Home elevators enable people with mobility issues to safely move between the different floors of a home.
Anyone with mobility issues, including adults or children with congenital conditions, people recovering from illness or injury and, of course, the elderly can benefit from a home elevator.
Below our health and wellness experts have brought together their list of the 16 major benefits of installing a home elevator.
16 Benefits Of Home Elevators
Home elevators are just what the doctor ordered (sometimes literally) for those who find it difficult to navigate stairs. Here are the most important benefits of installing a home elevator.
1: Home elevators enable you to stay in your home.
No one wants to leave their beloved home because they can no longer navigate the stairs. Yet that happens countless times every day right across the country. Often, the decision is made by adult children who have legitimate fears for the safety of their parents. A home elevator can alleviate those fears and allow an older person to stay in their home and retain their dignity.
2: Home elevators greatly reduce the chance of falls.
Few things are more concerning to older individuals than the possibility of falling. And there is good reason for this fear. Every year some seven million older Americans are injured in falls (1). Nearly half a million of those are falls involving stairs. A home elevator removes this potential cause for life-altering or even life-ending injury.
3: Home elevators add value to your home.
The aging of the population means there are more people over 60 now than ever before (2). Many of these older folks are financially comfortable and active in the real estate market (3), either as first-time buyers or because they are looking for homes to retire to. Any home with an elevator is going to generate more demand from older buyers. And greater demand equals a higher price.
4: Home elevators are perfect for those with arthritis.
Fair or not, arthritis is predominantly a disease of older individuals (4). In most cases, it is the result of years of wear and tear on the joints. Arthritis of the knee is extremely common (5) and can make climbing the stairs an excruciating ordeal. A home elevator can solve this problem and enable an older person with arthritis to continue to live in and enjoy their home.
5: Home elevators are easy to install.
When people think of installing a home elevator, they naturally think ‘major renovation job’. This causes them to reconsider. After all, a kitchen renovation can take three months or more (6). But the fact is, many home elevators can be installed in as little as two days. Even more elaborate ones usually will not take more than a week to install.
6: Home elevators enhance functionality.
A home should be comfortable, safe, and convenient. To achieve those qualities, it must be highly functional. Things like microwaves, garage door openers, dimmer switches, and TV remotes all add functionality that enhances comfort, safety, or convenience. Or, in some cases, all three. A home elevator adds another level of functionality that makes a home safer, more comfortable, and more convenient.
7: Home elevators add that ‘wow’ element to the home.
Make no mistake, when your guests arrive for your next party and see your new home elevator it will become the talk of the town. Be prepared to hear ‘Wow’ and ‘OMG’ all night as people digest the fact that you have a home elevator and they do not. Is that just a little bit vain? Sure. But there is nothing wrong with basking in a bit of envy now and then.
8: Home elevators make the house safer for everyone.
More than 1 million people in the US are injured by falling down the stairs every year (7). It is an appalling statistic and highlights the inherent danger of stairs for people of all ages. Having an elevator in the home will certainly make the home safer for elderly inhabitants. But, given that most people injured on the stairs are between 11 and 60, the elderly are not the only ones who stand to benefit.
9: Home elevators are a better idea than a stairlift.
Many folks conclude a stairlift is the best way to address mobility issues. But there are a couple of good reasons why it may not be. First, stairlift injuries are both common and potentially fatal (8). And, if that by itself is not bad enough, they also tend to take over the stairs both physically and visually. A home elevator does not impose itself on your stairway.
10: Home elevators make home life simpler.
There is no more need to lug heavy laundry bags up and down the stairs. No need to worry you might fall if you are tired or the house is dark. If you need to move small furnishings between floors, you can use the elevator, instead of risking the stairs or having to wait for help to arrive. If there is a newborn in the home, using an elevator is much safer than carrying them up and down the stairs.
11: Home elevators can be customized to fit your home design and decor.
Homeowners are sometimes afraid that a home elevator will look out of place. But, in many cases, home elevators can be customized to dovetail perfectly with your home design and decor. Whether your home is a century-old Victorian, a mid-century modern, or a post-modern masterpiece, there is a home elevator that will meld with it seamlessly.
12: Home elevators make up for lost mobility.
Lost mobility can come in many forms. An injury or accident may call for a long period of recuperation and physical therapy. Heart disease can greatly impact a person’s ability to climb stairs (9) and perform other basic functions of daily life. Stroke, congenital conditions, and advanced age also impact a person’s ability to do things like climb stairs. The home elevator can compensate for lost mobility in such cases.
13: Home elevators can save money.
When compared to the alternative, a home elevator is a relative steal. Think about it: assisted living facilities can cost $50,000 a year (10), year after year. A home elevator is a one-time expense that costs just a fraction of that. In addition, it can enable your loved one to avoid institutional living. They are the smart choice that will save you money and allow your loved one to maintain their dignity as they age.
14: Home elevators enhance your quality of life.
Given all the benefits laid out above, it is clear that a home elevator can significantly enhance quality of life. Home safety is greatly enhanced, and the odds of a fall significantly reduced. A home elevator increases your home’s bottom line value and adds that ‘Wow’ element. It can allow an elderly person to stay in their home, whereas those without an elevator may be forced to move.
15: Home elevators take up less space.
The common belief is that all elevators require a big, expensive elevator shaft. But while that may be true with commercial elevators, it is not the case with home elevators. Commercial elevators must adhere to strict building codes and meet the size and weight requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Home elevators do not have to meet those standards. As such, they can be much smaller.
16: Home elevators will not leave you stranded.
If you have the misfortune of being in an elevator in an office building when the power goes out, you are stuck (11). That elevator is not going to move until power is restored. By contrast, most home elevators come with backup battery systems that take over in the event of a power outage and ensure you can complete your trip and exit safely.
Conclusion
From allowing elderly people to stay in their homes to helping people recovering from illness or injury get up and down the stairs the home elevator is a vital mobility tool. A home elevator can also increase the value of a home, is safer than a stair lift, reduces the chance of life-altering falls and will provide your home with that “wow” value.