Achieving Greater Independence at Home through Home Access Solutions

At-a-Glance: Custom Home Access for Independence

• Jeremy Siegers, a power wheelchair user, faced challenges with daily transfers at home.
• NSM designed a custom ceiling lift and track system for safe, independent movement.
• Features include full-room mobility, smooth bathroom transitions and reduced caregiver strain.
• Result: increased independence and easier daily routines for both Jeremy and his caregivers.

How a Ceiling Lift System Transformed Daily Life for Chicago-Area Entrepreneur Jeremy Siegers

For Jeremy Siegers, creativity is part of what makes him tick.

As the owner of Sharp Mill Graphics, a multi-surface branding management company based in the Chicagoland area, he’s used to finding creative solutions for unique challenges. But when it came to navigating his home as a power wheelchair user, Siegers realized he needed a tailored home access solution.

That’s where National Seating & Mobility’s (NSM) Home Access team came in. Learn more about how home accessibility solutions can practically help complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) users like Siegers. 

The Challenge: Daily Transfers with a Hoyer Lift

Like many wheelchair users, Siegers relied on a manual Hoyer lift to transfer between his mobility scooter, bed and other areas of his home. However, as his limb-girdle muscular dystrophy progressed and Siegers transitioned to a power wheelchair, these transfers became increasingly difficult — not just for him, but also for his caregivers.

“I’m 6 foot, 2 inches tall and 200 pounds,” he said. “Having my mom, who is smaller than me, trying to maneuver me around — it got to be too much work for her or whoever was helping me transfer me.” 

Siegers knew he needed a home accessibility solution that would provide independence while also reducing the strain on his parents and other caregivers. 

Partnering With NSM for a Custom Track System

The ceiling lift and track system project began with a simple question. 

“After I moved to my power chair, I was trying to finagle transfers with the Hoyer lift,” Siegers recalled. “I asked my ATP what other people used for transfers and just knew that there had to be other solutions out there.” 

Siegers’ ATP connected Siegers with NSM’s Home Access team, who came to Siegers’ home and walked through his daily routine with him. Together, he and the NSM Home Access team worked to create a custom solution that fits Siegers’ unique needs. 

The result was a custom ceiling track system, a motorized track and lift installed in Siegers’ home that helps him safely transfer between a wheelchair, bed, shower or toilet with minimal caregiver assistance. 

Siegers describes the system as “similar to an engine hoist in an auto body shop.” Key features include:

• X-Y axis movement: The track system allows Siegers to move forward, backward, left or right, unrestricted by a single track
• Custom bathroom carousel: Siegers can rotate completely to access the shower chair and other areas of the bathroom
• Seamless transitions: A gate system allows Siegers’ smooth movement between rooms

The NSM team carefully planned the installation, first evaluating Siegers’ home to ensure it could structurally support the weight of the track system. Then, the team laid out the track, mounted it to ceiling rafters and fine-tuned transitions room-to-room to ensure it worked correctly and fit Siegers’ needs. 

The Impact: Independence and Reduced Caregiver Strain

While Siegers still requires minor assistance to attach to the lift, the system significantly reduces caregiver burden. Now, all his caregivers need to do is help him hook onto the lift — a small task compared to manually lifting him multiple times a day.

“My parents are getting older, and I have a caretaker as well, but the burden [of manually lifting me] got to be too much,” he said. “This system is part of our daily routine and a huge help. I use it every single day, and I don’t know what I’d do without it.

“It’s definitely an investment,” he continued, “but it’s an investment that’s worth it for all parties involved.”

Discover Custom Home Solutions

If you or a loved one is seeking greater independence at home, NSM offers custom home accessibility solutions designed around your life. From ceiling lifts to home modifications, the NSM Home Access team creates solutions that fit your unique mobility needs.

Click here to learn more About Home Access Solutions!