Bruno Chair Lifts

Finding the Best Brain Games & Exercises for Seniors

March 5, 2019 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

You may often hear that the brain is a muscle. While this statement is incorrect, the brain behaves like a muscle, and because of this, you should exercise your brain just as if you were exercising your body. Brain games & exercises for seniors are great ways to keep the brain active and occupied. Just like an actual muscle that could fall asleep or become atrophied, the brain can also fall out of practice if you don’t use it enough. There are many free brain games & exercises for seniors, as well as subscriptions and books, that can help train the brain and keep it active.

Benefits of Brain Games & Exercises for Seniors

There are many reasons to keep the brain occupied. For instance, memory exercises for seniors aid in cognition. As we age, we may actually lose interest in or no longer care for activities we once enjoyed. Finding new and fun things to do, such as brain games for seniors, helps to keep us happy. There are also specific reasons to take part in certain activities:

To keep fingers nimble, try crafting, sewing, or other simple art
Word puzzles are an excellent type of cognitive activities for seniors
For both fun and cognition, bingo is a popular choice
Fine motor skills are strengthened by putting jigsaw puzzles together
Logic puzzles exercise the mind
Playing trivia games helps with both cognition and memory
Video games are great for motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognition

It is also a great idea to have brain games & exercises for seniors in a group, such as in adult day care. Many seniors struggle with loneliness and depression, and being involved in a group dynamic helps fight off the blues, as well as improve cognition.

Specific Ideas for Brain Games & Exercises for Seniors

When it comes to offering brain games & exercises to seniors, you may need a few ideas. If you’re a caregiver and are trying to help boost someone’s cognition skills or get them interested in a new task, it might take a few tries before you find the right brain exercises for seniors. Some specific fun brain games for seniors (that don’t require a paid subscription or the Internet) include:

Retell the Tale: Have a friend read a short work of fiction, and retell the tale in their own words.
Shopping List Game (this is a game for a group): The first person in the group says, “I went to the supermarket and bought [something that begins with the letter A].” Then, the next person repeats what the first person says, but adds a grocery item that begins with B. The game continues until the items can no longer be repeated.
Identify Plants: This is a fun game to play outdoors. Take a friend outside (along with some botanical knowledge) and see how many different flowers and plants you can name. This is great when it comes to cognitive exercises for dementia patients, as these patients may be able to recall some of their plant knowledge.

Some suggestions for cognitive games for seniors focus solely on cognition and memory. These types of cognitive brain games & exercises for seniors include:

Say the months of the year in alphabetical order.
Using your name, name two objects in the room for every letter. For instance, CATHY could start out with candy or cat, followed by address book and apple, and so on.
Look around and try to group by colors. Try to find five red things in the room, followed by five blue things, and continue with colors.

Paid, Subscription, and Online Brain Games & Exercises for Seniors

If you do a quick Google search, there are many sites that offer brain games & exercises for seniors and brain games for seniors with dementia. But it’s always best to look for an authoritative site. There are books for sale as well that contain brain games you can do over and over, and AARP provides links to several cognition games. However, many sites offer free brain exercises for seniors, and these are also worth a try. If you have a Wii or PlayStation console, many games help with hand-eye coordination as well. Wii Sports and racing games are always good suggestions when it comes to brain games & exercises for seniors.

For more ideas on brain games & exercises for seniors, or to help increase mobility and make getting around easier, contact Williams Lift Co. today to hear about our line of products. We have been in business for over 71 years, offering mobility products and services, and are dedicated to helping you live your best life.

Chair Stair Lift Prices: What Goes Into the Cost of a Stair Lift

May 15, 2018 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

Chair stair lift prices largely depend on the type of stair lift you need for your home. Generally speaking, there are two categories of stair lifts. There are stair lifts that come as-is, right out of the box, which are cut-to-length and set up as a straight stair lift. Then there are custom curved lifts, which involve creating a stair lift just for your set of stairs after an immense amount of measuring.

Chair stair lift prices will range according to which category of stair lift is required for your particular home. A custom curved lift can sometimes cost more than twice the price of a straight stair lift. Chair stair lift prices also depend on how many optional features you decide to add.

