Disabled Chair: How to Choose the Right One

Are you looking for a chair to make a person living with disability more comfortable? You aren’t alone. Scope, a UK charity dedicated to creating a fairer society for disabled people, reports that there are 14.1 million disabled people in the UK: 8% of children are disabled; 19% of working age adults are disabled; and 44% of pension age adults are disabled.

There are many different types and degree of disability, but one factor is constant – the need to be comfortable in your own home, whether you want to sit and have a conversation or play a game, watch TV or have a snooze.

What are the benefits of a disabled chair?

 Regular chairs are not made with disability in mind, so sticking to what you know is unlikely to improve the quality of life of people with a disability. A disability chair designed with more experience and care, especially for people who have a disability and may be sitting for longer periods of time, can make a huge positive contribution:

1. Improve health

Disability is often accompanied by pain. In fact, according to research, chronic pain affects between one-third and one-half of the population of the UK. While conventional chairs and sofas may exacerbate the physical pain of disability, especially if people are sitting for lengthy periods of time, the right chair can have the opposite effect.

Electric rise and recline chairs allow disabled people to sit in a variety of positions without having to move from the chair. As well as avoiding pressure sores, an added bonus is that elevating the legs and feet can promote healing.

2. A safe place

Having somewhere a little more secure brings peace of mind, both for the person doing the sitting and whoever is caring for them. Some disability chairs (such as the Cheshire Collection) come with the option of adding lower lumbar region cushions, which offers extra lower back support and keeps the user in the centre of the chair.

3. Promote independence

You may be experiencing a level of disability but you still want to do things for yourself. An electric rise and recline chair can enable disabled adults to sit down and stand up without asking for help. One button reclines you into comfort and another elevates the legs and feet to the precise position that feels most comfortable. When you’re ready to stand up, at the touch of a button you’re gently tilted forward and helped to your feet.

How to choose a chair for disabled adults:

Disabled adults who spend lengthy periods of time in a sitting position need a rise and recline chair that is tailored to their precise needs in order to maintain comfort and independence.

Height, weight, posture, balance, degree of mobility and any existing pain need to be taken into account. Calling in professionals who know how to assess people with disability for the best chair option, can take a lot of angst out of the process as they will consider:

1. Size

The size of the room comes into play. There needs to be enough space behind the chair so it can recline. If space is an issue, many specialist chairs have helpful “wall hugging” versions that move forward as they recline so can be positioned around 10cm (4 inches) away from the wall.

When it comes to the dimensions of the chair (i.e. the backrest height and the seat height, width and depth), it goes without saying that they must tally up with the size of the user, so that the level of support is adequate.

Slight differences in the style and angle of the backrest and armrests can make all the difference to individual comfort, so it is advisable to try before you buy. Ideally ask a professional to take measurements to ensure the person using the chair ends up with the best option for their individual circumstances.

How high should the seat be?

The seat’s height determines how easy it is for an individual to get in and out of the chair. A high seat means it is easier to stand up and sit down, which is great if someone finds it hard to push up with their arms of if they have weak or painful feet and legs. But if the seat is too high and the feet do not touch the floor it can lead to discomfort on the thighs and lower back. And if the seat is too low, it is harder to get out of, and puts pressure on the pelvis. To establish the correct seat height, measure the distance from the floor to the back of the knees. When sitting with the feet flat on the floor, the hips and knees should be at right angles.

How wide should the seat be?

This measurement is a little more straightforward. The seat should be wide enough to allow someone to sit in comfort, but they need to be able to use the armrests too. A general rule is that the seat should be the width of the widest part of the hips plus around 5cm (2 inches) on each side.

How deep should the seat be?

The seat needs to be deep enough to support the full length of the thighs. Too shallow and the thighs are not adequately supported, too deep and the user may slide forward. To calculate the correct depth, sit with the bottom at the back of the chair, ensuring the lower back is supported by the back rest. Measure the distance from the chair back along the thighs to around 3cm (1.5 inches) behind the back of knee. A deeper seating space, however, can be useful for people with certain disabilities, including those who encounter involuntary movements or spasms and/or muscle weakness.

2. Backrests

There are plenty of great backrest options for people with disabilities. Whilst it is important that you like the look of the disabled chair, it is essential that it meets the physical needs of the person. Fundamentally, the backrest should match the curves of the spine and provide good support.

• Two tier: the top cushion is filled with extra padding so the chair provides extra support for the spine and neck.
• Waterfall: tiered layers of padding in three separate pillows that cascade down the back of the chair. Each compartment can be opened so the filling can be adjusted for precise control over back and neck support.
• Button back: due to the buttoning, the fillings are slightly compressed and therefore firmer, for people who want a comfortable yet firm level of support.
• Cushion back: the top, large back cushion is sewn laterally to hold the internal fibre in place. Suitable for those looking for especially good head support in the recline position.
• Lumbar support back: combines a waterfall back with a cushion back and has an extra pair of internal lower back support cushions for added support. It also has the benefit of keeping the user in the centre of the chair.

3. Armrests

Armrests should support the forearms and torso and help the person stand up. In terms of choosing a chair, the forearms need to rest comfortably along the armrest without the individual leaning to either side or the shoulders hunching.

The ends of the arm rest should be easy to grip. Some people find that wooden arm ends offer a firmer grip than an upholstered arm.

Extra padding on the arms of the chair is helpful for some people with elbow, wrist and hand pain; the Hampshire Collection is designed with this group in mind.

