Manual Lift Chairs
Manual lift chairs assist the us er with standing. The user must still be able to initiate the movement into a standing position, but t hey are ‘boosted’ up by the seat. Spring tension needs to be adjusted according to the individual user's weight and ability.
Portable Lifting Cushions
Portable lifting cushions that use a hydraulic system to assist a person to stand can be placed onto a variety of standard chairs. The person must still be able to initiate the movement into a standing position, but they are ‘boosted’ up by the cushion.
Electric Lift and Recline Chairs
• A range of electric chairs is availabl e which provide push button options for reclining the and raising the leg rest for comfort, or elevating the seat into a semi-standing position to assist with transfers. Some of these chairs can be reclined completely flat, creating a comfor table resting and slee ping position. It’s advisable to use a leg rest when reclining the backrest to raise and support the legs and to avoid strain on the lower back.
• Single motor chairs cause the footre st to move outwards and upwards and the backrest to tilt back simultaneously. Chai rs with two motors allow independent control of backrest, footrest and lift func tions. Some chairs have a ’wall saver’ mechanism, where the entire seat glides forward as the backrest reclines to avoid striking the wall or fu rniture behind the chair.
• Standard chair padding is made of foam. Th is may be customised on chairs with zippered cushions in the backrest. Some chairs feature airbags or water bladders that assist with reducing pre ssure and increasing comfort. Armrests Page 2 of 4 should be firm enough to assist the user when pushing up to a standing position.
• The majority of chairs plug into a st andard household power outlet with control switches located on a hand-hel d control panel which can be mounted on either side of the chair. A battery operated chai r is available which is recharged via a standard power point. This chair also f eatures a push bar and larger wheels to assist an attendant with moving the chair.
• Many chairs feature a battery back up in the transformer. In the event of a power failure, the battery back up will provide sufficient power to lift the chair at least once. The battery should then be replaced.