Best Armchairs For Elderly

It is natural what with advancing age, elderly people lose their mobility and spend most of the day sitting and, in some case lying down.

Many elderly suffers from back pain, and they find it difficult to sit on ordinary chairs. A good armchair can greatly help senior citizens in their everyday life. The elderly chairs are chairs specifically designed to provide seniors or individuals with limited mobility with a safe and effective vertical positioning solution.

This allows them to have an alternative that goes beyond bed, that will keep them safe while watching TV, sunbathing and enjoying family company.

Best Armchairs For Elderly UK 2023

How to Choose Best Armchairs for Elderly

The best armchairs for senior can certainly improve their quality of life, by supporting their bodies that are weakened for one reason or another.

There are thousands of models available on the market, some quite affordable. But to choose the best armchair from the thousands of options, you need to be aware of several details.

Comfort

The comfort of an armchair can be applied in several aspects. For example, you should check the quality of the lining fabric, foam and springs, to ensure that the chair will not be a annoyance for the elderly.

Also, check the height of the chair and the depth of the seat. Few inches can make a huge difference to your spine and joints.

Possibility of adjustments

You can also check the possibilities of adjusting the chairs or armchairs. Some offer only backrest and arm adjustments, while others offer height and even temperature adjustments.

Remember to check the possibilities according to which the elderly person may have the autonomy to adjust the chair itself. After all, no one wants to be asking for help with every change of position, is it?

Pressure control

The best seats for reclining seniors also offer the possibility of control and pressure adjustment, mainly in the “ stand up ” function.

Adjusting the correct pressure to help the elderly to get up can prevent serious accidents!

Head and foot support

The reclining chairs and armchairs for the elderly considered more comfortable are those that offer total support for the body, adjusting from the head, through the spine, arms and feet.

A good support for the feet, can avoid problems in the joints and hips, as well as the head supported correctly can avoid episodes of sprains and lower back pain.

Side support

The side support – or arm support – is nothing more than a system to ensure that the elderly person will be safe in the chair or armchair, even if they doze or get distracted.

He will be able to sit comfortably, supporting the body as a whole, without the risk of falling or without that uncomfortable feeling of always slipping.

Fabrics and Durability

The covering used in armchair is not only linked to aesthetic factors, but also durability, ease of cleaning and even the feeling of touch. Choose materials that are “breathable” and easy to clean. Make sure you do not sweat while sitting in the chair. In addition, the chair should not be a “trap” for all types of bacteria, insects and dirt.

Some materials can wear out quite quickly, for others it takes time, but you can always cover your chair with a blanket and make sure it is always clean and not dusty. To make the differences clearer, see the characteristics of some types:

Velvet: One of the most classic types of fabric, its advantage is the elegance and more cozy feeling. However, it is a little warmer and difficult to clean.

Synthetic Leather: As beautiful as natural leather, this option, in addition to being waterproof, is one of the easiest to clean. The disadvantage is that if it is not maintained properly, cracks and wear marks may appear.

Suede: It is one of the most comfortable, soft and durable materials. Its disadvantage is that it is a little more difficult to sanitize than synthetic materials.

It is worth remembering that the type of coating can also influence the price of the chosen model.

Size

For an elderly person to be comfortable in a relax chair , it must be chosen adapted to their morphology. A small and petite person will feel best in a narrow chair, which wraps them well, while a stout person will appreciate a spacious seat. The seat should be placed at a suitable height, neither too low nor too high, to allow sitting and getting up without difficulty.

The backrest should also be at the correct height to allow the head to rest and relax completely. If the elderly person lives as a couple or as a family, everyone will find their place on a relax sofa.

Manual or Electric

Manual relax chairs are ergonomic and easy to use. You only need to pull on a handle to open the footrest and raise the legs. But then you have to make a movement of the pelvis to get into a lying position, which is why we prefer to opt for an electric relax chair for an elderly person , especially if they suffer from back problems or joint pain.

The latter is much more suited to everyday leisure activities such as reading, watching television and taking a nap. In addition, the armrests and headrests are adjustable. With a height-adjustable table nearby, the comfort will be perfect!

Additional Accessories

Comfort and convenience are never too much, are they? And for this reason many manufacturers add some complements to armchairs, so that it becomes even more cozy and functional . For many people these treats are indispensable when choosing.

Among the most popular extras are the side pockets, also called magazine holders, swivel base, cup holders and electric recline function . Among these options, some do not reflect much on the price, but some types, such as electrical functions, can increase the value considerably.

Choose Right Size for the elderly

The internal dimensions of the chair or armchair for the elderly – seat height, width and depth and backrest height – need to adapt to the user’s size to ensure adequate support.

It is also important to keep in mind the general dimensions of the chair, if space is limited. If the chair is reclined regularly, check that there is enough space behind the chair for the backrest to move.

Regarding the dimensions to choose the best armchair for the elderly, consider the following points:

Seat height

The height of the seat can influence how easy it is to sit or get up from the chair.

A high seat will make it easier to get up and sit down, especially if the elderly person finds it difficult to get up from the armrests or if they have any pain or weakness in their legs.

However, if the seat is too high, the feet will not touch the floor and may appear uncomfortable, with pain in the thighs, knees and hips.

A very low seat will be more difficult to get out of and will direct the pressure to your pelvis, rather than evenly distributing it across your thighs.

As a general guideline, the height of the seat can be calculated by measuring the distance from the floor to the crease at the back of the knees.

When seated, your hips and knees should be at a right angle, with your feet flat on the floor

Most manufacturers of high chairs have a variety of chairs with a height between 46 and 59 cm.

You will also be able to take the measurements to order a custom-sized senior chair.

Seat width

The seat should be wide enough to allow you to sit comfortably, but narrow enough to allow you to use the armrests.

Ideally, the width of the seat should be measured so that it is a few centimeters wider than the size of the hips.

Seat depth (from front of seat to back)

The seat needs to be deep enough to support the entire length of your thighs.

If the seat is too deep, the elderly person will need to force his hips back to be able to lean, which can end up injuring his knees and hips, or causing spinal problems.

A deep seat can also cause your bottom to slide forward on the chair. If it is too shallow, your thighs will not be supported properly and, after a while, you may feel uncomfortable.

To calculate the correct depth, measure the distance from the back of the bottom, along the thighs, to approximately 3 cm, behind the back of the knees.

When sitting, you can place two fingers together between the edge of the seat and the back of the knee. Greater depth should be allowed if you need additional back supports or cushions.

Backrest size

The height of a chair’s back is also important, especially if head support is required.

The chair needs to be proportional to the height of a person’s torso, so that if a chair is providing head support, it conforms to the person’s dimensions.
The height of the armrest

For added comfort, the armrest should allow you to rest your arms without raising or lowering your shoulders and supporting the entire length of your forearm.