Rise and recline chair

LynneMcV

Volunteer Moderator
May 9, 2012
6,112
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south-east London
I've reached the point where I am considering purchasing a rise/recline chair for my husband.
He is still very mobile but I have noticed that he finds it difficult to get comfy in his chair (our 3 piece suite is very old and doesn't provide the support it used to) and he finds the arms too high or maybe it's that the seat has sunk too low, and he seems to get leg cramps and has trouble getting out of the chair sometimes.
Anyway, I've started looking around and have decided that, as we do not have a large lounge, I would be better going for something called a 'wall hugger' because they only need to be about 4ins from the wall and rise/recline within their own space.
I am just wondering if anybody else has had experience of these and can help list any pros and cons that might help me decide on what to get e.g. controls, material etc.
I think I might be inclined to go for a darker colour in the hope that it will hide a multitude of sins later on as the disease progresses and the inevitable accidents occur. Or maybe the materials are easy to clean anyway, so it doesn't matter on the colour?
Anything, any detail that might help me make a good decision on what will be a costly purchase would be very welcome :)
 

Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
I've reached the point where I am considering purchasing a rise/recline chair for my husband.
He is still very mobile but I have noticed that he finds it difficult to get comfy in his chair (our 3 piece suite is very old and doesn't provide the support it used to) and he finds the arms too high or maybe it's that the seat has sunk too low, and he seems to get leg cramps and has trouble getting out of the chair sometimes.
Anyway, I've started looking around and have decided that, as we do not have a large lounge, I would be better going for something called a 'wall hugger' because they only need to be about 4ins from the wall and rise/recline within their own space.
I am just wondering if anybody else has had experience of these and can help list any pros and cons that might help me decide on what to get e.g. controls, material etc.
I think I might be inclined to go for a darker colour in the hope that it will hide a multitude of sins later on as the disease progresses and the inevitable accidents occur. Or maybe the materials are easy to clean anyway, so it doesn't matter on the colour?
Anything, any detail that might help me make a good decision on what will be a costly purchase would be very welcome :)


Morning Lynn

I asked my Doctor about one for my OH, she arranged for one to be delivered through the council (free). They are not that large, comfortable and very good. I placed it alongside the wall, this makes it much easier to use, and OH can see everyone sitting in the room. The one we have is material which you can wipe with a damp cloth, it has arm and head covers too.

I have not had any accidents. I put a single plastic mattress protector, folded, on the seat. I then put a single material mattress protector with flaps, lengthways. This saves the chair. I use masking tape to keep it in place over the top. If you have any questions, feel free. M
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
Ok just bought a riser chair for my husband. I don't think it's a wall hugger though. I asked about one from the OT service but was told we couldn't have one as he already has a hospital bed. They won't supply both. I bought a black leather one as our other chair and settee are black leather. I can wipe it down easily. It's the best thing we've bought. My husband loves when it brings him up to almost standing. I love it as it saves my back while helping him to stand.


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Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
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Enfield
Ok just bought a riser chair for my husband. I don't think it's a wall hugger though. I asked about one from the OT service but was told we couldn't have one as he already has a hospital bed. They won't supply both. I bought a black leather one as our other chair and settee are black leather. I can wipe it down easily. It's the best thing we've bought. My husband loves when it brings him up to almost standing. I love it as it saves my back while helping him to stand.


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That's a shame Issy,

I was offered a hospital bed for Stan, even though he has the chair. They also came to look at the house, and drew up plans to build a single extension for a bedroom for him. Nice idea, but, the downside was, they wanted to make my sitting room into a wet room. I had to turn it down as it meant I would have to live and eat in one room. It may depend on the area one lives in, as to what can be supplied by the Councils. Hope you are feeling better soon. Have a nice weekend. M
 
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Izzy

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Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
Thanks Mal. They're supplied by the OT service so that comes under the National Health Trust. She said it's only recently this new rule came in. We need to keep the bed as it is also a great boon for Bill. He can sleep with the back raised slightly which helps his chest. I can also raise the whole bed while he's sittin in the side so that brings him to standing as well.
 

