Heavy Duty Stairlifts

The number of obese people in the UK is growing, due to multiple factors including sedentary lifestyles, health issues and illness. As a result stairlift manufacturers are realising there is a growing need for heavy duty stairlifts that can carry bigger people.

Standard stairlifts have a maximum weight capacity, usually between 18 and 22 stone. This means they cannot be safely used by heavier people who weigh over the maximum limit.

An overweight person with mobility problems may have real difficulty negotiating the stairs in their home. Using the stairs can be a physical struggle, putting added stress on their muscles, joints and heart.

People with clinical obesity may fear having to leave the home they love and having to move to a bungalow because of the daily challenge of their stairs. Or they may feel they have to live only on the downstairs floor as their size and limited mobility restricts their movement so much.

A heavy duty, or bariatric, stairlift can take away this worry, as heavy duty models are especially built to carry larger users with physical disabilities. They can enable heavier people to stay in the home they love by giving them the means to travel up and down their stairs.

Because of their increased capacity, bariatric stairlifts tend to be bigger and wider than standard models. This means they can’t be fitted to all staircases. For example, if your stairs are particularly narrow or have tight bends, you may find it hard to find a heavy duty model to fit.

It is always worth asking the question and seeking expert advice from a reputable stairlift supplier. They will be able to visit your home and conduct a survey to determine whether a stairlift for an obese person can be accommodated by the layout of your stairs.

The table below shows the maximum capacity of the models from the main stairlift companies in the UK:

Maximum User Weight