The two brands we deal with at Williams Lifts are Bruno and Acorn. They both build a great product, honor their warranties, and offer excellent customer support. As both brands offer top quality products you can expect to see similar pricing across the board. Reasons for choosing one over the other would depend on which brand offers the best features to suit your individual needs. That’s something that would be determined during the initial consultation.

When it comes to an important purchase, especially one which your quality of life will depend on, we do not recommend going with the cheapest option by default. There are important questions you need to ask in addition to comparing chair stair lift prices, and the model you end up buying should be thoroughly researched beforehand. You wouldn’t go to a car dealership and automatically go for the lowest price without considering all options, would you? The same applies here.

It’s not just the upfront chair stair lift cost that you have to consider either. There’s also the stair chair lift installation cost. Most importantly, you have to consider the entire cost of ownership after the sale. With that said, here are some questions you should ask during a consultation.

What does the warranty cover?

Across the board, with all stair lifts, you will typically see a 5-year warranty on the motor, a 2-3 year warranty on parts, and a 6-month warranty covering the cost of labor.

How much are service calls?

If your stair lift needs repairs or maintenance, you need to know how much it’s going to cost to get a technician out to your house. You should also ask whether or not the cost of parts are covered. If not, ask how much it would cost for the parts that people would most commonly need to buy on their own.

How fast do you respond to service calls?

Going with the cheapest price is no bargain if it takes the dealer a week to send someone to your house to fix your stair lift. The best dealers will either get to you the same day or the next day at the latest.

Chair Stair Lift Prices: In Summary

While it may be tempting to compare prices and go with the lowest option, you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run — especially when it comes to something as important as a stair lift. For the best price on a stair lift, please inquire about our used stair lifts for sale.

Bruno Stair Lift Prices: The Affordable Option, and the Premium Option

January 15, 2018 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

As one of the world’s leading stair lift manufacturers, Bruno offers stair lifts to meet every budget. Bruno stair lift prices vary by model and installation requirements. This article will provide an overview of what goes into the pricing of Bruno stair lifts.

Bruno Stair Lift Prices: Most Affordable Option

Bruno’s “Elan” straight indoor stair lift is the company’s most popular and most affordable option. The Elan is Bruno’s entry-level model, offering all the standard features that Bruno is known for. These include:

User-friendly design
Elegant appearance
Compact form factor, designed for maximum free space on the stairs when in use
Quiet operation
Battery backup during power outages
Safety sensors
Swivel seat
300lb weight capacity

In addition to the standard features listed above, Bruno stair lifts can be customized with a number of additional options to meet specific needs. These added features can include:

Power swivel seat
Manual folding rails
Power folding rails
Power folding footrest

If you’re in need of more advanced features, you may have to look at Bruno’s “Elite” model.

Bruno Stair Lift Prices: Premium Option

Bruno’s Elite indoor stair lift, as the name suggests, is the company’s premium model. It offers several upgrades over the standard Elan stair lift.

Complete with all of the standard features listed above, what sets the Elite model apart are its luxury materials and heavy-duty craftsmanship.

With Bruno’s Elite model you’re also getting access to a vast array of premium add-ons. The following additional features are available exclusively for the Elite:

Larger seat pad, measuring 21.5” wide x 16” deep
Power swivel seat and power footrest
Extended rail, park away from the stairs in the top or bottom position (curved units)
Mid-park and charge station for staircases with middle landings (curved units)
Variety of upholstery choices
Larger footrest, measuring 12” long by 11” wide

Bruno’s Elite stair lift is available for both straight and curved staircases. For comparison’s sake, the Elan is only available for straight staircases.

In Summary

I hope you now have a greater understanding of what goes into the price of Bruno’s stair lifts. As you can see, with the number of options available, Bruno stair lifts are rarely created equal. That means Bruno stair lift prices can vary depending on the user and their individual needs.

