Elderly individuals, including those with arthritis, often find that there are a number of factors that can make preforming the task of standing up difficult. It is not uncommon for them to ask for assistance when getting out of a sitting chair, such as a recliner. In order to make this task easier for the elderly, using a lift chair is one alternative.
There are many factors that can make standing and sitting quite difficult, with one of the more common being senior arthritis. Arthritis can result in significantly reduced mobility, often as the result of joint pain and discomfort. These factors can cause the senior to have difficulty standing on their own, as well as increasing the risk of a fall with even simple movements.
Lift chairs are a kind of lifting aid, which is commonly used in the home. These devices, which are available through online merchants or via local medical supply companies, provide a means for standing and sitting, which ensures the senior can exit the device standing upright. Since so many options are available, it is a good idea to view an unbiased resource, like the Lift Chair Guide, which provides information and reviews on many types of home medical products.
A powerful lift component is located in the base of the chair, which is used to raise and lower the lift recliner, allowing the user to exit in an upright manner.
The lift chair is not a new type of home lift aid, but has been in production for over twenty years, with manufacturers like Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility, as well as lesser known sellers like Easy Comfort lift chairs, offering a wide variety of models. With a number of models and designs to choose from, seniors seldom have difficulty finding one that not only fills their needs in terms of functionality, but also makes a fine additive to their living room.
What to Look for in a Lift Chair
When selecting a lift chair, determining the correct size, which is related to the users weight and height, is quite important. The lift chair will have set specifications, as determined by the lift chair manufacturer, which describe the safe limits of the lift chair. Exceeding, or, as is the case of height requirements, not meeting these specifications can result in injury or damage to the lift chair components.
Height requirements are especially important, because this determines the height at which the lift chair will rise. An individual who is far below the listed height rating is at risk for severe injury, as the lift chair could potentially rise much too high for them.
Weight capacity is also a very essential concern, because the lift recliner must be able to fully support the weight of the user, otherwise there is risk that the electric motor may burn out or there could be damage to the lift chairs frame.
There are a number of other considerations in regards to selecting the right lift chair, including choosing a model that has a seat width and seat depth that is adequate for the user. This is where using a lift chair buying guide can come in handy, because it helps to explain the factors in a lift chair that are important and many re-sellers will not tell you!
Not meeting these can result in discomfort, which is something that is quite serious as many lift chair users spend extended time in their lift recliner!