As boomers age, stair lifts becoming essential

Stair lifts are becoming a baby-boomer accessory, local remodelers say. Some homeowners are even designing around them so they will be able to stay in their houses as they age.

Dennis D. Gehman, president of Gehman Design Remodeling in Harleysville, said the move to stair lifts "is directly connected to baby boomers coming of retirement age. Ten thousand a day are turning 65, and many of them want to stay in their homes for financial reasons. Some retirement communities are quite expensive."

Some boomers are installing the lifts as a preventative step, Gehman said, noting that "in some additions we have built, we talked about it, designing the stairs wider" so a stair lift could be accommodated later.

Not all lift brands and dealers come recommended, and you don't have to buy one outright. Reputable dealers now offer rent-to-own or short-term contracts rather just purchase arrangements.

That's the route the Stoepker family took.

Betty Stoepker, 85, of Berwyn, didn't need a stair lift. But her 94-year-old husband, Ward, had just returned from a rehabilitation facility and couldn't climb stairs.

"All our kids said we should get a chair lift," she said. "As soon as my husband tried it, he was happy with it."

The Stoepkers contracted on a rent-to-own basis through Access & Mobility Specialists, rather than buy outright. After six months, they have the option to purchase the Harmar Pinnacle model.

Removal is included in the price, Betty Stoepker says. "It's part of the installation fee. It's not extra."

Patrick Melcher, of Access & Mobility Specialists in Downingtown, said that over the last five years his stair-lift installations have grown from two or three a month to two or three a week. "The majority are typically senior citizens who own their home and need help up the stairs, and they aren't disabled. They can spend their time in the home versus moving to a retirement community."

A stairway needs to be at least 32 inches wide for a lift to be installed, said Dave Myers, of 101Mobility in Bensalem. His typical clients include those with disabilities or wanting to age at home.

Renovating your own home is "significantly more affordable than selling, moving to a single-level living facility. If you want to stay in your home, invest to stay there," Myers said.

High-end stair-lift models carry up to 400 pounds and range in price from $3,000 to $20,000 for multiple levels and curved stairways. Lower-priced brands such as SilverGlide, Allstar Lifts, and American Lifts are manufactured in China.

Myers is a dealer for American manufacturer Bruno, based in Wisconsin, and he stays away from foreign-made brands such as Acorn, which are made in England. Acorn advertises heavily on television, and offers an additional sale of an extended warranty.

"Make sure you deal with someone who has a local presence, with a real warranty. My employees are not subcontractors. They drive my vehicles and have background checks," Myers said.

Often, adult children visit over the holidays and witness their parents' physical decline, he said.

"They realize mom and dad are scooting up and down the stairs on their bottom," Myers said. "Or sometimes mom or dad's moving in with them - they're known as the 'boomerang parents.' "

Melcher said he avoids Acorn's lifts because of high-pressure sales tactics afterward that encourage seniors to purchase expensive extended warranties.

Recent complaints about Acorn to the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) included misrepresentations about warranty coverage - for example, the battery was not covered after one year.

Joe White, an Acorn press spokesman in Orlando, Fla., said complaints about Acorn "generally come from customers who buy from a dealer, rather than buying directly from us. They're the dealer's customer, not our customer."

Melcher said he prefers Harmar and Bruno brands because they are American-made and local dealers can supply parts, "so any local vendor can help you."