Advice on electric recliner chair

[Witchlight]

Hello, I need to purchase a recliner chair for my 93 year old DMIL. She has recently had a fall and has moved into a care home. We have been told she needs a recliner chair and need to buy one - however, the home won’t recommend a supplier.

I’m in Hampshire. Does anyone know:

1. A good supplier - quality more important than price
2. A good brand.
3. Features we should look out for

All advice greatly appreciated
Thanks

I bought an all singing all dancing riser recliner chair for my mum and it was a disaster. She could not cope with the controls at all. She couldn't use a manual recliner because of the arthritis in her shoulder. In the end a friend passed on a second hand chair after her grandmother died and it was so much better. She did struggle in the end to use it and it wasn't a riser unfortunately but it was the best of the three we tried.

Do you have a mobility shop locally who could meet with you and your mum and look at the different controls and see what is best for her?

buy leather not fabric, they clean easier

they retain there price so look for one on market place

A low tech solution is risers like blocks that go under the base - it’s easier to get up from/down into and no fiddly controls

My mum got hers from a mobility shop, dropped on an ex display model
The best feature for my mum is the riser option, she would be lost without it
My mum is also quite small so the chair is a smaller than average one, she was swamped in some of them, just too big
Simple controls, some were just too advanced
Good luck

Careco is a good website for getting a feel for what is available. But just Google mobility aids and your town should show up someone.

@Witchlight hello - my mobility impaired parent got one a couple of weeks back. She can’t use a video, computer, microwave but can operate the chair. She has a recliner riser. This chair tips forward to help her get out of the chair. It tips back to recline and raise the feet. It has made a real difference. She had two companies come to the house and measure the space before quoting. These chairs are £££. I did look second hand however, I didn’t see a suitable chair which had the riser function. The company were able to match the chair fabric fairly closely to her sofa. I’d say it’s made a big difference to her. If it’s easier to get up, it encourages more movement.

Good luck.

We just got one from careco for my mum. Leather. Had to get a made to measure one for my mother in law as she’s a much smaller size. I think if you can get them to try it out in the shop to check the lumbar support, seat depth, height are ok. Some have a battery thing as well as plug in mains I think. Our mums are so comfortable in them and much easier for my mother in law to stand up, does your council not provide a chair? I know some areas do.

Thank you for all the feedback, it’s really helpful.

We’ve gone for a “cheap” one, that can be delivered in days to start with, so we can grab a breath and plan a more long-term mtm chair. Dmil can’t go to the shops to try things out, so we will get someone to go to her.

Dmil wants one that matches her sofa and at 5’, doesn’t want the seat too high, or too deep.

Again, thanks for the suggestions and advice, it is much appreciated.

we got a second hand one for mum but looked new it's really helped her wouldnt sit in it at first but soes now she struggles with controls now though as her dementia is worsening

Did you manage to sort a chair? We are in New Forest area and the company we used sent to the care home to measure mum for her chair- she had long legs, and took fabric swatches for her to choose from. Happy to forward details if you need them.