LIFT CHAIR INFORMATION

[ditrina]

We find ourselves in need of a lift chair for Mrs. ditrina, her Parkinson's is slowly creeping up on her.

Does anyone have first hand information? They look like a recliner but with a built in lift.

BRAND
OPTIONS
ETC.

In doing research it's like buying a car. Option this option that!!

Prices run from $600 up to $2300.00 ( Gotta be a difference )

THX

Sal

 

[Muss Muggins]

My elderly aunt has one. Sadly, my cousins are not detail oriented. Apparently, the two important characteristics are the seat and back padding, and how fast it lifts. My aunt's moves at the speed of smell, and that may be sum of the price difference . . .

 

[martyd]

My Father In Law had one, it was great.
Be sure to get one with battery backup - needed if power goes out.

 

[Hair Trigger]

My Mom has one that one of her friends gave her after their mother passed. It goes from a regular positioned cushy chair to full recline with the head up about 30 degrees, about what regular recliners do, but in lift mode (all movement is controlled with a hand controller the occupant can use), it goes high enough to almost stand you up fully, enough that someone that uses a walker can pull themselves to standing. Mom's also has a vibrate function, she says it really soothes her back (she is 95).

 

[Bekeart]

SWMBO LOVES her Flexsteel Lift Chairs

SWMBO LOVES her Flexsteel Lift Chairs.
Her's was not a current necessity, but she thought it would become necessary in the future.
I did not need mine, but it sleeps great.

Recently bought three months ago.

Yes - about the battery back-up.
Only a very limber yoga contortionist would be able to exit from my reclined sleeping position during power failure.

Bekeart

 

[NFrameFred]

Stay away from Wayfair . . . . Serta makes good stuff

 

[swsig]

La-Z-Boy had a big ad in yesterday's Dallas Morning News with discounts on all of their products. If that sale is going on in your area, it might be worth checking out.

 

[Golddollar]

Serta makes good stuff

Yes, they do, and I am sitting in one now. I got it back in 2017 after my knee surgery. It reclines enough to sleep comfortably in and will practically stand you up straight with the lift. It was a real blessing for me during my recovery.

 

[GaryS]

Are you talking about a power recliner or a chair that goes up stairs?

 

[mmb617]

When my wife needed a lift chair we bought two of them at Sam's club because she wanted the living room recliners to match. That was 6 years or so ago and they were about $500 each.

They have battery backup and stand you up pretty far. I haven't had any problems with them so far.

 

[ditrina]

Are you talking about a power recliner or a chair that goes up stairs?

 

[H Richard]

Do you have access to a hospital based Durable Medical Equipment Co.? The Hospital based ones are predominately "honest and reliable". They can discuss all the variables and warranties, what kind of patient disabilities benefit from what kind of functionalities in the chairs. #1 is comfort. They should be able to lead you to what fits your wife the best.

 

[GaryS]

What we used to call a "Granny Launcher."

 

[URIT]

My Mom has one that one of her friends gave her after their mother passed. It goes from a regular positioned cushy chair to full recline with the head up about 30 degrees, about what regular recliners do, but in lift mode (all movement is controlled with a hand controller the occupant can use), it goes high enough to almost stand you up fully, enough that someone that uses a walker can pull themselves to standing. Mom's also has a vibrate function, she says it really soothes her back (she is 95).

Interesting. Would you post the brand and possibly the model. Thanks!

 

[s&wchad]

Mrs. Chad bought a La-Z-Boy lift recliner about 4 or 5 years ago, before her shoulder surgery. It's nicer than conventional recliners because you can put it close to the wall or other furniture and still use the recline feature.

She never mentioned that she was considering buying one. I found out on a Saturday afternoon when she returned from"grocery" shopping and told me that she bought a power recliner and it was being delivered in a few days! ... $2200, but it was the previous year model and she saved $1000!

I regularly see power recliners at estate sales for a few hundred dollars. She knew I'd say that, so I was kept in the dark. She was concerned that she wouldn't be able to sleep in bed after her surgery. I think she slept in it one night and then found she was more comfortable and had no problems sleeping in bed.

She does sit in it almost everyday, but never uses the recline or lift feature. It still works fine and has held up well.

 

[URIT]

Below is a Bob Vila article on best power recliners for 2023 you might find informative at:

bobvila dot com/articles/best-power-recliners

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Can you get a script for one and see if medicare will pay for it?
When mom was still alive we bought an adjustable bed for her. She died two days after it was delivered. It was a bear trying to make the vultures who sold it to us live up ot their warranty and refund the money. Be careful with the vendors as in my short experience they are pretty much interested in only your money. My prayers are with you both as I have seen first hand parkinsons with my uncle and grandfather.

 

[Marshal Tom]

After leaving the PD I worked for a durable medical supply Co for about 6.5 yrs. We sold and delivered a boat load of lift chairs. We also serviced them and did warranty repairs. there is a huge variety available, some much better than others. Do not go to a furniture store, Sams or any of those sorts of places to purchase. They generally know nothing about them. The most important thing is to get one that fits the person correctly. If for instance the seat is too deep for the person's legs, it will be uncomfortable and hard for them to get up from. The cushioning is also very important, especially the height in the back in relation to where their neck is. If the height or the shape of the upper back portion pushes their head forward or if the back is too high, this will eventually cause discomfort. Large people need to have one with double motors in the lift portion. Generally these chairs are quite a bit larger than the standard chairs as well. All of the ones we sold had battery backup which would lift the chair several times in the event of a power outage. I did know of a case where someone didn't have that feature and got trapped in their chair due to mobility issues.
Also, do not just go and purchase a used one from a yard sale. You could get lucky and get a good one with the right fit but usually they are well used, dirty and could be broken down or out of shape in the seating area although I have seen some very nice ones that someone purchased, the person died or didn't need it any longer and was sold or donated to Hospice. Golden was the brand we sold and serviced but we worked with Hospice, managing all of their local equipment. We stored all of it and picked up and delivered for them. We had a waiting list for lift chairs and depending on availability, the person got whatever we had. In many cases the chair was a poor fit or not in the best shape. Do your homework. You will be glad you did. Tom

 

[hemiram]

I've had a Golden for about six years and the sole problem with it was a cotter pin came out of a clevis pin and the back dropped flat. I was in it and it wasn't fun, but a trip to Lowe's and a couple of bucks for the new clevis pin and cotter pin got it back 100%. I thought the pin laying on the floor was a battery I had dropped when changing out the remote for the TV, so I tossed it into the trash. Wear your glasses when you see something odd. It was a sample chair that was only on the floor for a week or so, and I got it for $1200. It replaced a Lazy-Boy that was about 20 years old and I finally gave up fixing it after about the 15th time something broke in it.
Anyway, the cats liked it immediately. This was the day I got it:

The battery back up, two 9V batteries is kind of a joke. I made a six battery D battery pack and an umbilical cord to the 9V terminals and instead of one or two operations before the batteries died, I got about a dozen before I stopped testing. Yes, I tossed those batteries into a flashlight and put brand new ones in the chair back up. I think I'm going to end up putting a dedicated UPS on the chair as D batteries seem to leak a lot.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I don't know about safety features, but I remember one instance of a toddler getting crushed by one. Pets and toddlers need to be watched after. I would like to think this was resolved by a Ralph Nader follower, but be careful.