A Geriatric Therapist's Arch Nemesis

I guess the inventor of the lift chair had good intentions. To help grandma or grandpa get out of their favorite chair easier. And I suppose caregivers have good intentions when they buy these chairs for their loved ones. After all, no one likes to see a loved one struggle. What could a therapist possibly have against a lift chair??? Well let me tell you....

The problem with these chairs is people use them. All. The. Time. Humans will naturally take the easy route. So when you present an aging human with an easier way to perform a task, they will, innocently enough, use the easier way. And while this easier way of standing up may be less stressful on the joints, it also eliminates the need for use of the large muscles that require a lot of strengthening in order to remain functional- the gluts and quads. Allow me to elaborate.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. And this rate SPEEDS up after the age of 60. This means, the geriatric community requires regular overloading of muscles in order to just MAINTAIN strength. But most in this age group do not participate in a regular exercise routine and must rely on functional activities to maintain a level of strength congruent with living with as little assistance as possible. These functional activities include getting in and out of bed, scooting in bed, walking, and my personal favorite- sit to stand. When you remove a person's need to move, essentially, you are removing their strength. I have actually had patients in nursing homes who would only use these lift chairs, utilizing them for sitting, sleeping and eating, and became so weak, their family could no longer care for them in the home. But even though they need max assist of two people or a mechanical lift to get in and out of bed or on and off the toilet, they really didn't belong in a nursing home.

Now, I realize there are some instances in which a lift chair is warranted and necessary. But it has become RARE for me to enter a home and NOT see one of these chairs. Please, stop buying these chairs for everyone over the age of 60! And stop encouraging everyone to "use the button, dad!" every time they stand up. Allow them to use their own muscles to perform these daily activities. Encourage standing up out of the chair every hour. Instead of enabling your loved one, encourage their independence for as long as possible.