If they're unable to leave the handicapped person at home and can't manage to take them along when they go somewhere, Talbot explains, then many of these people simply don't go.
"This is just the right thing to do," Talbot says, "because it helps a lot of people be independent again."
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| The Sit-N-Lift seat will fit into General Motors minivans going back to 1997. |
As well as being the right thing to do, Sit-N-Lift is also a good business decision, in the view of Talbot and senior GM executives.
Talbot praises Bill Lovejoy, GM's previous vice-president of sales and service in approving the development of Sit-N-Lift and other GM Mobility programs, and his successor, John Smith, for making them part of the company's regular marketing strategy.
Jim Kornas, GM's director of mobility product development, says the market for the Sit-N-Lift will continue to grow as the population ages.
"With approximately 80 million people over the age of 50 and more than 50 million Americans with some form of disability," he says, "we think the Sit-N-Lift seat can help a lot of people stay on the move."
As people age, Kornas added, "things can become more difficult. Arthritis, a sore back, or physical needs necessitate that vehicles have to be more flexible and accommodating."
A feature like Sit-N-Lift allows a wide range of people to be part of the vehicle experience, he says, since they're "able to get out and about and stay as independent as possible."
Caregivers also benefit, Kornas notes, because the Sit-N-Lift seat might allow them to get someone into a vehicle (like an adult child with developmental problems) who was previously house-bound.
On top of that, the Sit-N-Lift power seat is a safety feature as well as a convenience because it can help prevent caregivers from getting injured while assisting or lifting their passenger into the vehicle.
More information on Sit-N-Lift and GM Mobility is available at gmmobility.com.