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Lift chairs are one of the best options for the elderly to regain some independence after losing mobility. These chairs, per their name, assist in lifting a person, thus minimizing the effort on their muscles. Lift chairs, for all their usefulness, have a few safety issues.
Lift chairs are generally considered safe for the elderly. The primary concerns for a lift chair are that the chair could potentially get stuck in the same position and that the chair may lift the individual too fast for their comfort.
Risk is always involved, no matter how safe a device is, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t utilize them. In this article, we’ll look at the risks involved with lift chairs and discuss what you can do to maximize safety for your loved one. Let’s jump in.
Are Lift Chairs Good for Aging Adults?
Lift chairs have several benefits for the aging population. Mobility problems are at the top of the list for most people in the elderly community and lift chairs provide a long-needed solution to some of these.
With this in mind, there are a few things we need to look at to be able to answer the question of whether or not lift chairs are good for aging adults.
The primary things that we need to consider:
- The amount of risk a lift chair presents to the aging adult
- The overall usefulness of a lift chair for the aging adult
- The ease of use for the aging adult
- The lift chair cost and the subsequent effect on the aging adult
While somewhat unrelated, all of these factors play heavily into answering whether lift chairs are good for aging adults. Ultimately, this section is only a guide – a pros and cons of sorts – for you to consider when looking at getting a lift chair for your aging parents. Only you can decide whether or not a lift chair is right for your family.
With this in mind, let’s get started by looking at each of these factors in turn.
How Much Risk Does a Lift Chair Present?
Let’s start with the most important factor – how much risk a lift chair presents. There’s been a fair amount of debate over this topic, but we must take ourselves out of emotion and look at the facts as they are. Nearly always, when a topic is heavily debated, it’s based on an emotional response rather than looking at the topic logically.
It’s natural to worry about your aging parents. After all, they were your providers when you were young, and you want to give them the best life possible in their golden years. However, the risk to the elderly is often grossly overestimated with many products. While everything comes with risk, it is minimal in most cases.
Lift chairs are designed with maximum safety in mind. While there’s always a possibility of mistakes in the process, the risk is practically nonexistent. There are only a couple of things you’ll want to consider concerning the possible dangers of a lift chair.
Bear in mind, however, that the risks we are discussing today are still highly unlikely to happen. Nonetheless, it’s critical to be informed, especially where it concerns those dearest to us.
Let’s look at the two primary risks a lift chair presents:
- The chair may become stuck in one position. This is a possibility because the chairs are operated electronically, and as always, electric items can fail.
- The chair may lift the individual too quickly. In general, lift chairs move very slowly, but it varies from chair to chair. In addition, if the individual has lost some of his or her mental faculties, the movement of the chair can sometimes cause jostling and occasionally panic.
While each person will have their own concerns about lift chairs, these are the two most common, so they’re the only ones we’ll be covering today. Let’s take a look at each one separately.
The Chair May Become Stuck in One Position
For a young person in full health, a lift chair becoming stuck in one position is nothing to be concerned about. They will simply maneuver their body and roll out of the chair. For an elderly person, however, a chair that has become stuck can become a critical situation quickly.
The danger of this happening is amplified if the person is home alone. In most cases, those with lift chairs are alone since the chair’s purpose is to increase mobility and independence.
Let’s look at what can happen if the chair becomes stuck in one position.
- Most lift chairs recline in a similar position to traditional recliners. This allows the aging person the same benefits they once enjoyed in traditional chairs. The difference is that the entire process happens electrically rather than manually.
- Like all electronics, lift chairs sometimes falter, and this can leave your loved one in a bad situation. If the chair fails while in the reclined position, the individual may be left for hours or, in extreme cases, days. The consequences of this range from moderate to severe.
- The person may miss essential medication doses or be harmed physically or mentally during the time that they are stuck in the chair. They will likely become dehydrated and suffer muscular attacks. While this can be a dangerous situation, we have to take into account the likelihood that something like this would happen. Being prepared for this possibility also minimizes the risk involved.
Let’s look at how a lift chair is designed so that you can be best prepared.
- Lift chairs are designed to take your loved one from a laid-back position to a standing position. The chair is typically set up on hydraulics and lifts your loved one slowly and carefully upwards.
- The entire system of a lift chair is designed with safety in mind. While mistakes happen, lift chairs nearly always have a fail-safe system that ensures that the chair will not get stuck in any specific position. Even when the main electrical system goes down, a backup system is in place that ensures the chair continues to work properly.
- The likelihood of both electrical systems failing is enormously small. If this happens, you can be prepared by ensuring that your loved one always has a cell phone or pager nearby to contact help in an emergency.
