Rise and recliner chair that isn't butt-ugly

[BigSkies2022]

Hi. This is possibly one of the less challenging issues on this thread, but I hope I might get some ideas. My father needs a rise and recliner - well, really more of a rise - armchair. At 92 he can't get off the sofa and has to perch on a hard dining chair. My mother is reluctant to accept that her careful and tasteful arrangement of furniture needs to make way for his daily comfort needs.

Can anyone recommend a supplier of such chairs that aren't really clumpy and ugly? Am I searching for a unicorn?

This doesn’t look huge

https://www.diy.com/departments/homcom-power-lift-chair-for-the-elderly-fabric-recliner-armchair-w-remote-beige/5056602970130BQ.prd?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0Knpu9j2gwMVcpRQBh28HArLEAQYCCABEgIXGfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Certainly better than this type thing!
https://www.careco.co.uk/standeasi/?gadsource=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlLKD8dj2gwMVgZFQBh3sGgZIEAQYASABEgJcb_D_BwE

Or a lifting cushion so he can keep the sofa? Seems Daft when it’s as costly as an actual chair though.
https://www.essentialaids.com/mobility/rising-seats-aids/upeasy-powered-lifting-cushion.html

edited to correct predictive text error.

My granny (in her 80s) has had a couple of Rise and Recliner chairs from HSL. She's very stylish and though they aren't quite as visually pleasing as some furniture, they blend in with her tasteful lounge pretty well. I think some of them come in about 60 fabrics. They aren't cheap, but they've lasted well. I thjnk she waited about 6 weeks for them.

https://www.hslchairs.com/chairs/riser-recliners?&epssource=google&epsmedium=cpc&epscampaign=&epscontent=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAh8OtBhCQARIsAIkWb6_c5Vp7ZHNIt5jMHRhihITfJOCPGY3tt6i9GHbHoflVp9R6lhvtovEaAoNkEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Well, your mum can't actually block your father's care needs on the grounds of personal taste.

My dad adores his rise/recliner chair and likes to snooze in it during the day. It's a boring shade of brown/beige but pretty innocuous in real life.

Don’t know why my other link isn’t working
nhttps://www.diy.com/departments/homcom-power-lift-chair-for-the-elderly-fabric-recliner-armchair-w-remote-beige/5056602970130_BQ.prd?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0Knpu9j2gwMVcpRQBh28HArLEAQYCCABEgIXGfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

My mum sadly passed away recently from cancer at 74.
She swore blind she would never get a riser recliner but unfortunately needed one and we got her a really nice mid grey soft fabric one that blended in with the modern Next funrniture in her flat and it was affordable, comfortable and arrived within a week.
I'll find out where it was from.

Missing the point but love your phrasing... "My mother is reluctant to accept that her careful and tasteful arrangement of furniture needs to make way for his daily comfort needs."
I can relate!

Just found out - it's from CareCo & it's the Orford Single Motor Riser Recliner in dove grey - £399.99 & you can get money off with VAT relief. Screenshots below inc measurements.

You can practically lie flat in it with your feet up AND it stands you up. My mum found the control really easy to navigate & use.

Oh, thank you for the ideas, it's so kind of you all! I like the idea of the power lift cushion thingy - might be a good compromise that allows the sofa to stay. I will follow up all those links.

@PuppySnores - you have not met my mother, have you??! To be fair to her (I often feel the opposite) they have had to do a lot of adapting over a short space of time as their health and independence has declined quite markedly. This is the sort of thing that is guaranteed to induce the glums in her. They have reduced a two bedroomed two storey cottage to a one bedroomed flat, the sitting room is also the dining room and space is limited, so moving a sizeable chair in would mean, I think, having to move one of the sofas out.

And @happysuki - I'm sorry about your mum. My parents are 92 and 88, so 74 seems terribly young to me.

Thanks @BigSkies2022 my Mum did seem young for her age anyway.

I have a riser recliner from Comfort Plus which was made to measure which I think is well worthwhile because I am short and dumpy. I’m convinced it’s doing my back good. I opted for extras such as a reading light, a fan and a table which will charge a mobile or tablet - I call it Mission Control! There was a large choice of fabrics. Obviously it cost £££ but I paid a deposit and then 0% interest on instalments.

Whatever you decide, it’s a good idea to choose somewhere that has a good returns policy. When we bought a rise/recliner for MIL it was a little big for her so was very uncomfortable for her legs. Fortunately the company we used were happy to replace with a smaller size.

I think it’s a really good idea to get the chair measured properly. It’s really very important.

If he can get up from a dining chair does he need a rising chair or just a higher one?

We have reluctantly swapped all of our seating for higher ones in recent years but when we go away we take a set of "elephant feet" that can be placed under the feet if most furniture to raise it up.

If you do go for a riser recliner make sure that it fits him properly. My DH practically lives in one that he was issued with by the hospital. I can't bear to sit in it as I find it so uncomfortable.

