To find the best recliners for seniors, one has to know what is important to a senior as far as buying a recliner. Here are important things to look out for.
Proper fit
Finding a seat with the right fit is more than mandatory. A larger chair will “suck you up” and make you feel as though you are sitting too deep. Your legs will also not touch the floor which is totally uncomfortable. And if you get a smaller chair it still is all sorts uncomfortable. Painful even to sit on for longer hours. The sizing just has to be perfect.
Living Area size
You must consider where in your house you intend to place the recliner. Is it spacious enough? If not, consider a chair that only slides forward so you can place it against a wall.
Accessories
Recliners come with varying features and its all a matter of what you need that you need to be looking out for. Ask yourself, what features will serve me most or be more convenient for my situation.
Some come with different push buttons, levers on the sides of the chair to position you differently, storage pockets to place items like remotes or phones, speakers so that you can easily adjust the volume of your movies and music, cup holders, inbuilt heating pads, vibrational massages and so forth.
Ease of cleaning
Since you will be using the recliner everyday nearly all day, you need to get one that you can easily clean and maintain. Choosing a breathable fabric is the first step as you don’t want a seat that piles up your sweat and all manner of odors.
Secondly, you want a fabric that needs minimal cleaning effort like leather or even faux leather that you can just wipe the spill or dirt off. Another easy to clean fabric is polyester. It dries up real fast. Unless you trust your cleanliness levels, steer clear of cotton, linen or chenille. Well, they look elegant but requires constant maintenance.
Footrest
It’s important that your legs stay elevated when sitting for long hours to prevent poor circulation of blood to your feet and lower legs. A recliner with a footrest will make this possible.
Two things to check are that the footrest locks and unlocks easily as well as folds up well. It is best to pick a recliner that has no gap between the footrest and the main chair. Also, go for a recliner that allows you to operate the footrest and the chair independently. This allows for multiple positions.
Support and comfort
Support and comfort are the key reasons why you are buying a recliner so you want to get the very best of these two. Check that the recliner feels comfortable on your back, shoulders, arms, and knees. Go for a chair with dense padding, high back ( unless you are very short), armrest and footrest.
If you have mild back and mobility problems, a regular power lift recliner will be just fine, however, if you have serious back problems highly consider an orthopedic recliner. It will help give better support to your pressure points providing you with maximum comfort and relaxation.
Functionality and durability
You want to go for a durable recliner, something that will last you some more years even with everyday use. Look for one made of high-quality frame material like steel. The construction must be solid and sturdy and the upholstery very well made. The operation must also be seamless, with no noises, and no hard pressing of buttons.
Check the reclining angle, how far does it stretch. Most go all the way to 135 degrees with a swivel of 360 degrees.