How To Keep Elderly From Sliding Out Of Recliner

by Andrew Smith| Last Updated: January 12, 2022

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How to keep elderly from sliding out of recliner

The elderly are precious people, but they need special care for them to live to their full age. One way of giving them good care is keeping them comfortable in the recliners. Unfortunately, sometimes an elderly can slide off the recliner and get injured. Worse still, die! How to keep elderly from sliding out of recliner?

You keep the elderly from sliding out of the recliner chair by using a back recline or using an adjustable footrest. Also, a seat belt and lateral support work effectively. An anterior leg rest function, a non-slip pad, and a negative angle leg rest also work perfectly well. 

Below, I’ll discuss these and other ways of keeping your elderly from sliding out of their lovely recliners. 

Read on. 

Table of Contents

How To Keep Elderly From Sliding Out Of Recliner

First of all, there are many reasons why an elderly slides off a recliner. One co-reason is the fact that they find it difficult to sit in one position for a long time. While they try to get a more comfortable seating posture, most elderly slide off the recliner.

They don’t have enough strength to hold themselves back to prevent injury, and that’s why you should seek sure and secure measures to keep the elderly glued to their recliners all day.

So, how to do this?

Use A Back Angle Recline

This recline allows the elderly from being reclined to the front, which could otherwise make them slide and fall. When the recliner’s back angle is open, a fixed hip angle becomes functional—thereby keeping the elderly fully supported in the recliner. 

Thankfully, back reclining is also good for the elderly back, and most medics prefer it over upright sitting. So, it’s a plus. 

Adjustable Footplate

A recliner’s footrest is essential in not only preventing the elderly from sliding off but also in boosting pressure management. In addition, a footplate enhances stability while the elderly are seated, and this boosts their confidence, and they can independently sit alone all day. 

Remember, when the elderly are sitting in a normal posture, 19 percent of their body weight (as is the case with other people), is evenly distributed in the heels and ankles. 

Consequently, their feet are highly exposed to injuries and ulcers, which could cause strain to them. 

So, when an elderly’s feet are supported by a footplate, they’re not only comfortable and safe from the above health issues, but they also won’t slide off the recliner chair. 

Also read: How to stop recliner unnecessary movements on the floor.

An Ergonomic Pommel

The protuberance found on the ergonomic pommel stops the elderly from sliding out of recliner. This feature, which is found in the front of the seat, also keeps each leg in its individual position—thereby enhancing comfort. 

The key thing to consider is that while the elderly seat, their feet are comfortable on the footplate. 

If this is a costly option for you, consider using a wedge cushion. An edge cushion is used to help the elderly to maintain an inward curve of their lower back. 

Consequently, the pelvis slightly tilts to the front, and the elderly comfortably maintain an upright posture. 

Adjustable Seat Depth

A recliner whose seat depth is adjustable could help keep the elderly in place. Here’s why. When the seat depth is deeper, the elderly butts are ‘trapped’ in the chair–thus cannot slide. 

Adjustable seat depth means that the elderly’s feet are fully supported, and their weight gets evenly distributed, too. 

With enough support and excellent comfort, the elderly doesn’t keep changing position, and that prevents chances of sliding out of the recliner. 

Increase Support

There are several ways of increasing support to ensure that the elderly won’t slide while you’re away. The most effective ways are:

Seat belt: Adding a seatbelt to keep the elderly in their recliner is effective. Nonetheless, seat belts may feel uncomfortable after a while. Therefore, only use them if you’re not going to have your elderly there for long. For instance, if you want to rush to the restroom but want to ensure that your loved ones won’t accidentally slide out of the recliner, a seatbelt could work. 

Lateral support: Does the elderly keep sliding on one side? Probably requiring repositioning every now and then? Lateral support would be effective in stopping these occurrences. Lateral support not only keeps the elderly from sliding out of the recliner, but also keeps them stable and well-balanced. The lateral supports are mounted to the back of the recliner, and they can be square or rectangular in shape, and they rest against the elderly’s truck.  

Raked Incliner Seat

Recliner seats can be modified according to your preferences. So, if the elderly often slides out of the recliner, you would ask the manufacturer to have a raked seat. With a raked seat, the elderly cannot slide because the back is lower as compared to the front side. 

Rake seats make the recliner slightly tilt backward, keeping them in place. 

Anterior Leg Rest Function

Also known as a riser function, it’s vital for the elderly who slides while trying to rise from their recliners. An anterior leg rest function gives the elderly the needed support whenever they want to get to a standing position. 

Negative Angle Leg Rest

If the elderly are sliding out of the recliner because of tight hamstrings, consider using a negative angle leg rest. With this option, the elderly are well loaded on the recliner and have sufficient support.

Plus, the elderly’s feet stay comfortably behind the knee. Even so, as the elderly grow older, this problem (tight hamstrings) should come to an end, and they should be able to sit comfortably on their recliners

Non-Slip Pads

If every other method fails, non-slip pads should work. This method, though, just like the seat belt, isn’t good for extended usage. 

Why? Non-slip pads may cause abrasions on the elderly’s legs and buttocks. So, though they work effectively in stopping slides when placed underside before the elderly seats, they could have a negative impact if continuously used. 

Further Reading:

Parting Shot

I’ve heard cases, numerous of them, where people are trying to keep the elderly glued in their recliners. The worst happens–they slide out.

It can be scary to imagine the possible outcomes when an elderly slide out of a recliner. For example, they could break their bones, get hurt by the recliner, the recliner could break, or the elderly could get disabled or die. Learning how to keep elderly from sliding out of recliner is, therefore, a vital skill.

You could save the life of your loved one just by using this guide keenly. Good luck, but only use the method that makes your loved one comfortable. You don’t have to make them feel like they’re in prison! Do you?

Author

  • Andrew Smith

    Andrew Smith is the founder of CozySeating, is a father of 2, and an engineer from one of the leading furniture stores in the country. Due to his 10 years of experience, he has proved to be the best person to offer advice to clients regarding different seating furniture based on their needs and performance. Besides, he is a specialist in product reviews and always keeps up with the current trends in the market.

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