On top of that, the price also needs to take into account any unique installation requirements for the home it’s being installed in. Generally, when it comes to stair lifts, the final product ends up being custom-built specifically for one’s home. I would say the average price of a Bruno straight stair lift falls around the $3,000-$4200 range.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to quote a more accurate price without an in-person consultation. However, that’s easy to arrange. Simply fill out this contact form and I will be in touch with you as soon as possible.

No matter what model you choose, you can trust you’re making the right decision with a Bruno stair lift. For more information about the stair lift models carried by Williams Lifts, please request a free brochure.

Pros and Cons of Second Hand Stair Lifts

October 1, 2017 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

When it comes to affordable options for mobility equipment, don’t rule out second hand stair lifts.

Using a stair lift means putting your safety in the equipment’s hands, so to speak. So we understand when customers come to us with hesitations about used stair lifts, and we do our best to quell those concerns.

It helps to get as much information as you can before deciding between new and used stair lifts in order to feel confident about what you’re buying.

In this article, we will go over the pros and cons of second hand stair lifts. With this information, you can then decide which option suits you the best.

What You Need to Know About Second Hand Stair Lifts

Used stair lifts can be as good as new, depending on the dealer you buy from. At Williams Lifts we uphold the standard for what we believe should be met by all used mobility equipment.

When shopping for second hand stair lifts, or other types of used equipment, don’t be afraid to ask questions to learn more about the dealer’s standards.

As an example, do they know where the equipment came from? Be wary if they can’t tell you about the equipment’s history.

We only sell used stair lifts that we buy back from customers who originally purchased it from us in the first place. So we can tell you how old it is, how much maintenance it has received, and other pertinent details.

Depending on the type of model you need you may end up getting a brand new rail, so it may not end up being an entirely used stair lift. A new rail will help when it comes to maintaining the stair lift over time, but used stair lifts typically require more servicing in general. It’s like the difference between a used car and a new car.

It may be challenging to find parts for used stair lifts depending on how old they are. Manufacturers stop making spare parts for older models after 10 years or so. That’s another reason why it’s so important to inquire about the age and history of the machine.

Another drawback of used stair lifts is that they may lack some of the optional features that can be requested with new models. There’s little room for customization — what you see is what you get.

Used Stair Lifts: Pros and Cons

Here are the pros and cons in summary:

Pros

More affordable
As good as new
Leading brands are made to last
Comes with delivery and installation

Cons

May require more frequent servicing
Spare parts are difficult to get on old models
Might not be able to get all the features of a new model

Overall, buying a used stair lift is a great way to save money if you can find a particular model to meet your needs. We invite you to visit our showroom anytime to view our selection of used mobility equipment.

Fall Prevention in the Elderly: Staying Safe in and Around the Home

August 1, 2017 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

As one ages, it’s necessary to become familiar with fall prevention in the elderly. Whether you need to learn more about this for your own safety, or for the safety of loved ones, knowing more about the causes of falls in seniors can help you prevent them.

That’s exactly what I’m going to cover in this post. I will identify some of the most common causes of falls in seniors, and go over safety considerations for preventing those types of falls. By the end of this article, you will be that much more educated about fall prevention in the elderly.

Fall Prevention in the Elderly: Common Causes of Falls in Seniors

Most falls are preventable once you know what causes them. Falls often occur in one’s own home, which means you can put necessary measures in place to ensure safety.

Going Up and Down Staircases

One of the top places where major falls occur is staircases. We specialize in preventing falls while going up and down stairs by offering the best stair lifts on the market. If it’s in your budget, a stair lift is the number one way to prevent falls on staircases.

Regularly maintaining stairs is also recommended. That means regular cleaning and vacuuming. It’s even better if you can secure your stairs with a non-slip surface.

A well-lit staircase is important in order to stay safe while going up and down stairs at night. You should be able to turn lights on and off with switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. For added protection you could use portable, motion-activated lights in stairwells without adequate lighting.

Slippery Floors

Any room in the house where water could come into contact with the floor poses a potential risk for falls. This primarily includes the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms. Adding a non-slip surface can prevent falls on slippery floors.

Water on floors isn’t the only thing to worry about when it comes to preventing falls in the elderly. Rugs are a hazard as well. All area rugs should be securely fastened to the floor to ensure they can’t be tripped over.

