Lift Chairs Luxurious and Safe, Keeping you in the Home

Lift Chairs are ideal solutions for anybody who has difficulty transitioning from a seated position to standing due to limited mobility or balance issues. However, the benefits extend far beyond assistance simply sitting down and standing up.

They also help you get back down without having to crash down into the chair. While they don’t double as beds, they can also be used as a quick napping option (depending on the chair you get and how far they recline) so you don’t have to get up and go all the way to your bed in these situations.

Lift Chairs can be used for more than just reclining while watching your favorite television programs. Whether you like to use a computer or telephone, read books or magazines, or engage in a number of other recreational activities, the variety of positions available from your lift chair can comfortably accommodate. Many individuals even opt to sleep in their Lift Chairs rather than in their beds because of the variety of positions available. Most models can be reclined to a flat position, but can also be modified to different angles and elevations for maximum comfort.  For individuals who must keep their legs elevated while they sit or sleep, Lift Chairs are an ideal solution.

With optional heat and massage features, Lift Chairs provide therapeutic benefits to those with stiff and sore joints, back pain, arthritis, and a variety of other conditions. They provide excellent, affordable alternatives to expensive bathtub modifications for those who require heat and massage therapy.  Besides heat and massage, some lift chairs come with a cup holder, magazine holder and even a type of speaker system so you don’t have to play the TV so loud.  Therefore, there won’t be a high TV volume to bother others in the room.

There are three main types of lift chairs:

Two-position lift chair

This is the simplest form of lift chair. It offers two different reclining positions: your standard 90-degree upright angle and a 45-degree recline so your legs are elevated and your back is reclined 45 degrees back from its upright angle. The reclining motor and leg elevator are all attached to one motor, so as the chair reclines, the leg support elevates.

Three-position lift chair

Similar to the two-position lift chair, the three-position lift chair features an upright angle and a 45-degree reclined angle. It also has a reclining angle that goes almost entirely flat, allowing to take even more pressure off your back and joints. This can also be a comfortable position to nap, read, and watch TV. Like the two-position chair, all of the reclining and elevating aspects of this chair are one moving part.

Infinite-position lift chair

This is the most flexible style of lift chair. The infinite-position chair does almost exactly what its name tells you: allows you to set your chair in a variety of ways to find your most comfortable position. You can sit upright, lay completely flat, and have your back at a 45-degree angle and your legs completely elevated. Some infinite-position chairs allow your legs to raise above the angle your head is at when laying completely flat. These chairs are also known as zero-gravity chairs. They can reach “infinite” positions because the back recliner and leg elevator run on two different motors so they don’t have to work as a single device. While they’re often the most expensive chairs, they also give you the most flexibility to find what’s comfortable for you.

When choosing a lift chair, it’s important to sit in multiple chairs to determine which is most comfortable and fits you the best.  There are many lift chair sizes and cushion arrangements that you will certainly notice a difference what’s best for you if you test them.  Be sure to go to a business that has a large variety (has approximately 7-30 lift chairs on hand is optimum) of lift chairs in their showroom, so you can determine which one is best for you.

The price of lift chairs ranges from $800 to $2,800 depending on the bells and whistles you prefer.

If insurance approves a lift chair for you, they will only pay for the motor in the chair which is approximately $300 depending the insurance.  It doesn’t matter if you have two insurances or a supplemental, they only pay for the motor.

Insurance requirements are:

• Prescription that includes a diagnosis of arthritis or a neurological disorder and how long you will need it.
• Chart notes.  In the chart notes, the physician must indicate that he is seeing for a lift chair and why you need it.
• The chart notes must include that you can’t get up from a regular chair with arms.  Once up from the lift chair you can walk with a walker, cane or no aid. 
• Insurance will not pay for a lift chair if they’ve paid for a wheelchair in the past for you or you are wheelchair bound.

Many physicians don’t provide all the above information initially, so there is a waiting period before all the proper documentation arrives.  It seem the majority of people just pay for the lift chair without going through insurance benefit of the motor in the lift chair because of the documentation delay.  Although, if you have a prescription, most states do not requre sales tax collected since it is a medical equipment item.

It’s time to consider a lift chair if you are unsafely getting up from a regular chair.  Even if you can get up from a regular chair, but you are rocking yourself up, it’s time to get a lift chair!  Unfortunately, I’ve seen families concerned for the safety of their loved ones bring come in for a lift chair, but the loved one doesn’t think he needs it.  Within three months a fractured hip occurs from unsafely getting up from a regular chair.

Lift chairs look great and they’re an excellent solution to keep you safely in your residence.