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Stair Lifts – Do They Make Sense For You?

August 7th, 2009 No comments
by Phillip Rathmusen

Installing a stair lift in your house is a good way to extend the quantity of years you or a loved one with mobility impairment can live in your own home. They are great if you or a friend or family member have health restrictions that make it tough to go up and down stairs.

I was out with an older woman last week showing her property (I am a real estate agent). She already had bad knees, and had to take the steps slowly. One of the things she was searching for was whether her new property would accommodate a master on the main level ( if it did not already have one ) and a step lift on the steps.

I presumed she'd just need to take a look at one-level houses, but each home she looked at had a staircase in it. One home had a wonderful Y-shaped staircase featured in the lounge that split off in 2 directions. One home had a precarious old staircase leading to the completed basement, and one home had a standard fashioned 2-level staircase that went to the upstairs. My customer told me this wasn't precisely what she was on the lookout for and asserted she would "know it when she saw it." It had been hard for her to work out online whether the houses she had an interest in would accommodate a step lift because most realtors don't feature the steps in their Multiple Listing Service photos.

This customer gave me a little bit of an education about what is needed to install a step lift. Fundamentally , she was looking out for a long, straight run of steps from the 1st to the second floor. We really found it in one of the new construction homes we looked at, so they are definitely out there. Stairlifts can be installed on other sorts of staircases, of course, but as with everything in home remodeling, the more you have to do, the more it's going to cost.

If you are building or buying a home that you want to grow old in, it's a good idea to contemplate in advance how the home can be modified to suit your needs when you are older. Some things - like wide hallways that can accommodate wheelchairs - are nice features you might want to have anyway.

Other things, like grab bars in the bath tub, are easy to add on later if they become necessary.

What's not as straightforward to plan for is if you'll need wheelchair access to upstairs rooms of the house. Even if you are not in a wheelchair, going up and down the steps could be a challenge for many seniors.

You might decide that putting a stair lift in is a great way to handle the situation.

A stair lift runs on a track that is installed on the side of the stairs and plugged into the wall for power. Your stairs must be against the wall or have a reinforced railing to accommodate the full weight of a person on a seat, and the track along the wall. A stair lift can help you bring groceries and laundry up and down the stairs, too. You can bring pretty much anything you can carry up an down the stairs with a stairlift, provided you don't exceed its safe weight.

Though they can be costly to install, many seniors are so cheerful about the idea of having the facility to remain in their own homes as they age, they are more than prepared to pay the price to have their home upgraded to accommodate their changing ability to get around.

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How To Look Taller – Simple Steps To A Taller You

August 4th, 2009 No comments
by Shaun Davids

Have you always wondered how to look taller? You will be shocked how a simple change in attitude and your clothing can make you gain height. These are not the only techniques to make you taller - getting the right nutrients and straightening your posture can also protect you from bones diseases and from shrinking in your old age.

But today we are talking about how you look. Let us start with your clothing. I am sure you have seen people dress to compliment there body shape and size - well this can also be applied to make you look taller. For example - with your work suit, try stick to a single color (darker ones like navy). For a quick height enhancer, wear a dark suit with pinstripes.

If you clothes than contrast a lot - such as black pants with a light blue shirt, you will look shorter. It creates a visible line that breaks you body up and makes you lose height - especially if your pants are above your waist. Also, for how to look taller, steer clear of patterns with plaid or polka dots in them. And wear clothes that fits you perfectly, and gives the illusion of you having a longer torso and limbs.

Wearing the correct shoes and also help you become taller. High heels and shoe lifts are great for making you look taller. And to make your feet look bigger, try wearing tennis shoes, boots or any other "large" shoe.

Also when learning how to look taller, your hair cut makes a big difference. It is best to have shorter hair, as opposed to longer hair that "shortens" your neck and torso.

Your posture is very important, and not just for appearances. Sitting with your back straight and your shoulders back does make your body look taller, but it's also very important for your bones and muscles as well, particularly your back.

And lastly your attitude can have a profound effect. This is harder than it sounds, but if you can be confident and be cheerful around people, they will respond positively to you.

In contrast, if you are miserable, uncertain, and negative, those you interact with will notice this as well, and it will affect your appearance of how to look taller.

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