Reaching Hazards

Overextending one’s reach is another one of the main causes of falls in seniors. Frequently used items should be stored on shelves that are easy to reach.

If absolutely necessary, ensure there’s a step stool with a safety rail in the home for reaching items higher up.

Storing heavier items on the lowest shelves is also recommended. This helps prevent falls that could occur from being overwhelmed by the weight of an item.

Outdoor Falls

Of course, falls can and do occur outdoors as well. Outdoor falls can be prevented with a number of different devices. We recommend reading our guide on mobility aids to learn more about that.

Fall Prevention in the Elderly: Conclusion

Stairs, slippery floors, and trying to grab items out of reach are some of the most common causes of falls in seniors within the home. For more information about how to prevent falls outdoors please refer to our guide on mobility aids linked to above.

Mobility Aids for Seniors: Everything You Need to Know

July 1, 2017 By Susan Hackett Leave a Comment

Mobility aids for seniors can help restore the freedom and independence of moving about on one’s own. They are typically required on a temporary basis if the individual is recovering from an injury, or on a more long-term basis if the individual has permanent mobility challenges.

There’s a variety of mobility aids for seniors on the market, each of which is designed to serve a unique purpose. Some mobility aids for the elderly are designed to improve balance and stability. Others are designed to help an individual walk straight and maintain an upright posture. There are also mobility aids designed to reduce muscle and joint pain by redistributing weight carried by the legs.

One thing every mobility aid has in common is the positive effect they have on seniors’ self-confidence. Knowing you can move about freely without the assistance of others is like opening up a whole new world of possibilities.

This article will discuss the types of mobility aids for seniors that are available. Some of which are available at Williams Lifts, while others will have to be sought out from another vendor. The main point of this article is to educate you on what you may need for a given situation, whether it’s from us or not.

Types of Mobility Aids for Seniors

Stair Lifts
Stair Lifts assist individuals who cannot get up and down stairs on their own. They are powered chairs which are installed on a track opposite the railing. You simply sit in the chair while it safely and securely moves you from one floor to another.

Ramps
Ramps assist individuals with limited mobility when they need help getting from one level to another. Ramps could be as simple as a threshold ramp for getting over door frames, or large modular ramps that wheelchair users can have installed outside their homes.

Power Recliners
If getting in and out of your favorite chair has become more taxing than relaxing, a power recliner may be able to help you. They are ultra comfortable reclining chairs that do all of the work for you. They can get you from a standing position to a seated position, and vice versa, all while exerting little of your own energy.

Canes
Canes are designed for individuals who have difficulty maintaining their balance while walking. They’re available either as walking sticks (one point at the bottom), tripod canes (three points), or quad canes (four points). Which one is right for you will depend on how much added assistance you need while walking.

Walkers
Walkers are designed for individuals who have exceptional difficulty maintaining their balance when standing upright. They distribute more of a person’s weight throughout the frame than any cane is capable of. Walkers are available in models with 4 wheels, 2 wheels, or no wheels at all.

Crutches
Of all the mobility aids for seniors we’ve gone through so far, crutches are unique in that they require the recommendation of a medical professional in order to use them. Crutches are used in pairs and are typically designed for recovering from short-term injuries. They require good coordination in order to use them properly, so they’re not recommended for people with poor balance.

Conclusion

At Williams Lifts we’re happy to offer a selection of stair Lifts, ramps, and power Recliners. If you’re not sure which one is right for you, you’re welcome to contact us or visit our showroom for an in-person demonstration.

Used Wheelchair Ramps

March 27, 2015 By Susan Hackett

Used wheelchair ramps are an ideal solution for acquiring a mobility device at the most affordable price. Williams Lifts is happy to offer a full selection of used wheelchair ramps.

We offer high quality, gently used wheelchair ramps because customer satisfaction is our highest priority. Our used wheelchair ramps are acquired through a buy back program where we buy back the wheelchair ramps from customers who no longer need them. When a customer finds themselves no longer in need of their wheelchair ramp, we’ll buy it from them and offer it at a reduced price to another customer who can truly use one.

