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Lift chairs are helpful for patients who are still able to sit and walk, but find it difficult to get up from chairs normally without assistance. Lift chairs features motors on them, which does much of the work in getting users to a standing position. As a result of this there is less muscle strain on the user which lowers the risk of injury or fatigue.
Active Mobility stocks a wide range of lift chairs, however choosing the right one can be difficult. Hopefully this guide will help you choose the right one for you and your patients.
Single or Dual Motors
Lift chairs are fitted with either single or dual motors. What does this mean? Single motor lift chairs only have 2 buttons on the controller to move up or down. Additionally single motor lift chairs move the backrest first followed by the footrest so patients can recline without fully moving their legs.
This allows them more choice compared to models where both the feet and back operate simultaneously; additionally having a 2 button controller means that patients suffering from dementia or Alzheimer will be able to use it easier.
Compared to single motor lift chairs, dual motors allows for both the backrest and footrest to be adjusted independently and the controller has 6 buttons to adjust the backrest, footrest as well as the recline and lift function meaning that the patient has a larger amount of unique seating positions.
User Size
The size of the user should be taken into account when purchasing a lift chair. Just as each person is different so too are the sizes of the lift chairs different. For example a tall person would not be suitable with a chair that’s for a small person as it wouldn’t offer the right levels of support and comfort.
Therefore it’s important to get the correct size to ensure that correct posture can be maintained and to minimise the chance of pressure build-ups. Factors such as seat widths, depths and heights as well as backrest height and width are all important when deciding which lift chair to purchase.
Environmental Factors/Space
Most standard lift chair requires clearance behind them to fully recline and therefore must be positioned some distance away from walls and/or other objects. The available space in the room needs to be considered as well as how the chair will look when positioned away from the wall. If the chair hits the wall while reclining it is likely to cause damage to either the chair, wall or even both.
To avoid this issue some lift chair models have the space saver, or ‘wall glider’ mechanism meaning that they can be positioned as close as 15cm from a wall.
Comfort Levels
Different lift chair models will have different types of back just as each person will need a different amount and type of support needed. That’s why it’s best to trial the lift chair first so that the patient can feel what it’s like to use it along with understanding the different features of each lift chair.
Ideally they should be able to sit comfortably with their feet resting on the floor and their legs at a 90 degree angle when in the standard seat position. It’s also best to look for a depth adjustable seat so they can personalise your comfort and positioning.
As it’s likely that the user will spend a considerable amount of time in the chair it would be best to think about adjustable padding since it allows them to find the most supportive position and maintain good posture regardless of which position they’re in.
Financial Factors
The financial factor will also need to be considered when purchasing the lift chairs. There are budget lift chairs available as well as luxury ones so it all depends on what the user’s budget is and what they’re looking for in a lift chair.
These are just some of the factors that users and carers need to consider when purchasing a lift chair. If you’re confused about which lift chair would be best suited to the user then call our sales team today and they will be able to recommend the right lift chair for them.