LynneMcV

Volunteer Moderator
May 9, 2012
6,112
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south-east London
Thanks Mal and Izzy, you've both given some very helpful information.

I had no idea that the these kind of chairs were available via the OT service. Having said that, I don't believe that my husband would qualify for one at this stage as he is very mobile still and only just starting to show minor signs of struggling to get out of the chair (the majority of which is probably because the chair is past its best).

We'll need to replace the suite anyway so I figure now's the time to get the riser/recliner in situ and then just replace the settee and remaining chair.

If we can only have either a bed or a chair via the OT I think I'd be wiser to hold out for the bed should we ever need it. I think that would be a huge help when it comes to me helping my husband get in and out of bed.

I would be interested to know more about the sizing of the chairs - they seem to come in three sizes and probably the standard size might be best. Mal you mentioned your OH's isn't that large. My husband is 6ft 2ins so it needs to be a standard size at least I think. I'll certainly have to give the 'compact' size one a miss.

I'll get my tape measure out and see if we can accommodate anything larger than standard.

I am glad to hear that the material is quite easy to keep clean too. I had considered leather versions too but they seem to come in cream or black. Cream I think would show marks too quickly (I have a reasonably busy house) and black would be no good for my husband as he is starting to dislike the colour as he is finding it hard to make out what various black things around the house are. He might very well start interpreting a black chair as something to be avoided.

I wonder how loud the mechanism is too when rising or reclining. I think he should be ok because he accepts the noise of the power shower without fuss and I doubt that a chair would be particularly loud?
 

fredsnail

Registered User
Dec 21, 2008
648
0
We've been looking at these. We've looking at a dual motor one so the foot rest will rise independently of the recline of the back.

I've seen some on Amazon but they all seem to come in 2 parts for self assembly - did anyone have to set theirs up and was it hard?
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
73,998
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72
Dundee
We've been looking at these. We've looking at a dual motor one so the foot rest will rise independently of the recline of the back.

I've seen some on Amazon but they all seem to come in 2 parts for self assembly - did anyone have to set theirs up and was it hard?

I'm afraid I paid the extra for the men to set It up when it was delivered. It looked pretty simple to me but I wouldn't have taken the chance!
 
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Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
Thanks Mal and Izzy, you've both given some very helpful information.

I had no idea that the these kind of chairs were available via the OT service. Having said that, I don't believe that my husband would qualify for one at this stage as he is very mobile still and only just starting to show minor signs of struggling to get out of the chair (the majority of which is probably because the chair is past its best).

We'll need to replace the suite anyway so I figure now's the time to get the riser/recliner in situ and then just replace the settee and remaining chair.

If we can only have either a bed or a chair via the OT I think I'd be wiser to hold out for the bed should we ever need it. I think that would be a huge help when it comes to me helping my husband get in and out of bed.

I would be interested to know more about the sizing of the chairs - they seem to come in three sizes and probably the standard size might be best. Mal you mentioned your OH's isn't that large. My husband is 6ft 2ins so it needs to be a standard size at least I think. I'll certainly have to give the 'compact' size one a miss.

I'll get my tape measure out and see if we can accommodate anything larger than standard.

I am glad to hear that the material is quite easy to keep clean too. I had considered leather versions too but they seem to come in cream or black. Cream I think would show marks too quickly (I have a reasonably busy house) and black would be no good for my husband as he is starting to dislike the colour as he is finding it hard to make out what various black things around the house are. He might very well start interpreting a black chair as something to be avoided.

I wonder how loud the mechanism is too when rising or reclining. I think he should be ok because he accepts the noise of the power shower without fuss and I doubt that a chair would be particularly loud?