4. Pressure management

Pressure sores – which used to be known as bed sores – are a consequence of staying in one position for too long. Rise and recline chairs can help reduce the likelihood of pressure sores from developing as they allow greater movement while people sit.

But sometimes further steps are needed to avoid areas of skin becoming inflamed and sore, such as seating options that incorporate memory foam, high pressure gel or even aero seating. Some rise and recline chairs – such as the Berkshire Collection – even have optional extra heat and massage systems.

5. Single motor versus dual motor

Single motor rise and recline chairs have one motor that controls all the chair’s electric features. This means the position of the backrest, footrest and riser change at the same time. The controls are simple, which suits some people depending on their level of disability. Plus single motor rise and recline chairs tends to be cheaper than their dual motor counterparts.

Dual motor rise and recline chairs have two (or more) motors to operate the chair. One button powers the footrest and riser and another powers the recliner.

The advantage of a dual motor rise and recline chair is its wide range of seating positions. The alignment of the chair can be regularly altered to prevent pressure building up in one area of the body, reducing potential sore areas of skin and helping ease swollen legs.

Watch TV with your feet raised and the backrest in the upright position, then recline if you want to read. Should you fancy a nap, lie back until you are almost horizontal. And when you are ready to stand up, it couldn’t be easier as the chair gently tilts forward to help you to your feet.

6. Tilt in space

Most specialist chairs have a function you can choose called “tilt in space” which means the seat and back are fixed in position as you recline, lowering the risk of friction or other damage to the skin as the chair moves.

Another benefit is that the legs can be elevated above the hips, helpful for disabled people with poor leg circulation, those with neck and back pain and for anybody for whom back and pelvis support is a concern.

7. Wheels

Adding wheels means a rise and recline chair becomes portable – enabling people with disabilities to be transported in comfort and safety between rooms. Wheels are particularly helpful for people who are able to do less for themselves.

8. Upholstery

We want our furniture to look good and feel great but when it comes to people with disabilities it is vital that the upholstery meets the physical needs of the person. Buying a bespoke, made to measure rise and recline chair means you can choose exactly what upholstery you want. Many chairs can be upholstered in water-resistant fabric, or waterproof liners can even be fitted between the cushion and its cover.

9. Cleaning

The more we use items of furniture, the more we need to clean them. Vacuuming a rise and recline chair one or twice a week combined with a deep clean every couple of months should keep it neat and tidy. Home care chairs are particularly easy to clean.

Look at the care manual or tag to establish if there are any cleaning products to avoid – some upholstery is water-safe and other upholstery is solvent-safe.

For detailed instructions, turn to our helpful How to clean a reclining chair guide.

Rise and recliner chairs for the disabled

Rise and recline chairs for disabled adults aim to help the user sit, recline and stand again using simple buttons. They should be comfortable and safe. As there are so many degrees of disability, rise and recline chairs can be made to the exact requirements of each person, taking into account their unique and changing needs.

If weight is a particular issue, for example, the rise and recline chairs within the Surrey Collection can cope with weights of up to 100 stone. Or if extra leg comfort is needed due to disability, consider a leg rest upholstered in a memory foam cover, as seen in the Canterbury.

High back chairs for the disabled

Back pain is the largest single cause of disability in the UK. The NHS reports that lower back pain actually accounts for 11% of the total disability within the UK population. Waiting times for surgery are rocketing, so many people affected are opting to improve their seating instead, choosing a high back rise and recline chair that supports the spine and encourages good posture.

Chairs with backs that extend to the neck offer the highest level of support. But remember to be sure that the backrest does not push the head too far forward as this can encourage bad posture and put too much stress on the neck.

The angle of the back of the chair should not lean too far forward or back. Leaning too far forward can place too much stress on the spine and hips. Leaning too far back reduces support and allows the user to slouch.

A high back chair as seen in the Cheshire Collection will hold the person’s back in a neutral and natural shape, prevent slouching and reduce the pressure placed on the spine. Plus it offers additional support when getting in and out in the form of wooden knuckles (available in three different colours to suit your décor).

Homecare chairs

For people with greater levels of disability who require more support, homecare rise and recline chairs are probably the most sensible option.

Developed for hospital and care home use, there is now great demand for homecare rise and recline chairs within the home environment. The range has therefore been tweaked so that while the chairs continue to provide maximum support and comfort, they do not compromise on style. As a result, the Mobility Furniture Company has become a leader in providing home care chairs to people living at home.

Wheels allow the chair to be moved from room to room by a carer. The full range of reclining comfort can be enjoyed by a simple-to-use remote control. And the upholstery is easier than ever to keep clean.

The advanced design of the Canterbury, for example, takes into account that care demands of disabled people change over time. The chair can be adapted for differing posture needs and pressure management issues. And its covers are quick to change and replace for cleaning.

Rise and recline settees

It’s wonderful to sit together on a sofa or settee, but less so when disabilities come into play and people have conflicting ideas of what makes them physically comfortable.

Luckily, settees have reclining options too. They work just like a rise and recline chair; different handsets allow each section of the settee to recline or tilt forward independently.

Rise and recline settees can be customised in a wide choice of fabrics and upholsteries, and can be made to match rise and recline chairs. A good range of options are in stock too, avoiding the need for home visits.

The bottom line

People with disabilities often need specialist equipment to improve their health and quality of life. A rise and recline chair is a great place to start, particularly when people spend a lot of time sitting. The Mobility Furniture Company has been in the industry for decades. We take the latest research, combine it with the newest technology and style trends to create beautiful, functional and comfortable rise and recline chairs for people with disabilities.