Ways To Have Your Child’s Stairlift Costs Covered

If you have a disabled child, having a stair lift installed can make such a difference to your home and how you care for your child. Unfortunately, stair lifts can be a bit on the expensive side, so if you have a need for a stair lift and you do not have the necessary funds, there are a number of options open to you.

Preparation Is The First Step

The first thing you need to do before you do anything else is to make sure that you measure your staircase, both for width and height. Once you have done this, you can then start to look around for suitable stair lifts, either via the internet or by looking at company catalogues.

This will help you to get an idea about the kind of stair lift you can fit into your home. Once you have done this, you can then start to compare prices as well as any installation charges; you should also make sure that you compare service warranties and contracts.

Then once you have completed the research you can narrow the selection down to three or four models that are suitable for your home and child. Then you can contact each company in turn and ask them to provide you with a quote. This quote should be free of charge, and you should ask each of them to visit your property in order for them to take accurate measurements.

When the stair lift companies visit your home to take measurements and discuss their products that is the time when you should ask them to provide you with any finance options that they may be able to provide, as well as the kind of payment methods that they accept. That way, you will know in advance what you need to do in order for them to accept you as a customer and install your stair lift.

Utilizing Your Medical Insurance

If you have private medical insurance then it is well worth looking a your policy as you may find that this type of equipment is covered partially or in full. If your child has become disabled as the result of an accident or injury then some family life insurance policies may even have clauses which cover disablement.

Grants And Charitable Awards

There are a number of government grants which you can apply for in order to make changes to your home, including  the installation of stair lifts. One such grant is the Disabled Facilities Grant which is available to both property owners and tenants who intend to stay in that home for 5 years or more. Your landlord can even apply on your behalf.

Similar charitable grants can be obtained from a number of different organisations including the Act Foundation. The downside to relying on these as a source of funding is that applications are highly competitive and you may find yourself on a wait list depending on the demand in your area. This is why many parents are now looking for alternative funding options.

Seeking Funding From Elsewhere

Sometimes in order to raise the funds to purchase much needed equipment like a stair lift for your disabled child, you have to think outside the box. One example of this is to use crowd funding sources such as Kickstarter and Crowdfunder to raise funds.

These programs allow you to raise money from not only friends and family, but from willing donors all over the world. It is customary to give your contributors something in return. You could have your child make a handmade gift or if you have a blog or website you could offer advertising space.

Getting To Grips With Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is often associated with business start-ups which puts some parents off giving it a try, but if you consider that it is also known as ‘crowd sourced fundraising’ it suddenly becomes much more accessible! In fact, there have been plenty of situations where it has been used for charitable donations including disaster relief.

There are lots of websites available to set up a crowdfunding project and the process is fairly easy. As noted, you should offer rewards depending on the amount donated to encourage contributions.

You must keep in mind that you will only receive the funds if you reach your target goal, so be realistic about how much you can expect to raise within 30 days which is the usual project length. Also consider how you will publicise your project.

Sharing the link on your Facebook ad twitter pages will not be enough, so consider contacting local newspapers or radio stations to get the word out. If you do raise more than your target then you will receive the extra, so it may be wise to set a target slightly lower than you need to ensure the funds are released to you.

As you can see, there are many options available to you when searching for funding for a child’s stair lift. There are plenty of government backed schemes that have been designed especially for those people who are having problems meeting the costs of adaptive technology such as stair lifts although these are not always easy to access.

It is also worth checking your medical insurance scheme, as there may be a provision that allows you to claim the cost of a stair lift installation. Failing that do not be afraid to think outside of the box. Host a fundraiser or try crowdfunding – whatever it takes to get the money that your child needs.

For more information you should contact an expert in stair lifts and mobility aids for both children and adults with additional needs.