Furniture For Elderly or Disabled People

A few years ago we had to deal with a number of issues around mobility and daily living for my parents in their home.  My mother had Motor Neurone Disease and she needed a number of adaptations to the house, as well as some specialist equipment and furniture.  Dad is in reasonably good health for his age, but he’s certainly slowing down now, and he does need a little more help with things  Luckily some of the adaptations done to the house for my mother are still in place and have been useful to him since the day they were put in.  A good example of this is the hand rail on the stairs, so there is now a rail on either side which is handy for Dad as he goes up and downstairs.  It’s a really simple adaptation, but it had such a big impact for them both.

Dad is finding it harder to get up out of chairs these days.  The sofa my parents have had for years had become more and more difficult for Dad to use as it was too low.  He doesn’t have sufficient strength to push up from a seating position to standing and it’s possible he’d benefit from braces for support.  It had got to the point when he was going down on this knees on the floor to get up every time, so something clearly had to change.  Having a chair with a rise function is such a simple measure to take, but it has the potential to significantly improve my Dad’s quality of life. A riser recliner chair can often provide valuable assistance in allowing someone to stand and sit safely and comfortably.  The rise function effortlessly and smoothly assists you to a standing position, removing stress and strain from the hips, legs and arms and may reduce the potential risk of falls. Sitting becomes equally easy when the chair is lowered again.  A specialist chair like Riser Recliner Chairs from Fenetic not only helps the older person on a daily basis, but it also looks good in the home.

There are also benefits to be gained from sitting in a chair with the backrest reclined (this is the recliner part of a riser recliner chair) and the legs raised. An better body position can be achieved when sitting on this type of chair, which can reduce strain on the spine and its associated ligaments. This in turn may help to reduce back pain and improve posture. By shifting the centre of gravity of the body when seated and redistributing weight from the seat to the back, you can help prevent the development of pressure sores which is great if the chair is getting a lot of use.

Deciding on the best adaptations and furniture to improve and elderly person’s quality of life, can be a bit tricky because there are so many products out there.  A good place to get an overview and more detailed advice is Age UK’s website which has information on home adaptations to simplify home tasks.  It includes articles such as Tips for a Comfortable Home.