Hoists & Ceiling Lifts In Your Home
Hoists & Ceiling Lifts In Your Home
Universal Design
People who inhabit and visit our dwellings come in all shapes and sizes, range in age from infant to senior and possess various ever-changing abilities and skills. As we grow up, grow old and welcome new people into our homes, our housing needs change. A dwelling that is designed and constructed to reflect the principles of universal design will be safer and more accommodating to everyone who lives or visits there, regardless of age or ability.
A residential hoist or ceiling lift can help people who have difficulty safely moving themselves or others in and out of bed, and in and out of a bathtub.
Consistent with the philosophy of universal design, it takes little physical effort to use a residential hoist or ceiling lift to move people from one position to another and from one place to another.
Residential hoists and ceiling lifts help many people—for instance, seniors who want to remain in their home despite changes in their mobility, strength or agility and parents who can no longer lift their child with a disability. A residential hoist or ceiling lift can allow a spouse, partner, parent or caregiver to help with transfers, which can help maintain independence and allow people to stay in their homes.
This article provides information on the types of residential hoists and ceiling lifts that are commonly available in Canada. It identifies some of the issues you should consider when choosing and installing a hoist or ceiling lift in your house, condominium or apartment.
A word about terms
Often, the words used in discussing lifts, elevators and hoists can be confusing because these terms are used interchangeably. This article uses hoist and ceiling lift.
Hoists and ceiling lifts
A hoist is a mechanical lifting device that can lift someone from a seated position and transfer them to another location, such as a bed, a seat or a bathtub. Some hoists can move horizontally between areas within a room and between rooms.
There are three types of residential hoisting devices:
- Wheeled hoists
- Stationary hoists
- Ceiling lifts
Wheeled hoists
A wheeled hoist is a piece of freestanding equipment that supports the person being moved in a sling or harness suspended from a cantilevered arm. The sling is placed around the person while he or she is seated or lying down. The person is then hoisted up, the hoist is wheeled to the new location and the person is lowered.
One of the first things to consider is the amount of manoeuvring space a wheeled hoist needs. The wheeled base of the hoist must be wide enough to remain stable with the person in the hoist. Consequently, wheeled hoists require a wide unobstructed path of travel—usually at least 1,100 mm (43 in.) and possibly more, if turns are required.
Another design consideration is clear space under furniture and fixtures, to accommodate the frame of the hoist. If a wheeled hoist is to be used for transfers in and out of a bathtub, the bathtub should have legs or be raised from the floor to allow the hoist frame to fit under the bathtub.
Stationary hoists
Stationary hoists are fixed to the floor or a wall. Although the base of the hoist is fixed, a support arm pivots to transfer the person sideways. Stationary hoists use slings and harnesses like wheeled hoists.
The primary design consideration for a stationary hoist is the structural strength of the floor or wall it is attached to. When installing a stationary hoist, a structural engineer must be consulted.
Other considerations include the arc of the hoist swing—to ensure it reaches the necessary elements—and clear space for the wheelchair during the transfer to and from the hoist.
Ceiling lift
A ceiling lift is the commonest term for a type of hoist that consists of a hoisting unit mounted to a track in the ceiling.
This type of hoist allows a person to be lifted and moved across a room and between rooms. A ceiling lift is usually electrically powered, but there are manual units.
The primary consideration in choosing and installing a trackmounted ceiling lift is the structural strength of the supports in the ceiling. When installing a ceiling lift, a structural engineer must be consulted. You must also provide a clear path of travel along the route of the track, particularly at door frames, for a system that connects two or more rooms.
Ceiling tracks can be provided in a variety of locations—most electric hoists can be manually moved from one location to another. Some track systems incorporate a turntable that allows the hoist to move from one track system to another. Turntables can be manual or electric.
Contact your REALTOR at Coldwell Banker Vantage Realty for more tips and information on how a ceiling lift or hoist can effect your home price.
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