A comfortable recliner can be a great place to watch TV, sleep, read, or even eat. Unlike most couches, a recliner has a built in leg rest, which adds both comfort and medical functionality. While recliners have many positive aspects, to someone who is mobility challenged, they can present several mobility based hurdles.
The biggest hurdle that a traditional recliner offers to someone who is mobility challenged involves sitting and standing. It can be very hard, especially when sitting for an extended period of time, to safely come to a standing position without assistance. Many people have to position their rolling walker in front of the chair and then use it to pull themselves up. This can be unsafe if the walker slips or the brake is not set. Others simply can not sit or stand without someone else steadying them.
Another hurdle involves reclining the chair. To operate most traditional recliners you must first activate the leg rest lever. Once the leg rest has been extended, the backrest will lower if pressure is applied to it. In many cases you must maintain a constant pressure on the backrest and the slightest move raises the backrest. For someone who is rather petite this can be extremely frustrating, because every time you turn or move you must fight the backrest to keep it down. Simply reaching for the remote on the nightstand will frequently be enough to cause the back to begin to rise.
Both of these obstacles can be overcome by a lift chair. Lift chair are special recliner chairs that are controlled by an electric motor. This motor physically raises and lowers the base of the chair into the air, which makes it possible for someone who is mobility challenged to stand without any help from a nurse or loved one. The base rises at a very slow and steady pace and has several built in safeguards to protect the user from falls. One of the other major advantages of the lift chair is as a result of the leg rest and backrest being controlled by an electric motor. An attached remote control is used to control the backrest and leg rest, which allows you to find the perfect position for reading, sleeping, or watching TV. The best part about it is that the backrest will not move if you shift your weight or lean over to change the channel. This eliminates having to fight with the backrest and can greatly reduce the strain this can result in.
The independence that a lift chair can provide is one of the reasons that they are so popular, but many people buy them because they are very well made, dependable, and comfortable. It is not uncommon for the manufacture to offer a lifetime warranty on the lifting mechanism and the chairs frame and a very comprehensive limited warranty on the rest of the chair. The price of these units is also very competitive when compared with traditional recliners. There are many well priced and affordable models that offer much more functionality and comfort than a Lazy Boy type recliner and are much less expensive.