We use the word “mobility” a lot in our industry. It’s a cornerstone of independence as well as safety. People naturally want to move—around town in Tampa, as well as just around the house and the yard.
But how well can you utilize your independent mobility without posing a serious fall risk to yourself?
The funny thing is, one of the trickiest parts of “mobility” is when and where you want to stay still.
And sitting down, which seems like such a safe, easy and absolutely natural part of human movement, can be incredibly difficult. Standing back up again is even more so.
This is why hospitals and rehab centers focus a large portion of rehabilitation on using the toilet. That stopping, sitting, and standing back up means the difference between independence and “major care and supervision needed.”
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself: Can you relax at home in front of the TV, get up to get a snack, and sit back down again—all without the aid of another person?
What is a Medical Lift Chair?
A lift chair is a sturdy, at-home armchair capable of helping the sitter up onto their feet. It also offers support during the “sitting down” motion, meeting the user halfway and then slowly lowering them to a comfortable seated position.
Lift chairs contain motors as well as adaptable controls, both automatic and manual, to provide the appropriate amount of aid, depending on what the patient needs.
Today’s lift chairs come in a wide variety of décor styles and colors, as well as medical functionality. When not in use, they are often indistinguishable from run-of-the-mill armchairs and can blend in with standard home furnishings.
Lift Chair Benefits
“Indepenendence” is, thankfully, a vital part of today’s medical supply industry. While we love our caregivers and the life-saving support they provide, every human at any age demands as much independence as possible. A lift chair allows a person, in their own home, the independence to perform a basic part of daily life, over and over again, without needing outside aid.
Injury reduction goes hand-in-hand with independence. Many people who still retain the strength to sit down and stand up don’t necessarily have the balance or coordination. Sitting and standing are both full-body acts that require the coordination of many joints and muscles, while shifting balance and adapting as necessary. When any one part of this process fails, a fall is likely.
A lift chair lessens the risk in the most difficult part of the sitting and standing motions.
Lift chairs can provide circulatory benefits, too, especially in the lower extremities. Because they’re designed with limited-mobility people and physical therapy patients in mind, lift chair designs often include options for leg elevation at a variety of levels. This, when combined with the ability to stand up periodically, makes a tremendous difference in whole-body circulatory health.
Lift Chairs Are Not a Luxury Item
Unfortunately, for as beneficial as lift chairs can be for so many patients and seniors, they are an often-overlooked piece of medical equipment. Sometimes people consider them “too specialized.” Or perhaps others fear these items are prohibitively expensive in southwest Florida, and that medical supply funds need to be budgeted elsewhere.
This is where your Tampa-based Helios representatives can really help. Because we’re right here in our storefront on Dale Mabry, or just a local 813 phone call away, we can consult Tampa residents about lift chair needs and supplies, as well as potential cost mitigators.
If you’d like to get off your feet during the day without worrying about how you’re going to get back on them again, give Helios a call.
Deckard & Company