This type of ramp is ideal for individuals who like to be on-the-go, as the ramp can be used to help a wheelchair user out of a vehicle.