Medicare Lift Chairs and More

When our body ages, we frequently find that we are no longer able to stand as easily as we once were. This can make getting up out of a low sitting chair, like a recliner or the couch, virtually impossible. One way to address this problem is to use a lift chair.

Lift chairs are a type of device that is used to lift a person to their feet. They are basically a recliner that can raised into the air. As the chair rises slowly into the air, its occupant is able to safely raise without fear of a fall. Once the chair has finished raising, the seat is left at a height and angle that makes it easy for the chairs occupant to safely exit into an upright position. They are basically like having a 24/7 hand to help you get up.

Today, lift chairs are incredibly popular. They were first developed in the early eighties and quickly grew in popularity. Originally Medicare covered the entire chair, but today they only cover the part of the chair that is responsible for lifting it into the air. This part is the lifting mechanism and usually Medicare will cover up to $300 towards the cost of the lifting mechanism. The mechanism must also be electronic and can not use springs.

The amount of weight that a chair supports varies by model. Some chairs are made that support over seven hundred pounds, but most support closer to three hundred pounds. The chairs that support over five hundred pounds are usually referred to as bariatric lift chairs. Not only is a bariatric lift chair able to support much more weight than a traditional lift chair, they are also designed to have a wider seat. Usually bariatric lift chairs feature dual motors.

One of the great things about modern lift chairs is that they are controlled by an electric motor. This motor not only controls the raising and lowering of the chair, but also the footrest and backrest. This makes it much more easy to use than a traditional recliner, because instead of rely on the occupants body pressure to recline, a lift chair can be reclined at the push of a button.

While today, almost every lift chair you see utilizes electrical lifting systems, this was not always the case. Some of the first lift chairs used a spring catapult lifting system. These early chairs were not very safe, mainly because once you started the chair moving, you could not stop it. They could also jar the occupant and were quite frequently the cause of a fall. The reason that Medicare will only cover an electric lift chair is because the spring ones were so dangerous. Few companies still make these chairs and no reputable company will sell them, so if you see a spring lift chair offered, do not buy anything from this dealer.

While the change to the way that Medicare covered lift chairs did not occur until the nineties, there are two companies that began manufacturing lift chairs in the mid-eighties. Pride Mobility and Golden Technologies began custom building their own lift chairs during this time, which was unheard of, because other companies simply bought pre-made recliners and inserted a lift system into them. Pride and Golden not only custom built their own chairs, but they also only made electrical lift chairs, which made them the industry leaders. Together with the changes to Medicare and the need to keep up with the industry leaders, most companies stopped making the spring lift chair. Today, Golden and Pride are not only leaders in lift chair manufacturing, but also in many other areas of the home medical industry.

If you or someone you love is unable to stand safely, a lift chair can be a tremendous benefit. It can increase the safety of its occupant, while allowing them to independently stand at whim.