Recliner that is Wheelchair Transfer friendly?

[Rrrrronnn]

Hello,

I'm in the process of refurnishing the living room of our house. One of the pieces of furniture I would like to get is a recliner that is actually designed in such a way that someone in a wheelchair can transfer in and out of.

I know there are many recliners that do electrical power stand assist, but since standing is not an option this is a relatively useless feature for me. What would be great is a base that allows the recliner to be elevated to the height of my wheelchair or a little bit higher, as well as lower so I can use gravity to get in and out of the recliner.

Of course, the actual reclining mechanism would need to be electric as well since pulling a lever to get my feet up and recline with my C6/7 hands are really not an option.

Has anyone seen chairs like this and tried them? Not even sure if they even exist.

Thanks!

[McDuff]

We had, and wore out a lift chair that my f-i-l had, it was great for getting in/out. All you do is use the lift function to get it level or slightly above your chair level, and then transfer from there. The lift starts from the rear, so it rises faster than the front and actually works well for transfers. Get one with a battery, like a 9v little battery, that will give you 1 lift if power goes out.

[SCI-Nurse]

You can go to the store (like Lazy Boy or some DMEs) and try out the powered lift chairs they have. Controls are like a hospital bed pendant control on most. Armrests can be an issue depending on how you transfer. My mother went through 2 of them in 15 years...the biggest problem is the motor dying. Depending on how tall you are, it will put you onto your feet, even when you are still sitting in the chair. I've never seen a chair that just elevates without tilting you onto your feet at the same time.

We didn't have the transfer issue after the first couple of years as they installed a ceiling track lift that could be used to transfer her to/from her power chair to the recliner.

Ours was plugged into the wall (not battery powered) but my dad had an external generator that could be used if the power was lost and this was in the zone covered.

(KLD)

[Rrrrronnn]

Yeah, and that's exactly what I'm looking for, what I just bolded below. I'll start reading into some of the power lift recliner's and maybe hire someone to build me up base that would keep the chair elevated by about 3 or 5 inches. I see myself transferring in through the front and then rotating myself. I can do that. Maybe a leather material so I slide easier, fabric would be terrible.

Thanks KLD & McDuff

You can go to the store (like Lazy Boy or some DMEs) and try out the powered lift chairs they have. Controls are like a hospital bed pendant control on most. Armrests can be an issue depending on how you transfer. My mother went through 2 of them in 15 years...the biggest problem is the motor dying. Depending on how tall you are, it will put you onto your feet, even when you are still sitting in the chair. I've never seen a chair that just elevates without tilting you onto your feet at the same time.

We didn't have the transfer issue after the first couple of years as they installed a ceiling track lift that could be used to transfer her to/from her power chair to the recliner.

Ours was plugged into the wall (not battery powered) but my dad had an external generator that could be used if the power was lost and this was in the zone covered.

(KLD)

[McDuff]

I didn't express myself well; when you sit in a plush recliner, you are reclining even when the chair is flush, that big ol' cushion just "cushes" under you and you sink. Using the lift function is actually leveling you out for the first few seconds, before it starts to really lift you. If your w/c seat to floor is about level, or close to it, with the front of the recliner, using the lift will bring your butt up to the level of the front, and fairly level with your chair. As KLD said, go try one out. Oh, and they are all plug in, the battery is just a backup in case of PF.

Just trying to see if you can get around reinventing the wheel. Good luck whichever way you go.

[endo_aftermath]

Good luck finding a solution. I'll be hoping. Several years ago I looked at many of the local furniture dealers but couldn't find anything that had the right combination of elevation control and arms that got out of the way--mostly the latter.

[parashooter]

I have a Lazy Boy lift chair that it about the same height as my wheelchair. I don't use the lift feature. The recline function is electric and the remote is hand held. Only draw back is the armrests extend enough so that they interfere with transfers.

[Denied2016]

Reminds me of reading Adi_Chicago’s posts when I was first injured. He loved his recliner … RIP