Some patients or their families may be sceptical about the initial outlay required for a specialist chair. Explaining the benefits can help them make the right decision for their health.
It’s only natural that when faced with an OT recommending them a new chair, some patients will be sceptical, or even resistant. This can be frustrating, especially when you know just how much a specialist chair would help everything from their posture to their quality of life. It may not always be the patient themselves you have to convince; in some cases their family or healthcare provider will be paying for the chair. Either way, clearly outlining the benefits will give you every chance of helping you to improve your patient’s quality of life with a suitable chair.
Tailor Your Advice
The first point to make is that your advice should not read like a script. You know your patient and their specific issues, which may range from pressure ulcers to postural issues and more. Mention these first, so the patient or their family really understands you are making the recommendation with their condition in mind.
Three Key Areas of Improvement:
Recliners Chairs improve patients’ quality of life in three key areas. These are:
Postural Issues
When a patient becomes less mobile and is forced to spend longer periods of the day sitting or lying down, it can quickly have a detrimental effect on their posture. This in turn causes problems such as reduced blood flow and an increased chance of chronic pain. All Recliners Chairs have been designed to help minimise postural issues, with ergonomic back features, adjustable cushions and Tilt-in-Space technology features of many of our models. Improved posture will increase a patient’s mobility and functionality, reduce pain and give them a better quality of life.
Minimise Pressure Ulcers and/or Shear
If a patient is suffering from pressure ulcers and/or shear, a Recliners Chair will help to minimise or even eradicate the issue. We design our chairs to enable a patient to distribute their weight evenly, improving blood flow to key areas such as the buttocks, lower back and thighs, and minimise the friction experience between the chairs. The breathable, advanced microfibre material that covers many of our models also helps minimise build up of sweat that can weaken skin and cause pressure ulcers.
Psychological Benefits
Quite naturally, as a patient feels better physically in their Recliners chair, this will have an effect on their mental health as well. Many of the OTs that recommend our chairs to their patients report better moods, increased sleep and improved cognitive function in their patients after a specialist chair was introduced.
Explore Our Range of Specialist Chairs
We have an extensive range of chairs for both domestic and healthcare settings. We are always happy to work with OTs to provide them with the knowledge to make the right recommendation for their patients, and we are happy to come to give demonstrations of our models.