Lifting your self to a standing position is not always easy for people who suffer from mobility related problems and diseases. Often it is very difficult to stand without assistance after watching your nightly program, so some people are forced to rely on friends, family, or even paid caretakers to help with standing. This can prove expensive and in many ways limits your independence, which is why many people who have trouble standing use lift chairs.
A lift chair is a recliner that is also a standing aid. The chair can be raised into the air and makes it easy to stand or sit freely and without relying on any help from the outside. Older lift chairs had utilized a spring system to lift the chair into the air. This proved not to be safe though and today these spring loaded hip-breakers are not sold by any reputable mobility companies.
Most of today's lift chairs are manufactured by Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility. Both of these companies have been custom building their own hand made lift chair recliners for over twenty years. These two companies also manufacture many other types of mobility aids and are recognized for always producing quality products. Neither of these companies make nor have made the spring loaded hip-breakers, because they realized their danger.
If you live in an area that has frequent power disruptions, then you will want to ensure that your lift chair recliner features a battery backup. Many chairs offer this as a standard feature, but if not then it is usually available as an added option. Those that have a battery backup on their lift chair will never have to worry about loosing power and being stuck in their chair.
The design of a lift chair often is that of a high end recliner, but few recliners are as well built as a quality lift chair. For example Golden Technologies uses specially reinforced Northern Maple wood and their chairs offer the strongest frame in the industry. In fact they offer a life time warranty on the chairs frame and also the lift frame and also the recline mechanism.
Most lift chairs are operated by a remote control that is attached to the side of the chair by a cord. Since the remote control is physically attached to the chair, it can not be lost and will always be within arms reach. Some models place the chairs control in the armrest though. The backrest and footrest are also controlled by remote control, which makes it much easier to find the perfect sleeping, reading, or TV position.
Using a lift chair is something that can be done easily by most people and most people that have one enjoy using it. They also greatly reduce the risk of injury while standing or sitting.
Seat Lift Chair Table
Increasing your safety while at home is very important. For people that are unable to stand easy, this can mean finding a way to make standing safe again. It is possible to hire a nurse or have your spouse help you, but these both have their own disadvantages. Instead, a lift chair is commonly used, because it allows independent operation.
Lift chairs are a mobility lifting aid that became popular in the 1980's. They are a special type of recliner that can be raised into the air. When the chair has been raised, it is easy to exit the chair. The occupant will be left at a position that is near upright and a safe angle to stand from. These chairs are also used to help a person sit in a safe and controlled manner.
Modern lift chairs use an electric lifting system, but this has not always been the case. When the first lift chairs were developed, some used a spring lifting system. This proved to be the cause of several injuries, in large part because once the chair started lifting, there was no way to stop it. Eventually Medicare stopped fully covering lift chairs and refused to cover spring lift chairs.
The popularity of electric lift chairs is often attributed to Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility, which today are the two leading makers of lift chairs and other mobility aids, like electric wheelchairs. These companies both began manufacturing electric lift chairs during the mid-eighties and most other companies followed suit and stopped making the spring lift chair. Today, a few less than reputable companies still make spring lifting recliners. If you come across one, the low price is often an indication. These chairs and people that sell them should be avoided, because they pose some serious health risks.
The Golden Lift Chair and Pride Lift Chair are two of the most popular units available today. They offer long warranties on their chairs, because they are built to a very high standard. Some are capable of lifting well over six hundred pounds, but most lift around three or four hundred pounds.
The lifting mechanism is not the only part of the chair that is controlled electronically, because the footrest and armrest are also operated electronically. This makes finding a comfortable position much simpler and greatly improves these chairs ability to allow a comfortable sleeping, sitting, or TV watching position.
Using a simple easy to use hand control, the occupant can quickly move the chair and also control the backrest and footrest. The hand control features large buttons that can be felt, so you do not need to be able to see them.
Those that can not stand by themselves frequently find favorable functions in lift chairs.
Both Sean Noughtly & David Lamin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.