THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504200131
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO HOME & GARDEN
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
A NEW DEVICE called The Stair Assist System, designed to make stair climbing easier for people who have physical limitations, is now available in the Hampton Roads area.
The system, an alternative to a chairlift or home elevator, consists of a motorized grab bar that moves slowly along a wall-mounted track. Push-button controls allow for individualized pacing. The grab bar, which can support up to 250 pounds, exerts a gentle pull going up the stairs, a firm restraint on the way down.
The system retails for about $2,000 at Mobility Products and Services in Portsmouth.
``That's about half the price of a chairlift,'' said store owner Bob Pfeiffer. ``And it takes up about half the space a chairlift does. We've carried it for about three months and are interested to see if it fills another niche in the market.''
Stair Assist has been available on the West Coast for more than a year. A Beaverton, Oregon, company, The Stair Assist Corp., designed the power bar and guide rail to meet the needs of people with a variety of debilitating conditions, among them arthritis, stroke recovery, joint or back pain, balance disorders and multiple sclerosis.
Dr. John Medeiros, a professor of physical therapy who conducted clinical trials on the invention, gives this endorsement:
``The system is able to decrease people's fear of falling, lessen the physical difficulty of walking on stairs and reduce the pain and fatigue that are frequently associated with stair climbing.''
A demonstration model is on display at Mobility Products and Services, which provides installation and service, according to Pfeiffer. The store is at 3564 Western Branch Blvd., Portsmouth. The phone number is 484-5535. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
The Stair Assist System helps people with a variety of debilitating
conditions.
by CNB