Rollin’ Along Stair Lifts & Accessibility Equipment

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Enjoy Greater Freedom and Convenience with a Stair Lift from San Francisco Mobility Services

By dalincer

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.

I Need a Stair Lift for my parents in San Francisco, How Much Does it Cost?

By dalincer

I get this question over the phone regularly. Let’s listen in to a phone call from Mary and learn how to get closer to the answer…

Good Afternoon, this is David with Rollin’ Along. Your mobility matters, how can I help you?

I need a stair lift, how much will it cost?

We have installed stair lifts that run from $3,000 to over $30,000. I will need to know some more about your stairs and you before I can properly answer that question. First I would like to ask you your name?

Mary

Thanks, Mary can you tell me who needs help with the stairs?

John, my father in law. He is 89 and cannot make it up the stairs without getting out of breath.

Thanks for calling us about your father-in-law’s need, now can you tell me about the stairs? It helps to describe them starting at the bottom.

Well, our stairs go straight up then there is a landing and then they go straight up some more.

Tell me more about the turn. If you flew overhead and looked down at your stairs, would you call it a U-Turn or just a Right or Left turn?

It looks to me like a U-Turn. It goes right back on itself.

Thanks, that really gives me a good idea of what kind of a staircase you have. Are these stairs inside out of the weather?

Yes, they go from the living room up to the bedrooms.

And my last question here is, “What are the stairs made of?”

The stairs are made out of wood except at the bottom two steps, they are made of terrazzo.

Mary, based on your description, you will likely appreciate a custom curved indoor stair lift. This takes about 6 to 8 weeks to fabricate and install.

Based on the answers to these questions I can get a pretty good idea of what Mary might need. However, if I were to quote the cost exactly based on these questions one of us would not walk away happy.

I can give a budgetary estimate of about $13,000 to $18,000, BUT, what if there are some intrusions on the stairway that Mary had not noticed? What about two straight stair lifts?
During a recent site evaluation, we discovered that the stairway was damaged, and repairs would be needed before a stair lift could be installed. Other items we discover include: Where will we get power? Will the door obstruct the carriage at the top?

Some of the choices can increase the costs, others decrease them. We all do best when we can see each other face to face, can together look at the stairs and come to a decision about how best to fit a stair lift to them.

No matter what kind of stairs you have, we can help you with a fitted solution.
David Lincer, Owner
Rollin’ Along

How Do You Know Your Batteries Need Replacement?

By dalincer

I want to speak today about BATTERIES!

More precisely, rechargeable Lead Acid batteries found in chair lifts, porch lifts, scooters, power wheelchairs, golf carts, and thousands of other places all over our lives. This technology essentially has not changed since its invention in 1859.

We have changed the construction of the battery to better suit different types of operation. Wheelchair and scooter batteries are designed to deliver a steady moderate stream of energy. Starting batteries are designed to deliver a large jolt of energy to start an engine.

Lead acid batteries are a safe and reliable source of power. And today, we use LOTS of lead acid batteries every year, millions and millions of them. When we get a call, “My equipment does not run, ‘Bring Batteries!’” First, check the on/off switch. Yes, I know that you know how to turn it on! AND, we have done plenty of service calls to just turn the machine on or plug in the charger!
Do you get the proper indications of charging activity when you plug in your equipment? [Lights or meter indication] If not, check the outlet.
Recently I fixed a small toaster oven. Once I fixed the inside problem, it worked every time for me and failed EVERY time for Joan. Turns out that I tested the oven on a good outlet, and the outlet that Joan used was bad. Fixed that too.

Next, consider how the machine operates. After overnight charging, does it run just fine but only for a short time? Probably the batteries have lost capacity. Every time a battery does the work that we want, the battery loses a tiny bit of its ability to hold charge. Almost like you get a grain of sand in your gas tank with every fill-up. Eventually, your tank would not hold any gas at all.

A load tester checks part of the battery operation, the ability to deliver a heavy load for a few seconds. This test checks the connections and general health of the battery. If the battery CAN’T deliver a heavy load it definitely is bad, and if it can it MIGHT be good. The real test of a battery comes when you use it in the equipment. Can it deliver the energy you need to keep Rollin’ Along?

