According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), an estimated 104,000 San Francisco residents are suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most common diseases that can affect a person’s mobility. Arthritis is not a single disease but rather a single term that covers more than a hundred medical conditions.

Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that usually affects the elderly. This type of arthritis involves the loss of elasticity in the cartilage which causes it to become stiff. The cartilage is the body’s shock absorber so when one suffers from osteoarthritis, his cartilage is unable to protect his body, making it prone to damage. More severe cases of arthritis can land one in a wheelchair, thus highlighting the importance of stair lifts from San Francisco mobility services.

If one is wheelchair-bound, one of the biggest challenges is climbing stairs. Fortunately, there are many companies in San Francisco that specialize in mobility products like stair lifts. A stair lift is a mobility device used to carry a person up or down the stairs. The main power source is used to provide power to propel the lift, but backup batteries are also installed in case of power failure. Mobility companies like Rollin’ Along also provide onsite repair services in case the lift breaks down.

People with mobility problems are prone to injuries caused by falls. Therefore, a quality stair lift can help them avoid slipping or falling. They can go up and down the stairs with relative ease without worrying about missteps that could severely injure them.

Aside from preventing accidents, stair lifts also allow people with severe osteoarthritis to retain some level of independence. Reduced mobility can affect one’s social life and cause one to be totally dependent on others for moving around. It’s important for people with mobility problems to have independence so they can keep their self-esteem intact.

People with physical disabilities, like severe arthritis, may need assistance moving around in their home and performing simple tasks. This is why products such as stair lifts or transfer lifts from San Francisco companies like Rollin’ Along are great for them to have as these mobility products provide them with safety and a sense of independence.

Thanks to a variety of contraptions, people with mobility problems can now function independently and move with greater freedom. For instance, with current technology, wheelchair users and the elderly need not wait for help to arrive when they need to go upstairs. They can simply go up to their rooms any time with the use of a stair lift from San Francisco companies like Rollin’ Along.

Stairs pose a particular challenge for people with mobility issues. For such people, going upstairs can be like ascending Mt. Everest without climbing gear. Fortunately, this difficulty can easily be addressed with stair lifts directly attached to the treads on a straight or curved stairway. There’s no need for significant structural changes to a home when installing such an amenity because the tight turn and narrow rails of the stair lift keep most of the staircase free from obstruction.

On the other hand, to get around outside the home, one would need a different kind of mobility solution. After all, it may take significant effort to load a motorized wheelchair, a power chair, or a scooter onto a car or a van. Such an experience can prove frustrating if not downright impossible, especially for persons with disabilities who are traveling alone.

No worries, though, as the chair lifts that San Francisco companies like Rollin’ Along offer can be fitted to vehicles to make them friendlier to person with disability. With a chair lift in place, users can conveniently load their scooters, power chairs, or wheelchairs in and out of their vehicles without injuring themselves or damaging their vehicles. These chair lifts come in three varieties: the internal crane, external platform, and the interior platform.

The crane design, as the term implies, resembles a crane mechanism that picks up the mobility device using a hook and line. Meanwhile, an external platform lift requires that users drive their mobility vehicles onto the platform and get off before the chair is lifted. Finally, an interior lift is equipped with a platform that lowers onto the ground upon which the mobility vehicle can be driven, then stowed inside the vehicle.

Mobility limitations due to old age or physical disabilities should not prevent you from living a happy and productive life. By installing stair lifts and chair lifts, you could increase functionality, and improve the quality of your life.