How much does a care chair cost?

Care chairs are highly specialised chairs. They are designed to support complex postural requirements, provide pressure care, and so much more.

Most people who use care chairs require hoisted transfers and cannot reposition themselves. That means tailoring the chair to the individual is crucial for proper support and comfort. The base price for a care chair can start at around £1,100. However, adding the customisations a specific person needs could (in some cases) increase the price to as much as £4,000.

In this article, we give you a guide to getting the best deal on a care chair. (N.B. All prices mentioned in this article exclude VAT.)

1)     Look at what features are included as standard

Often chairs towards the lower end of the starting price range have very few features included as standard.

For example, a care chair might be advertised at £1,100. That sounds like a good deal.

But then you find it only comes with a basic tilt-in-space function and you have to pay extra for all the add-ons to make the chair suitable for someone with Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, or other complex conditions.

A simple way to imagine the scenario is to compare it to booking a holiday. The initial ticket price for your flight can look great. Until you find yourself paying for your seat, baggage and boarding on top! The price quickly adds up. The same is true with basic care chairs.

What features do I need in a care chair?

To avoid these extra costs, we suggest looking for a care chair that offers tilt-in-space, backrest recline, and an articulating legrest as standard.

In our experience, almost every care chair user needs these three features. So, it’s worth paying a bit more to have them included.

We developed the Lento Care Chair with tilt-in-space, backrest recline and articulating legrest, all as standard.

The Lento starts from £3,154. However, you may not need to purchase anything extra. We work with lots of clients who are fully supported by what Lento offers as standard!

Get a free assessment to set your budget

Until you know which features you need, setting a budget for your care chair can be difficult.

One of our specialists can help you get started. They will carry out a free assessment to understand what features you need from a chair and how much they will cost.

Book your free no-obligation assessment, available via video or at your own home.

2)     Think about long-term costs

It is important to remember that the care chair has to be tailored to the user. This is especially true for people with progressive conditions like Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

For users with progressive conditions, there is a risk that a made-to-measure care chair won’t work for them for very long.

If their posture or muscle tone deteriorates then what was a carefully sized care chair will no longer be suitable. Having to replace a chair every few years, or even months, would get very expensive!

By choosing an adjustable care chair instead, you can save long-term costs.

An adjustable care chair can be resized as the user’s needs changed. Some also have modular cushions so you can change up the backrest and pressure relief quickly and easily.

Lento is extremely versatile. Along with all its different built-in features, it’s also fully size adjustable. You can change the seat height, width and depth, as well as the height of the footplate and armrests, and the backrest or seat cushion — without any tools!

This flexibility allows the care chair to adapt with the user as their needs change over time.

Adjustability is also great for anyone whose weight fluctuates, or older people who may shrink over time.

Maintenance costs

As an added benefit, adjustable, modular chairs are cheaper to maintain or repair.

If one cushion gets damaged or a part fails, you can just replace that one piece. It is far easier and cheaper than having to replace the whole chair.

We also have a team of trained engineers who can provide maintenance support if needed. Our range of service contracts can provide full coverage, giving you peace of mind that your care chair will always be in top working condition!

3)     Think about how the chair fits into the user’s life

A care chair is more than just a chair.  It impacts all areas of the user’s life.

Mental wellbeing is often overlooked when focusing on someone’s physical health.  However, investing in the right care chair can benefit both.

There may be features that do not seem clinically necessary initially but can still be worth investing in.

For example, if someone is supported properly in their chair but their head cushion blocks their view from others it can lead to feelings of exclusion and decreased engagement.

This can have a lasting impact on their overall health! So, it’s worth investing in a solution that still provides support but doesn’t block their view.

Here are some more examples of extras we find have a direct impact on a client’s quality of life:

• Electric action: Allows users to operate the chair and change their position independently. This increases independence, which boosts mood and helps people retain abilities and functions for longer.
• Colours: Being able to choose the colour of the chair can increase people’s willingness to use it. This is especially helpful if someone is reluctant to use a ‘specialist chair’. In a home setting, it can tie in with aesthetics and personalise the chair for the user.

Summary

Overall, there are three key points to think about when budgeting for a care chair. One, what features do you get as standard — does a more expensive chair have features that will be better suited to the user. Two, long-term costs — how often will you need to replace the chair? How much are maintenance and repairs? Three, how does the chair fit into the user’s life — will they want to use it? Will it enhance quality of life in all areas?

These three points will ensure you think your care chair budget through and get the best deal. We always recommend adjustable chairs, such as the Lento, for the best long-term value.

Try Lento for yourself

Get in touch to try the Lento Care Chair. We can provide UK delivery in 2 – 4 days and, because the chair is fully adjustable, you can order without needing an assessment first. You can size the chair to perfectly fit the user in minutes!

We developed the Lento over 2 years, with support from occupational therapists and tissue viability specialists. Now, the care chair is flexible enough to fit 80% of adult users.

Money Back Guarantee

When you purchase a Lento care chair, you’ll get a 7-day trial period. If you find that Lento doesn’t fully meet your needs, we will come to collect the chair and you will receive a full refund^*.

It’s the hassle-free way to find the right care chair for you. Skip the assessment and test the Lento in your own environment. We’re confident you’ll feel the benefits from day one. If you don’t, no problem! We’ll arrange the collection and one of our assessors will help you to find another care chair that ticks all your requirement boxes.

^{*We require a small fee to cover the cost of collection. Offer applies to Lentos in the standard grey vinyl only.}