Choosing a lift chair: size, recline and the room it goes in

A power lift recliner does two jobs. It tilts forward and rises to help you stand up, and it lowers and reclines so you can rest. To do both well, it has to fit three things: the person who sits in it, the way that person likes to rest, and the room it will live in. This guide covers how to check each one against the numbers makers publish.

The National Institute on Aging includes a simple point in its home safety advice: make sure your sofas and chairs are the right height for you to get in and out of easily (National Institute on Aging). A lift chair can help with that, but only if its size suits you.

1. Fit the person

Lift chairs come in sizes, and the sizes are not interchangeable from brand to brand. Look at four numbers.

Height range

Pride gives a recommended height range for each size. The Pride VivaLift! Tranquil 2, for example, comes in Small for people 5 feet 3 inches and under, Medium for 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 9 inches, and Large/Tall for 5 feet 10 inches and above (Pride specifications). Vive gives a recommended user height of 5 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 4 inches for its Lounge Up Lift Chair (Vive Health).

Seat-to-floor height

When you sit, your feet should rest flat on the floor. On the Tranquil 2, the seat sits 18 inches from the floor on the Small, 19.5 inches on the Medium and 21.5 inches on the Large/Tall (Pride specifications). A shorter person may find a high seat leaves their feet dangling; a taller person may find a low seat puts their knees above their hips.

Seat width and depth

Measure across the widest part of your hips while seated, and compare that with the seat width. On the Golden Comforter, seat width runs from 21 inches on Petite/Small and Medium up to 29 inches on Tall Wide (Golden Technologies). Seat depth matters too: too deep and the front edge presses behind your knees; too shallow and your thighs are not supported.

Weight capacity

Capacity can change by size within one model. The Golden Comforter is rated at 400 pounds on most sizes and 500 pounds on Medium Wide and Tall Wide (Golden Technologies). Pride's Evolution LC-435 goes up to 600 pounds in its Extra Extra Large size (Pride specifications).

2. Fit the way you rest

Lift chairs differ in how they recline. Some move to a few set positions, and others stop anywhere in their range, sometimes with extra motors for the headrest, lumbar or footrest. Pride labels its chairs with positions such as "Traditional 3-Position" and "True-Infinite" (Pride Genesis LC-150 specifications). Golden describes "comfort zones" and says the number refers to how many motors the chair offers (Golden Technologies). Our companion guide explains the position types in detail.

Think about how the chair will be used. A chair you mainly sit up in to read or watch television has different needs from one you will nap in for hours. If you or your caregiver want the chair to recline nearly flat, check the fully reclined length; Vive lists 65 inches for the Lounge Up (Vive Health).

3. Fit the room

Width

Measure the space where the chair will stand and compare it with the overall chair width. The Tranquil 2 ranges from 33.75 inches wide on the Small to 38 inches on the Large/Tall (Pride specifications). Leave room on at least one side for a walker or for a helper to stand.

Space behind and in front

A recliner needs room behind it to lean back and room in front for the footrest and for the forward tilt when it lifts. Makers publish the space needed behind. Pride lists "Distance From Wall," which is 13 inches on the Small Tranquil 2 and 16 inches on the Medium (Pride specifications). Golden lists "Wall clearance reclined," for example 16 inches on the Petite/Small Comforter and 21 inches on its Tall size (Golden Technologies). Vive says its Large Lift Chair needs at least 20 inches from the wall (Vive Health). If space behind the chair is tight, see our guide to wall-hugger lift chairs.

Power

Lift chairs plug into the wall. Vive lists a standard 110-volt wall plug for the Large Lift Chair (Vive Health). Plan for an outlet close to where the chair will sit, so the cord does not cross a walking path. The NIA advises keeping electrical cords near walls and away from walking paths (National Institute on Aging). Many models also have a battery backup; Pride lists a lithium battery backup on the Tranquil 2 (Pride specifications).

Getting it into the room

Lift chairs are heavy. Pride lists the Tranquil 2 at 137 to 155 pounds depending on size (Pride specifications). Measure the doorways and halls on the way to the room, and plan who will help move it.

A short checklist

1. Height of the person, and the size whose height range covers it.
2. Seat-to-floor height that lets feet rest flat.
3. Seat width that fits the hips, with a little room.
4. Weight capacity for that exact size.
5. The recline style you want.
6. Width of the spot, plus the space needed behind and in front.
7. An outlet nearby, and a clear path to bring the chair in.

Browse our lift recliners to compare sizes and specifications, or email info@faithmobility.com with your measurements and we will help narrow the choice.

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Sources

• National Institute on Aging: Preventing Falls at Home, Room by Room
• Pride Mobility: VivaLift! Tranquil 2 specifications
• Vive Health: Lounge Up Lift Chair
• Golden Technologies: Comforter
• Pride Mobility: Evolution LC-435 specifications
• Pride Mobility: Genesis LC-150 specifications
• Golden Technologies: Comfort Zones
• Vive Health: Large Lift Chair