I learned a few things on a recent trip to purchase a recliner for my 71 year-old Dad. After falling and severely bruising his hip, he could not sit comfortably on his current furniture, and resting in his bedroom all day was increasing his feelings of depression and isolation.
The plan was to surprise Dad with a more comfortable chair that would raise his spirits. Though he’d always flatly refused a lift chair because he thought it would look different than a standard recliner (they generally don’t), he also had his heart set on leather. Leather is slick so our retailer didn’t offer a leather, lift chair. These factors guided our decision to purchase a leather, non-lift luxury-type recliner that my Dad loves. Finally able to sit comfortably while elevating his injured leg, his recovery progressed much more quickly after this purchase.
This article by Jim Miller (creator of SavvySenior) includes options and guidance if you plan to help purchase functional and therapeutic furniture for your aging parent. Most valuable tip: Medicare pays for a portion of the lift mechanism of a recliner chair if you purchase from an approved provider (such as a medical supply company, but you’ll want to confirm this with each individual provider). Mary Allen, Lead Case Manager at Cooperative, learned this as she shopped for a recliner for her father (for comfort, when he was very ill). Her personal experience? The medical recliners were significantly more expensive than the luxury recliners (say, from a furniture retailer) even after the contribution from Medicare. She opted for the luxury recliner because it met her Dad’s needs and was much more affordable. Some things to think about!