Your doctor or therapist may have recommended a lift chair for you. They may have even said it will help with your mobility issues as you age. Yet, if you have never heard of a lift chair it can be a bit confusing because on first glance, they look like a standard recliner. So, we are going to explain what a lift chair is and the benefits of having a lift chair so you can be fully informed and comfortable when making a decision on getting one for your mobility issues.
What is a Lift Chair?
A lift chair also can be known as power chairs or power lift chairs. A Lift Chair as mentioned earlier, looks like your standard reclining chair, yet is a piece of medical equipment designed to help those with mobility issues. The difference between a lift chair and a reclining chair is that instead of leaning back, the lift chair contains a powerful lifting system that can be triggered to tilt the base and back of the chair forward, assisting the user in returning to a standing position. The lift chair can be used in an upright position or reclined with just the push of a button on a remote rather than manually engaging a lever or switch.
Who is a lift chair for?
A lift chair can be perfect for people whose mobility challenges make it difficult for them to rise out of a chair from a sitting position, or to sit down from a standing one due to pain or lack of muscle strength.
Benefits of a power lift chair
Keep your independence.
As you age, it can get difficult to near impossible to get up from a seated position to standing on your own. This makes it difficult to keep your independence as you age. A power lift chair is designed to help you go from seated or even reclining position to standing on your own. Multiple studies demonstrate how maintaining your independence reduces your risk of chronic disease, as well as anxiety and depression.
Safer for family members and caregivers.
Lift chairs can provide safety and convenience for family members, and other caregivers, and others who risk injury from assisting those who need help getting up from a sitting position or returning to one. If a 100lb daughter is trying to help her elderly father or mother from a seated position, a power lift chair can be a great help over a standard recliner chair.
Reducing the risk of injury.
The first two benefits tie into this one. With the steady, easy help of rising to your feet, it reduces the risk for you and anyone helping you to cause injury. The chair can assist the person assisting you. It reduces muscle spasms, with fewer contractions, you’re more likely to maintain control once you’re on your feet.
Easy to use.
Power lift chairs like the ones from Golden Technology have an easy to use remote. This makes the chair much more convenient and easier to use than buttons or switches on the side of the chair.
Reducing edema.
As you age, various parts of your body begin to work harder to maintain your health. From your kidneys to your heart, each one has the potential to cause edema, which is a condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues of the body. Mild cases of edema may result from sitting or staying in one position for too long. This, a lot of times happens in the legs causing them to swell, making it difficult to mobilize. With a lift chair, you can change positions of your legs, raise them above your heart and help lift yourself to a standing position so you can walk or move around.
Reduce pressure sores, also known as bed sores.
“Bedsores — also called pressure ulcers and decubitus ulcers — are injuries to skin and underlying tissue resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body, such as the heels, ankles, hips and tailbone. People most at risk of bedsores are those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions or those who spend most of their time in a bed or chair.” – Mayoclinic.org
One of the easiest ways to prevent pressure sores is through moving around. Yet If you have mobility issues, that can be a tall order. With a lift chair you can change your position throughout the day or use the lift position to rise from the chair and get to moving about and your blood moving throughout the body.
Therapeutic benefits to back and joints.
As you age, your muscles and joints stiffen, and soreness can set in. Lift chairs, such as Golden Technology lift chairs, have special features that benefit those with stiff and sore joints, back pain, arthritis, and a variety of other conditions. These features include lumbar support, heat, and massage. They are a great alternative to expensive bathtub modifications for those who require heat and massage therapy.
Lift Chairs can be a tremendous benefit to those who have mobility issues. If you are in the Pasadena or Houston area, Bayshore Medical Supply is the perfect place to choose which lift chair is right for you. Bayshore Medical Supply is a Flagship Dealer for America’s #1 Makers of Power Lift Chairs and Patented Power Recliners, Golden Technology Lift Chairs and is the leading Houston Golden Technology Lift Chairs dealer.