Since we mostly buy back equipment that was originally purchased from us, we are confident in the quality of our used wheelchair ramps. We know exactly where these ramps have been, the extent to which they’ve been used, how well they have been maintained, and so on.

After conducting a thorough inspection, if a wheelchair ramp does not meet our specifications we will not buy it back for resale to our customers. We can offer used wheelchair ramps for sale at very affordable prices thanks to this buy-back program.

[Read more…]

Features Offered by the Bruno Elan Stair Lift

April 18, 2014 By Susan Hackett

With a 300-pound weight capacity and a spacious and comfortable swivel seat, the Bruno Elan SRE-3000 stair lift is ideal for many individuals who require assistance going up and down stairs. In addition to all standard safety and performance features, the Bruno Elan stair lift is equipped with state-of-the-art features that enhance its safety and comfort and set it apart from the competition.

A comfortable, effective seat belt and safety sensors that automatically stop the chair lift if obstacles are detected make the SRE-3000 an exceptionally safe lift. Wireless call and send controls featured at each landing make it easy to call the lift from any level of your home or business. In addition, the stair lift’s compact design means that it requires less than 12 inches of the width of a staircase to which it is affixed.

Does a Bruno Elan stair lift sound like the right stairway lift for your New Jersey home or office? If it does, call Williams Lift Company at (908) 322-7070 to schedule a professional installation. You can also visit our website for more information about our stairway lifts.

A Look at the Features of the Bruno Wheelchair Lift

April 11, 2014 By Susan Hackett

If you or your loved one uses a wheelchair, you know that entering and exiting your home can be tricky. Fortunately, the Bruno wheelchair lift provides a functional and affordable alternative to costly wheelchair vans. If you need efficient access to a raised deck, porch, or even between the floors of your house, explore the Bruno vertical lift’s remarkable features to find out why Bruno is the most trusted name in chair lifts:

Self-Lowering Ramp

For years, ramps of all kinds have helped wheelchair-bound Americans do whatever they put their minds to. The Bruno wheelchair lift is no exception: Its innovative, self-lowering ramp allows you or your loved one to move effortlessly from platform to entryway.

Spacious Platform

A Bruno wheelchair lift boasts a 36″ x 48″ non-skid platform to guarantee maximum comfort. The bottom platform panel ensures your safety, and 42″ high side walls provide extra structure and stability.

Accessible Switches

The Bruno lift is easy to operate even for those with the most complex mobility needs. Separate up and down push-button switches with key switch control with an extra emergency stop button quickly erase the barriers between you and your door.

Large Lifting Capacity

The Bruno VPL-3100 vertical platform lift has a 750-pound lifting capacity that permits vertical transport all the way up to 75″—over six feet high!

Extra Safety Features

All Bruno wheelchair lifts come equipped with spring sensitive bottom plates that shut the unit down if an obstruction is encountered. Solenoid actuated braking at the landings makes the transition from the platform to your home smooth and safe every time.

If you live in New Jersey and want to learn more about your options for renting, purchasing, or installing a Bruno wheelchair lift, call Williams Lift Company at 908-322-7070 today. We are committed to providing the best customer service and high-quality, affordable products to all residents of Morris, Somerset, Middlesex, and Bergen counties.

Spotlight on the Bruno Elite Stairlift

April 10, 2014 By Susan Hackett

The Electra-Ride Elite stair lift from Bruno is a top-of-the-line model that provides its users with everything they have come to expect from a modern stair lift. Sleek, streamlined, and sophisticated, the Elite is the ideal purchase for anyone who is in need of a solution to their home mobility needs.

The Elite comes with a wide range of exceptional features, including seven possible upholstery choices, an easily accessible swivel chair, and a straight rail that is placed close to the wall for the convenience of other users. The stair lift is battery-powered for dependable, 24-hour use, and it provides a smooth, jolt-free ride.

Would you like to learn more about stairlifts? Williams Lift Company is proud to provide high-quality stairlifts, handicap ramps, and other state-of-the-art mobility aids to the New Jersey community. Visit our website to see our products for yourself, and call (908) 322-7070 to speak with a member of our friendly staff.