The Importance Of Good Seating For The Elderly

Our mobility declines as we get older, and whether you or your loved ones live at home or in a care home, good seating becomes vitally important for good health. As sitting becomes a larger part of life as we get older, it should be comfortable and provide as much support as possible.

Chairs For the Elderly

Poor seating that is not suitable for the elderly can have the following negative side effects:

-      Bad Posture: We need to maintain good posture to keep our muscles strong and healthy, however, poor seating can cause slouching and discomfort if it does not encourage appropriate postural alignment and support for the feet.

-      Falling: There is a much higher risk of falling or sliding out of a chair when we are elderly, which could cause major injuries.

-      Sores and Pressure Ulcers: These are an exceptional risk when Pressure Area Care (pressure management) of seating for the elderly is not taken into consideration and those with poor mobility are most at risk of developing pressure ulcers as it is more difficult for them to move position once seated.

Pressure care areas of concern from poor seating are shown above. 

What Makes Good Seating For The Elderly?

Good seating for the elderly considers the following factors to alleviate the negative side effects:

-      Sitting becomes a larger part of life as we grow older and so seating should at the very least be comfortable to the user.

-      To reduce the risk of poor posture, seating needs adequate back and foot support to promote good postural alignment.

-      Good seating for the elderly should take into account Pressure Area Care to reduce the risk of sores and pressure ulcers forming.

-      Risk assessments should be undertaken on seating to determine the risks on an individual basis.

-      Seating that is appropriate for the elderly, especially when placed in care homes, should be easily maintained and cleaned.

-      Good seating will also be durable and have good longevity.

Ideally good seating should aim to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the user.

Why Choose Renray Chairs

Renray is the leading supplier of healthcare furniture to the NHS. We manufacture all of our seating in our factory in the UK, meaning we can ensure the high quality of each piece. We design our furniture with our customers in mind, performing risk assessments and pressure management to ensure our chairs are comfortable, safe and promote good posture.

Please see our seating guide to ensure you are sitting properly, or contact us for more information about our range of seating for the elderly.