The diversity of reasons why commercial furniture is purchased is massive. You have everything from desks in offices to specialist chairs designed for healthcare facilities.
Whilst we highly recommend that every item of commercial furniture is considered carefully before it is purchased, there are some scenarios where that consideration needs to go to a much higher level.
One of those scenarios is the purchasing of commercial furniture for an aged care facility, and, in particular, the chairs being purchased for the elderly residents who live there.
Whilst any chair purchased for commercial reasons should be given some thought, the chairs elderly residents will be using requires detailed and focused thought, as to whether the features of those chairs are suitable.
Here are ten features that you may wish the commercial chairs you buy to have.
Feature #1 – Comfort: It should not surprise you that we place comfort as the first feature you should be looking for in commercial chairs for the elderly.
Given that elderly residents may often be sitting in a chair for several hours each day, their comfort whilst doing so should be a priority.
Feature #2 – Head Support: You may have elderly residents whose neck muscles are weakened or who have poor control of their head movements. This means that the chair they sit in needs to have additional head support.
This can be a head pillow built into the chair or enhanced support in that area.
Feature #3 – Castors/Wheels: This feature will help both the users of the chair and the staff who care for them.
Whether it be to take the resident to their room or to simply allow an individual to move closer to a window to view the garden, castors are an invaluable feature.
Feature #4 – Lateral Support: This is another feature that is needed for those elderly residents whose muscles are weaker and who struggle to keep their upper bodies straight when sitting.
Lateral supports sit on either side of them to help promote better and healthier posture.
Feature #5 – Pressure Management: With reduced mobility, it can mean elderly persons sit in the same position for some time. This can lead to pressure points which can then result in pressure ulcers developing on the skin.
Chairs with pressure management help prevent these.
Feature #6 – Adjustable Features: Whilst having adjustable features on a chair is welcomed by everyone, they are particularly important on chairs used by the elderly. This means individuals with different needs can adjust the chair to suit them as they sit on it.
Feature #7 – Hoist Accessible: This may not be necessary for every chair you purchase, but, given there may be elderly residents who require hoists, this is an important feature.
Bear in mind, whilst a resident may not need a hoist currently, they may do so in future.
Feature #8 – Tilt Feature: This is a favourite feature of not just the elderly, but people of all ages who may have permanent or temporary difficulty in standing up if they have been sitting in a chair for some time.
With the press of a button, the chair gently tilts forward, making it easier to stand without straining or struggling.
Feature #9 – Footrest: This is not the most high-tech feature you will find on a chair, but it is important, nonetheless.
Almost 20% of the body’s weight can go through the feet, so having a footrest on their chair means elderly residents can take some of that strain away from the rest of their body.
Feature #10 – Anti-Bacterial: Chairs can require cleaning for all kinds of reasons including when an elderly resident has incontinence or has a one-off lapse.
Ensuring chairs can be cleaned thoroughly to ensure that no bacteria is present is a key objective and aided by chairs that are designed to be easy to clean.