With all this in mind, the possibility of a lift chair getting stuck in one position is so small that it’s almost no concern. Let’s look at our other primary concern.
The Chair May Move Too Quickly for Your Aging Parent
In general, lift chairs move very slowly. The average time for a lift chair to move from the reclined position to a standing position is between thirty and forty seconds. This time varies depending on whether the chair is a two-position or a three-position lift chair.
However, it’s important to recognize that each chair is made differently. Some move the individual completely forward, and some require them to still use a large amount of their energy to get up.
In addition, each chair moves at a slightly different speed, and while it may not appear at first glance, this variance can make a major difference in the overall safety of your loved one. Do Stairlifts Have Different Speed Settings?
If the chair moves too fast, the individual may not be able to gain their bearings quickly enough, especially if they are suffering from major muscular degeneration or if their mental faculties have begun to fail – both of which are common in aging adults.
This can be a cause for concern, and the danger shouldn’t be underestimated. However, as with anything else, the risk can be mitigated.
One precaution you can take is to thoroughly research the lift chair ahead of time. If possible, go to a store and test out the chair before purchasing. This is even better if you can take the aging adult with you.
It’s nearly impossible to know for sure how your loved one will handle the lift chair before testing it. However, this isn’t always possible. In these cases, ensure that you stay with your loved one for the first few times they use the lift chair.
Lift chairs aren’t recommended for those who are struggling mentally. The movement of the chair may disorient these individuals.
Overall, the risk of the chair moving too quickly is minimal and can be practically done away with the right precautionary measures.
How Useful Are Lift Chairs for Aging Adults?
Now that we’ve thoroughly covered the risks involved let’s look at the overall usefulness of lift chairs for aging adults.
Mobility issues are some of the most common problems among the aging population. Lift chairs are a modern solution to even the toughest mobility problems.
Lift chairs have become a savior for those struggling with mobility problems. One of the hardest parts for these individuals is getting in and out of chairs. The muscle use required for moving from a sitting to a standing position often degenerates the quickest, and this rapidly leads to a lack of freedom and independence in aging adults.
The specific usefulness will vary between individuals, but in general, if an adult suffers from mobility problems, lift chairs are a long-needed answer.
A lift chair may provide moderate usefulness for aging adults not suffering from major mobility struggles. Either way, they are still helpful to have on hand as mobility problems typically start small and progress as the years go on. As they say, it’s always better to be prepared for what lies ahead.
How Easy Are Lift Chairs To Use?
Almost all lift chairs are remote-controlled for ease of use. This is one reason they are some of the most popular creations for the aging community. The remote and some additional features give lift chairs a major appeal.
In general, lift chairs are enormously easy to use. Even when they aren’t remote-controlled, they will nearly always have multiple settings for tilt, speed, and more. This makes a huge difference in the difficulty level and learning curve.
Lift chairs are designed with ease of use in mind for the user. Manufacturers of these products understand the aging population is using the chair, and special precautions and added features have been included in the chairs for maximum benefits.
One of the biggest features is that the chairs can be easily controlled with a touch of a button. These buttons are also typically larger and easy to differentiate from one another, so there’s no confusion as to which direction the lift chair is moving.
Features like this make lift chairs easy to learn to use and continue using, making them well worth the price involved in the purchase.
Are Lift Chairs Worth the Cost?
Most lift chairs cost between $400 and $1000, depending on the chair’s features. While this isn’t a huge cost investment for many people, for others, especially those in the low-income community, this can make a major dent financially.
Lift chairs have a lot of benefits that make a major difference for aging individuals. However, everything comes at a price, and not just financially. If the lift chair is a gift, it often doesn’t negatively affect the aging adult. However, this small price can seem outrageous for those purchasing their own chairs, especially considering most recliners are no more than $250.
Lift chairs come at a price, and this can seem overwhelming for someone on a fixed income. It’s essential to recognize that purchasing a lift chair will have an effect on your aging parent’s overall income and determine whether the benefits of the lift chair outweigh the costs involved.
In general, lift chairs provide more than enough benefits to make them worth the cost, especially for those suffering heavily from mobility issues, but this remains something that must be decided from family to family.
Final Thoughts
Lift chairs present a minimal risk for aging adults. They are, in fact, some of the safest devices designed for the elderly. The two major concerns with a lift chair are the chair may become stuck in position, thus leaving the individual immobilized, or that the chair may move too quickly for the individual.
Typically, these issues aren’t anything to be concerned with when the proper preparations and safety measures are implemented.
Lift chairs are overall good for elderly adults, but you must consider all the factors for yourself in moving forward.
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