When I asked the doctor, OH was mobile, I told the doctor he was finding it difficult getting up from a chair, she took it from there.. The chair OH has is silent. They ask what weight and height they are, so that the chair is the correct size, I think ours is medium. Speak to your doctors, they will advise you better. We have had a few over the years, which 2 were navy, the last one was dark maroon, but, they are not bold colours. My suite is green leather, but, as I have the protective sheet over the chair the colour doesn't really show. The one thing with having a chair from Council, if anything goes wrong with them are there straight away, they do not repair ( unless a small problem), they replace with no problems. Good luck
 

Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
Thanks Mal. They're supplied by the OT service so that comes under the National Health Trust. She said it's only recently this new rule came in. We need to keep the bed as it is also a great boon for Bill. He can sleep with the back raised slightly which helps his chest. I can also raise the whole bed while he's sittin in the side so that brings him to standing as well.

That's shame, it's all money isn't it?
I wouldn't be able to have a bed. I wouldn't be able to get Stan on his feet from the side. when he slept in the bed, I would sit him up and he would slide to one side, once he slid on the floor and I had to get my brother to come and help me get him up again. I have a hoist for him to get him up from his chair. It works at the moment. M
 

tre

Registered User
Sep 23, 2008
1,352
0
Herts
I am in Herts and in our area Herts Action on Disability offer a weekly seating clinic where you can make an appointment with an OT at their weekly seating clinic. This is free. This would not be of use for my husband who has severe dementia and is blind, as he would get anxious and stiffen and end up on the floor, but we have been provided with raisers to put under his normal chair which makes it around 8 inches higher which makes getting up and down easier. These were free.
My 87 year old dad, who does not live with us, has severe rheumatoid arthritis and is expressing an interest in this type of chair. I have an appointment to take him to the seating clinic on Thursday where he can try the chairs at get expert advice with no sales pressure. Dad's hands are really badly affected by the rheumatoid arthritis so I want to be sure he can operate any chair prior to purchasing. I cannot believe we are the only area that has this service. Might be worth putting in "your County" followed by Action on Disability to see if there is anything similar in your area.
Tre
 

jimbo 111

Registered User
Jan 23, 2009
5,080
0
North Bucks
I do not suffer with AD or other forms of dementia ( I hope, but sometimes wonder )
I have a Dual Rise &Recline arm chair I bought about 2years ago
My mobility is very poor and I have carer assistance to wash and dress in the mornings and undress in the evening
I mention this to give some idea about my need for a Dual Rise &Reclining chair
The chair I have has an electrically operated cable control box that has
4 control buttons
2 for operating (up /down ) the recliner
2 for operating (up/down) the riser

My experience with caring for my wife with AD for many years makes me certain that my type of chair is not suitable for anyone with medium / advanced AD ,
It is far to easy to press the wrong button ( particularly with 4 of them )
and a mild panic sets in when for example you find the chair tipping you out onto the floor
There are chairs with manually operated handles on the side , but I would suspect that they could become hard to operate with any disability
I have no experience with the chairs called ‘wall huggers ‘but I suspect they do not have the dual action
The name implies that the chair can be very close to the wall which depending on the need can be very useful , because to make full use of the recliner action the chair has to be at least 2ft 6in away from the wall , and in a reasonably sized living room this takes up a lot of space
I therefore find that the recliner action is not used very often , on the other hand it can be used occasionally as a temporary ‘bed’ And I am told quite comfortable
To suit my purposes I think I was not necessarily wise or cost conscious when I bought the chair , it was very expensive , but hope fully will last many years
You can get the chair less VAT ; but if you want to have matching chairs /sofas you have to pay VAT on them
My chair was made by HSL ,and I was assured , top quality ,but I wonder if the expense was really justified ,particularly when I read some of the prices quoted
I think I would advice purchasing a ‘wall hugger ‘ with either a handle or just the two buttons for a riser chair for anyone with dementia problems
jimbo

Ps I got assistance from the OT for bath seat ,bedrails , stools ,etc
But had to pay the full price ( less VAT) for the chair
J
Pps
since making this post
I am reminded by 'necessity ' of the problems with an electric operated chair
When the seat is in the raised position it takes some time to when your feet are on the floor
If you suffer with a bladder /bowel problem it can be a problem
I have several times tried to get out of the chair in a hurry and come a 'cropper' on the floor
 
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Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
I never leave my husband unattended on the riser chair when the footrest part is up. I've seen him try to get up from it in this position. He has advanced Alzheimer's and only myselfor one of the carers operate the chair.
 
