Recliner chair

psg712

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good recliner? My mom is in AL but is rapidly losing cognitive abilities. Her recliner has a pull handle that pops the footrest out, but requires her to push it down with her legs until it clicks into place. She no longer has the strength or the understanding to do this. She leaves the legrest extended and climbs out the side of the chair, over the armrest. She has fallen twice doing this.

I have looked at many power recliners online. Most are not suitable for her. She doesn't know how to use a TV remote control, even to power on the set, so she could not handle a remote with multiple options for the power chair. A lift chair would surely dump her straight down on her face. Most power recliners lean the back down as the legrest rises - no option to sit upright but still have legs elevated.

She uses the recliner to sleep in also - has not slept in bed for years and is not comfortable lying flat. Any suggestions on a safer chair would be appreciated!

harshedbuzz

@psg712

Hi and welcome. I am sorry for your reason to be here, but pleased you found this place.

A couple things struck me in your post that don't really answer your question-

1. When you say AL is it a euphemism for memory care? If the AL is a traditional hospitality-model AL rather than an enhanced AL for MC or a MC, it probably isn't the appropriate level of care for her at this time given that she is at a point where she no longer understands how her own recliner works or has the executive function to appreciate the consequence of going over the side as it relates to falls. It sounds like MC would be a better fit.
2. Is there some medical reason-- orthopedic, cardiac, pulmonary-- why she can't sleep in a bed? As her disease progresses, there is a high probability of her becoming bed-bound and needing care given in bed. If this might be something to be addressed, it would be helpful to do so. Another option might be a hospital bed now which would be safer for her to get in and out of for naps.
3. Does the facility have an OT in-house? This is the professional to which I would turn with your chair questions. OTs are charged with helping a person function safely in their surroundings. They could help pick an appropriate size and style and decide if it's still a safe option for your mom. My late grandmother who had PSP used a lift chair successfully with help from the staff in her SNF after the disease impacted her cognition to the point she needed help with it.

psg712

Hi harshedbuzz, thank you for your honest assessment and helpful ideas! To answer your questions:

1. Yes, my mom is actually in an AL. There are services available such as assisted showers and prompts for ADLs. She has been there for a year and a half (lived alone previously), and the speed of her decline is picking up noticeably. I have visited the MC building on the same property, and agree that it is the more appropriate setting for her ... when they have an opening, and when someone with more risky behaviors is not moved in ahead of her!

2. Her stated reason, about five years ago, for preferring the recliner to a bed, was that her feet and legs were more comfortable there. She has neuropathy from chemotherapy nearly 20 years ago. It used to cause her to get up and pace the floors at night. It seems to be less troublesome now, but that is difficult to assess when she now has a lot of word finding difficulty.

3. No, there is no in-house OT at her facility. They use a home care agency for such therapies, when ordered by the visiting PA. But perhaps I could request that evaluation. I would like to try to have her sleep in bed, but still fear falls because she has no understanding of a need to call for assistance and will just get up to use the bathroom. If she had a hospital bed with rails, I'll bet she would try to go over or around them! Not from stubbornness, but because she can't process or remember any instructions or evaluate risks logically.

I appreciate your thoughts! She definitely needs more supervision than the AL is staffed to provide.

SDianeL

Haverty's has a recliner with separate head & footrest controls here that looks pretty simple to use: https://www.havertys.com/products/product-page/ava-accent-recliner?cid=ps%7cgoogle%7cPMax:+Shopping+-+Living+Room%7c%7c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvPK5spOpgQMV9y3UAR2eAw3IEAQYBSABEgJVa_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#benefits-tab

SDianeL

I bought my DH 78, Stage 5 going into Late Stage 5, diagnosed 2 years ago, the Flexsteel Arlo power rocking recliner. It has separate buttons for reclining and the footrest. He loves it. Wonder if you could disconnect the recline button? There is also a lumbar button but that wouldn't hurt anything. Maybe if you put it near the wall she couldn't recline it very far?? Here's the link to where I bought it but the color of the one I received isn't the same as the photo. https://www.hudsonsfurniture.com/arlo-triple-pwr-rocking-recliner-in-fabric-407-01-flx-2810-51l-407-01.html

harshedbuzz

@psg712 said: 1. Yes, my mom is actually in an AL. There are services available such as assisted showers and prompts for ADLs. She has been there for a year and a half (lived alone previously), and the speed of her decline is picking up noticeably. I have visited the MC building on the same property, and agree that it is the more appropriate setting for her ... when they have an opening, and when someone with more risky behaviors is not moved in ahead of her!

I would start looking elsewhere. It's always best to have a Plan B in your pocket. I can appreciate that management is prioritizing safety for those who are a risk to themselves/others, but it isn't right that your mom's needs are going unmet because she isn't exit-seeking or aggressive.

psg712 said: 3. No, there is no in-house OT at her facility. They use a home care agency for such therapies, when ordered by the visiting PA. But perhaps I could request that evaluation. I would like to try to have her sleep in bed, but still fear falls because she has no understanding of a need to call for assistance and will just get up to use the bathroom. If she had a hospital bed with rails, I'll bet she would try to go over or around them! Not from stubbornness, but because she can't process or remember any instructions or evaluate risks logically.

One of the reasons I suggested a hospital bed, which her PCP could order for her, would be that the head or feet could be elevated to meet her needs. The bed can also be raised for care or lowered nearly to the ground to make it easy to get in/out and if she does fall, it's not far to the floor. Rails typically are not used in LTC facilities as they are considered restraints. I don't recall the few hospital beds in dad's MCF or in the SNF even having rails.

HB

SDianeL

also found this one that only has a power footrest. https://www.apt2b.com/collections/accent-chairs/products/kendrick-chair-with-power-footrest

psg712

Thanks everyone for all of the helpful suggestions. I am working through the options. HB, I had started thinking about looking at other facilities too, though I'd prefer her to stay in the MC where she is ... but she wouldn't know the difference.