Recliner Chairs For The Elderly | Benefits & Buying Guide

Through supporting elderly and disabled users, as well as their loved ones and carers for the past 50 years, the popularity of the ‘traditional’ riser recliner armchair remains a constant.

It’s easy to see why, reclining chairs act as aid improves a person’s ability to go about their day-to-day lives with ease and independence.

They can act as standing aids that help low mobility users feel more confident and independent when alone around their home.

These mobility supporting chairs can also help alleviate back and spinal pain among the elderly by offering a comfortable seating solution that supports correct posture…all while matching your home interior.

Available in a wide range of colours & upholstery you may choose to buy a custom made to measure riser recliner armchair, they are a interior décor friendly way to support elderly & low mobility users.

For more complex conditions and disabilities, riser recliner care chairs provide support for everything from pressure injury management, to spinal alignment through extra postural support pillows and cushions.

Let’s look at the benefits of a traditional reclining armchair for elderly and disabled users with decreased mobility.

These orthopaedic aids not only offer extreme comfort, but they also promote better posture and circulation, both key for users who may find themselves sitting in a riser recliner armchair for prolonged periods of time.

1. Recliner Chair or Mobility Recliner?

No, this isn’t an exercise on what recliner armchairs should be called, but more a look at what they offer.

Traditionally, a recliner chair for an elderly user could be looked at as a ‘regular’ piece of furniture with slight enhancements to make the seated person more comfortable.

Over time, riser recliner chairs have not just become more specialist in their offerings, but the benefits that these reclining chairs offer disabled and elderly users over time have become more and more visible.

Reclining chairs enable and support a low mobility user with day to day movements.

The ‘rise and fall’ movement of the chair allows a recliner armchair to become a piece of assistive equipment that makes regular tasks that much easier for someone with low mobility.

Riser and recliner armchairs have the ability to help you get on and off your feet in a safe, supported manner. From the simple touch of a button, you could be rising to a standing position without having to exert too much effort.

This is an incredibly helpful feature for a person with low strength who may struggle to get out of their chair…or someone with low mobility who may be at increased risk of falls when standing up.

A riser recliner armchair will extend forwards and upwards to facilitate a steady, smooth, standing action.

Similarly, this rising action can be used to help you sit down in a much more stable, controlled fashion. From the fully extended position, a riser recliner armchair can help to safely guide you down to a seated position.

This is a much simpler way to make sure that you’re seated comfortably without putting too much stress on your legs to lower yourself down gently.

A feature like this in a piece of furniture can make all the difference to a person’s day to day activities, a mobility chair for elderly or disabled users can allow for increased independence for longer.

2. Recliner Armchairs Can Help Promote Improved Circulation

Of course, another benefit of a riser recliner armchair is the ability to lay back and put your feet up! The extending leg-rest can lift your feet off the ground and have you reclining in no time.

However, this isn’t always purely for relaxation. If a person spends a lot of time seated, it can actually be detrimental to their health.

Elevating the legs can promote better circulation which will help prevent further unnecessary health issues that may develop when sitting for a prolonged period of time. Leg elevation can also help to relieve swelling in the lower legs, keeping a person more comfortable for longer.

3. Riser Recliner Armchairs Can Help Reduce Back Pain

The flexible positioning of a riser recliner armchair helps to alleviate any pre-existing back pains. The recline action means that you can benefit from a more supportive position, which will ease any back pain you already have.

Some riser recliner armchairs can be positioned almost completely flat, making it a bit more comfortable if you want to have a quick snooze in your chair – however, we don’t recommend sleeping in them for long periods of time.

4. Recliner Armchairs Can Offer Postural Support

Riser recliners will also help with postural control, ensuring that you don’t do yourself any harm when sat in them for longer periods of time. They are designed and manufactured to provide excellent comfort and support over a long period of time, so they will almost certainly include features that will prevent postural deterioration and possible spinal deformities.

Many rise and recline armchairs will feature some sort of tilt-in-space function. This allows you to tilt backwards and elevate your legs, therefore redistributing your weight through more of the surface of the chair. This takes a lot of pressure off your spine and neck to allow them to rest in a natural, healthy position.

5. Riser Recliner Armchairs Can Aid Pressure Redistribution

When someone spends a lot of time sat down, one of the largest risk factors faced is pressure injuries. This occurs when during long periods spent sitting without much repositioning.

The build-up of pressure on the posterior, back, and even elbows and ankles can lead to discomfort and potentially serious injury.

A riser recliner armchair can help to combat this by providing easier methods of repositioning for the user. Particularly useful for elderly or disabled users with low mobility, riser recliners allow a seated user to lean back and elevate their legs, thus relieving pressure from vulnerable areas.

This reduces the risk of developing pressure ulcers and increased comfort for the seated user.

Riser recliners also make it much easier to simply reposition, keeping the user supported for longer.

Summary

The important benefits of rise and recline chairs for the elderly, disabled or otherwise mobility impaired to keep in mind are:

1. The rise and recliner – Can help a person sit and stand from the chair
2. The recline or or tilt-in-space – Redistributes pressure from vulnerable areas and helps avoid skin breakdown
3. Accessories – Riser recliner chairs that care for more complex cases can provide further support through postural support pillows or increased pressure injury management

 

If you’re still undecided or you want to try out some riser recliner armchairs first, why not contact us with us and arrange a free no-obligation seating assessment? We’ll take a look at the ways you could benefit from a chair, and we’ll explain your options, so you have a better understanding of our seating range.

Or you can download a free copy of our seating assessment eBook that covers the importance of specifying the right king of rise and recline chairs.