For many elderly, one of the most frustrating (and sometimes scary) things that makes living on their own a challenge is when they struggle to get out of a chair. It’s hard for them. Especially when it’s getting out of their favorite chair. One that they’ve been sitting in for years and fits them just right.
My mother had her favorite spot on her love seat next to a large corner table that held everything that she needed, from her crossword puzzles, to her address book and land line telephone. She had sat in the corner of that love seat so much that it sank in like a bucket and it was uncomfortable if you didn’t get your bottom in just the right spot (because it was made for her specifically, you see).
When you sink into a sofa or chair like this, it’s hard to climb out of it. It truly can be like trying to stand up from sitting in a bucket.
Most of the time when an elder struggles to get up from a chair, the common belief is that they are simply too weak, or weigh too much to get out of a chair easily. But in my experience, this is not the cause in most cases.
I address this mobility issue in the this particular guide. In most cases when an elder cant get out of a chair it has more to do with their (and that of their caregiver) technique rather than their strength or weight. For the caregiver who may be helping, remember: “Don’t Lift. Assist.”
In addition to poor technique, it may be that your loved one may be sitting “too low” in their chair and their struggle evaporates once they are sitting a little higher.
The image shows a woman that is “sitting too low”. When the hips are lower relative to the knees, it’s going to be harder to stand up. Sure, you’ll have to use more strength, but, you’ll also have to try to get your body’s center or mass over you’re feet. The lower a person is, the harder it is to do. Also, the weaker a person is relatively, the harder it is to do.
The image of the couple sitting shown here is that they are sitting in “normal height” chairs. You can see that their hips pretty much align with the level of their knees. This will go a long way to making it easier to stand up from these chairs. If an elderly person is seated at this level and angle of their hip to knee, all it takes for them to do is lean a little further forward to get their center of mass over their feet.
Unfortunately, most seniors have a healthy fear of falling forward and so leaning forward to rise from a chair may still be an issue.
In this particular photo, the woman is seated on a higher chair and her hips are visibly above her knees. From this position it’s easier for her to get her center of mass over her feet with less effort and also it’s a lot easier to lift her hips off the chair as they are already “half way to standing”.
I use these examples to better illustrate the problem as well as the solution. Naturally an older person won’t be comfortable sitting on a bar or counter height stool all day. But, a solution to helping and elderly person up from a chair could be as simple as raising the seat they sit in most.
There are a couple of solutions to getting them up a little higher. One solution is to invest in an elevating recliner chair. These electric chairs do all the heavy lifting and raise a person up enough where they can actually just slide off the chair into standing.
But, there are a couple of drawbacks to using one of these chairs. first of all, they can be expensive to buy. Although you can get them in many different stores, from “kind of expensive ” to very expensive. But, also, they can be considered unsafe for some because people can slip off them when they are elevated to their highest point.
A simpler and less expensive solution may be to just elevate their favorite chair or love seat. This can be done easily by building a platform to place the chair on.
Raising the chair will essentially do the same thing that the elevating recliner does, but you don’t have the potential to “slide out” as much, there is really not chance of having a “mechanical issue” like an electrical short, and your loved one is able to keep their favorite chair or love seat.
You could simply build (or hire someone to do so) one of these platforms out of scrap would that you may already have or that is easy to come by. or you could also purchase one from an online store like Amazon. There are many options that are available. Just make sure to do your research and consider what may be safest for your elder or loved one. Because, that’s really the whole point, right?
Here’s something to keep in mind if you’re considering purchasing a new chair, bed, or if you’re adjusting a bedside commode for comfort and to make sitting and standing easier.
The proper height of a seat surface should be at or near the lower part of the back of the knee. This is the height of the seat surface that will allow a person to stand up most easily because it puts the hip and knee at the proper angle.
If you’re loved one isn’t able to go with you when you buy the item, just measure the height of the back of their knee while they’re standing and make a note of it. That way you’ll know if something is too high or too low. Also, you don’t want to be rigid or inflexible about the height as an inch or so in either direction won’t make that much of a difference. If you decide that purchasing a new chair isn’t really an option, I wrote about this device that helps you stand up from a soft chair or couch. Take a look, it might be a better option for your situation.
Bryan Williams
Physical Therapist
is a licensed therapist with near 30 years of professional experience treating a diverse patient population in a multitude of settings. With simple strategies, he educates and empowers his clients with simple strategies to help them move better and with less pain.