Right now, we do not have a quick test for battery capacity. I invented and built a tester and it takes between 10 and 250 minutes to confirm that a battery is good. Sometimes, we find a weak connection in the wires to the batteries or corrosion on the connections. Sometimes the wire just breaks from all the shaking that a scooter or power wheelchair creates.
According to MK Battery and others, your common AGM style battery should {on average} run for 2000 charges. [That is over 6 years!] . In my experience I rarely get more than 2-3 years from a set of batteries. A puzzle that I hope one day to figure out. In any case, if your batteries do not keep you Rollin’ consider calling us to help.

How Can We Save a Part of Your Life?

By dalincer

As I sit at my desk, contemplating our business on this day of remembering 11Sep2011, I consider how our work saves the life and lives of our clients.

We put a ramp in recently in Belmont that made getting out of his home so easy, “I can get my exercise going up and down the ramp!” said our client.

My largest reward comes when:
• We do all the work that it takes to do the installation.
• Do it right by the client.
• The high standards we hold.
– and then –

the client takes that first trip on the lift or ramp. The smile that I get from those first rides lights up my day, thanks to you all for having us do this work for you.

Sometimes I get a call, “Help!, My scooter is stuck!” from a person that is on vacation. They looked us up and called, hoping. And more than half the time we can help, and do help them to have a great rest of their vacation.
And sometimes we just help our clients over the phone to get it going. Whatever the reason, whatever it takes, we get and keep you Rollin’ through your life.

On a service call recently, I noticed a wooden ramp that was very soft and wobbly under my feet as I walked in. I enquired of our client was the ramp OK for them. “No, I feel concerned about using the ramp” said the client. May we install an aluminum ramp for you? Yes, and we had one in stock ready for installation. Had it installed a couple of days later, steady and solid now. Now I can go out more often! The scooter is fixed and the ramp is in!

As I say on the phone when you call, “Your Mobility Matters, how can I help you?” It does matter to you when you choose not to go out because the stairs are “TOO Much” to deal with again. And, it matters a lot if you were to take a mis-step on those stairs and go head over teakettle down them.

I want to refer back to the last paragraph and point out the word CHOOSE. You have a life, and living it well stands high on most people’s list of important things. Allowing, [choosing] to let a stairway limit your life does not sound like the very best choice available.

And speaking of choices:

How many of you unlock your garage door with a key and then lift it up by hand? We used to open garage doors that way and many of us have chosen instead to have a garage door opener do the locking and lifting for us. Well, we have a new product that makes your front door act like the garage door. It consists of an electric strike and an automatic door opener. With this installed, you press a button on a key chain and your front door unlocks, opens and you can enter your home. The door waits and closes behind you. Available for immediate installation – call Joan to setup an appointment time.

Can You Lift a 300 Pound Person With ONE Finger?

By dalincer

This month I want to take care of our care givers! The people that we have asked, paid and enrolled to take care of our loved ones. Whether the care giver is our spouse, partner, a neighbor, or someone hired just to take care; we still need to give thanks for their efforts and to protect them while they take care of us!

I created a video with a little humor and a lot of truth to answer the question, “Why do I need an overhead lift?” Here is a link to the video on YouTube: http://www.tinyurl.com/7tyllb6

Why an overhead lift you may ask? Because we love to help each other, and people still weigh more than a pillow. To pick up a person risks the care giver’s back each and every time. Even when you do it the ‘right’ way, you are still picking up 50 to 250 pounds of shear weight each time. Even if you only assist in steadying, you risk a fall if their legs give out or their balance falters.

With a lift in place, you can safely and easily lift another person. Over and over again. For your whole career for the rest of your life. Our most recent overhead transfer lift installation started with a call from their daughter, let’s hear how things were going and what she wanted.

D: Hello this is David with Rollin’ Along, Your Mobility Matters, and How Can I Help You?
C: My Mom is helping to take care of my Dad and she got hurt while lifting him. She ended up going to the Emergency room when they got tangled up with each other. I need some kind of lift! If there is nothing like this, I will need to invent one!
D: We have lifts to pick up people just exactly like what you are asking for. No new inventions needed.
C: How soon can you get this installed?
D: It will take about a week to get the parts and a day to do the installation. Is that soon enough?
C: Yes, that will do. How soon can you visit?
D: We have time today, at about 4:00pm. Can we visit your parents at that time?
C: Yes. I live in Los Angeles, and I won’t be there. Please send the quote to me…

And we did do as we promised, and in a week the lift was in. Once installed, Mom and Dad took great care of each other as they lifted Dad to and fro. Happy ending, David

Please call us for a free consultation. We are a mobility solutions expert in San Francisco Bay Area.

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