It is possible to get raiser blocks put under chairs/sofa. Community Occupational therapists can help with this, or some local authorities have a self-refer system - google 'local authority who takes the council tax' adaptations /equipment services.
As a physio, I hate riser recliners as they promote deconditioning so that the person's leg muscles get weaker as they are no longer doing anything difficult like getting up from a chair or going upstairs. Strength reduces, balance reduces, therefore you become more prone to falls, which can result in serious injuries like hip fractures or head injuries. Please do consider raising the sofa on blocks first before going for the riser option.

Thanks @Bluetrews25 He has had one assessment with some aids provided, and he has started exercises. These have helped the flexibility in his feet a little, but it's a losing game, TBH. He has had a number of falls, and it's only dumb luck that he's not hurt himself. The fact is, if he falls, he can't get up and my mother can't lift him, so it's either the paramedics or, more likely, one of his children. He uses a stick, but really - I think - needs more frames to help balance. He has no strength in his quads or arms, or glutes, can't get out of a chair unassisted, can't do stairs without a lot of help, can't balance reliably and is housebound. The choice of a comfortable chair to sit in and watch TV, read, do the crossword and chat - about all the activities aside from eating and drinking left to him - is a comfort I'd like him to have.

I can relate to the mother! DH is considering transferring the ugly high seated armchair my mother used from DF’s house to our living room. Horror! I won’t object, of course, but I’m not looking forward to it.

I got a riser recliner chair from HSL and it’s been brilliant, giving me much more comfort and helping with various medical issues. I use the recliner function rather than the riser. Ok, it’s not cutting edge style but the upholstery is plain, a nice taupe neutral colour and it blends with my furniture . HSL chairs come in various styles and sizes and are customised - the staff will measure you and advise on the correct chair for you. I think they’re pretty good quality - mine isn’t showing signs of wear at all even though used for hours a day for the last 4 years.

I'm going through this at the moment. I need higher seating now due to knee problems. Just got rid of our low sofa that was a nightmare to get out of, to replace with two chairs. Already bought a high seat chair that's quite stylish - looks like it's from a country house hotel rather than a nursing home! But for the second one I was thinking of a riser recliner and am going round the houses a bit. @Bluetrews25 this was my concern about getting a riser recliner - that it could lead to deconditioning. On the other hand I was concerned about knock on effects from pushing myself up on chair arms all the time - don't want shoulder problems as well. All I really want is to be able to sit on something higher and have my legs up sometimes. A footstool doesn't do it - puts a strain on the back of your knees. I've looked at some Parker Knoll armchairs that have a higher seat and an electric footrest - but they are similar to footstools in that there are gaps. It's only really the riser recliners that have the full fabric leg rest as far as I can see.

So I'm thinking about one. But I really don't like the look of them and our room isn't huge so it will take up quite a bit of space - unless I don't recline it. They mostly look really old fashioned! I'm also wondering if one will fit through our door! There's a little alcove between the door and the lounge.

Care co have actual showrooms you can look at them. I found this much better than guessing on the internet.

My dad had an HSL rise & recliner chair, Zi use it now & it is the comfiest chair I have ever sat in, better than my Lazy Boy sofa which I hate, it's just the right height for me & having reduced mobility is just right.

Next do riser recliner chairs as part of their Sherlock range, they look very nice.

Thank you so much :-) They look really nice - I especially like the checks. The seat height is a little lower than I was looking for which is annoying. I know it shouldn't really matter if you use the rise function, but I'd like something about the same seat height as the wing chair we've just got (about 52cm) so it's easy to get up from without needing the rise function. But still want to put my feet up!
However, I had a bit of a eureka moment the other day. As I was also going to replace a two seater sofa for a taller one and had been looking at Parker Knoll Burghley ones. And feeling fed up at the cost. They have nice turned legs. I then thought - I wonder if they sell those legs. I don't think they do but Amazon sell something very similar! And the reviews all showed how they had raised their sofas on these nice turned legs. So that cost me £16 lol. The sofa has small bun feet and they can easily be replaced. The turned legs are so much nicer than furniture risers. So I now have 1 chair and the sofa at the right height and just need a recliner for my legs. I'm still in two minds about riser recliners. They are aboutt the only recliner chairs that have a full fabric covered leg rest. Which would be the most comfortable on bad knees. But I don't really want one as I'm not old enough for one lol.

Thinking about a chaise longue instead now ..............

In case anyone else just wants to raise a chair or sofa but still have stylish wood legs instead of ugly elephant feet risers …..these are the ones we’ve just fitted to the sofa. It actually looks better than before now lol. Excuse the tatty sofa - it’s not actually dirty - just threadbare in places. But still really comfy. Will probably put a throw over it now it’s getting so worn. It’s a great height now though.

Still looking at chairs and a custom made chaise longue to get the right height.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08J7XZ36W?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image