A wheel chair lift is designed to allow those who must use a wheelchair easier accessibility to shops, restaurants, businesses, and any other public facility. There are many types of wheelchair lifts. The type a facility has will depend on the design of the building and the amount of money the facility has to spend on such equipment. Churches often have the older type of wheel chair lift that a person sits in. This requires them to move from their wheel chair to the seat of the lift.
Power wheelchair lifts are commonly found on vans and other vehicles. They allow wheel chair bound individuals the ability to get in and out of a vehicle with ease. This is very important for them to maintain as much of an ordinary life as possible. Many individuals who are in a wheelchair still work, do their own shopping, and enjoy social gatherings. A power wheel chair lift offers a way for them to be as self-sufficient as possible under the circumstances.
Wheel chair stair lifts are designed for both indoor and outdoor use. They are also used by individuals who have difficulty going up and down stairs. The lift has a platform to roll the wheelchair onto or for an individual to stand on. It then lifts above the stairs where the individual is able to disembark from the lift. The same process is used to go back down the stairs. This is a great alternative to using the elevator and is also safe to use in the event of a fire.
Another useful type is the vertical wheel chair lift. This works almost the same way as an elevator, except the space is much smaller. The front has a door that opens when a button is pushed. The person in the wheelchair rolls into the space. There is generally enough room for another individual to enter the vertical wheel chair lift with the person in the wheelchair. Inside the lift are buttons similar to an elevator. Choose the button for your destination and you will be taken up or down depending on your choice. Once the lift has reached that location, the door will open much as the doors on an elevator do.
Handicap wheel chair lifts are designed to meet the special needs of those who use them. They may be similar to the wheel chair stair lift or the vertical wheel chair lift. They often have safety features in place and a bar inside to allow the person to pull themselves in or hold on during movement.
Wheel chair lifts come in many designs, all with the same goal of allowing those who use a wheel chair access to all the same facilities that the rest of society enjoys. They are made to be easy to use as well as accessible from ramps and other wheel chair accessible points of entry. If you require additional help, most facilities will have assistance available to help individuals with the proper use of wheel chair lifts.

Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. There is plenty more stair and chair lift information at Stair Lifts and Chair Lifts.