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garnuft

Registered User
Sep 7, 2012
6,585
0
Yes, Mam used to struggle with hers.
I used to use it to raise her feet a couple of times a day as she began to retain fluid in her ankles but I would never leave her alone in the raised position as she would have stumbled and fallen.

She forgot it was an 'electric' chair ...so twice a day I had the pleasure of seeing her delighted reaction to modern technology, it thrilled her :)
Twice a day I made the joke about her being in the electric chair too :)


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LynneMcV

Volunteer Moderator
May 9, 2012
6,112
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south-east London
Thanks everyone for all the info, it's so helpful and has given me lots of pointers on what to look out for. It was particularly helpful to read about the number of buttons for a dual motor - there's definitely no way my husband will cope with that so if I do go for a riser/recliner it will have to be a single motor.
It was interesting to read about the 8 inch raisers that go under the chair too. That would solve part of the problem but I think the height of the arms on his current chair would still make him feel 'hemmed in'.
I had one salesperson call me on Sunday after I'd requested a brochure online and specifically said I just wanted the brochure and no sales calls at this stage. They tried booking a demo and home visit then and there which I declined as I want to know exactly what I want first. Unless they have a stunning brochure they won't be hearing from me, I can't stand sales pressure that disregards my wishes like that.

Thanks again all, I have a much clearer picture of what's possible now.
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
I've been trying to get a level access shower installed and have had much the same problem, Lynne - heavy sales pressure that only succeeds in me refusing all contact with them. Our local, independent plumbers are nicer.....but we've yet to find one who wants the job!!!
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
She forgot it was an 'electric' chair ...so twice a day I had the pleasure of seeing her delighted reaction to modern technology, it thrilled her :)
Twice a day I made the joke about her being in the electric chair too :)


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point

This really made me smile, garnuft - sounds very like my mum on a good day :D xx
 

Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
Thanks everyone for all the info, it's so helpful and has given me lots of pointers on what to look out for. It was particularly helpful to read about the number of buttons for a dual motor - there's definitely no way my husband will cope with that so if I do go for a riser/recliner it will have to be a single motor.
It was interesting to read about the 8 inch raisers that go under the chair too. That would solve part of the problem but I think the height of the arms on his current chair would still make him feel 'hemmed in'.
I had one salesperson call me on Sunday after I'd requested a brochure online and specifically said I just wanted the brochure and no sales calls at this stage. They tried booking a demo and home visit then and there which I declined as I want to know exactly what I want first. Unless they have a stunning brochure they won't be hearing from me, I can't stand sales pressure that disregards my wishes like that.

Thanks again all, I have a much clearer picture of what's possible now.

Hi Lynne

Just a note on the control pad, it does have a key inserted in the side of the remote , which can be removed and kept safely away from them. That way they cannot move the chair.

When we first had ours, it is a single motor, my husband was ok with it and managed well. 3 years down the line, he has deteriorated, and sleeps mostly, but, I still keep the key on the table, habit.
The only thing I have to watch now, is, he has a habit of wiggling his bottom getting comfortable now and again, which means he slides down the chair a bit. I have to keep the foot rest up most of the time, or, like this afternoon, I went out of the room for a second and when I came back he was sitting on the floor. He wasn't hurt, thank goodness, and my neighbour came in to help me get him back on the chair. Another lesson learnt. But, he is ok, that's all that matters. M
 
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