A human lift apparatus is disclosed. In various embodiments, the lift apparatus includes a substantially vertical guide rail; a carriage positioned to be moved up and down along the guide rail; a drive mechanism coupled to the carriage and configured to move the carriage at a controlled rate along the guide rail; and a tiltable seat coupled mechanically to the carriage in a manner that allows the seat to tilt about a substantially transverse tilt axis that is substantially parallel to the floor and runs substantially across the seat at a depth that enables a human subject to be seated on the tiltable seat with the center of gravity of the human subject being between the tilt axis and a back end of the seat. The tiltable seat is tiltably mounted in a manner and location that allows the tiltable seat to tilt down, with a front edge of the seat lower than the back edge of the seat, as the center of gravity of the human subject is shifted to a position forward of the tilt axis.