Working for an assisted facility or care home for elders comes with its challenges. Many people assume that the only concern is to look after the well-being of elders there, but in reality, you need to do more than just that. You need to take into account every need of the elders giving them the best facilities you can. The major factor to consider is to make sure that the facility is designed in a way that facilitates the elderly. The most important factor that you need to focus on in offering the best design is to buy suitable furniture such as high-seat sofas for the elderly. These sofas can be a real game changer in your assisted facility in that they offer increased comfort to the elders.
If you are not familiar with the concept of high seat sofas then let me walk you through it. The high seat sofas for the elderly are specially designed sofas that have higher seating in comparison to the standard sofa sitting. The cushion or seat of these sofas is elevated than the regular sofas.
Are you wondering what is so special about these high-seat sofas that they are deemed appropriate for the elders? Well, the elevated sofa height makes it easy for the elders to sit and stand up comfortably. These sofas are perfect for those elders who have mobility issues or backache which is quite common in elders due to the age effect. Typically, the height of standard sofas is almost 18 inches to 20 inches. Whereas, the height of high-seat sofas is more than 20 inches which makes them more accessible for the elders. The raised height puts less pressure or strain on hips and knees while sitting or standing up making it easier for elders to transition positions without any help.
To invest in a high-seat sofa, you need to make sure that it is perfect for your care home or assisted facility. Having an elevated seat won’t help if the sofa is uncomfortable to sit in. This is why there are some factors that you need to ascertain to ensure that your purchase is a valuable addition to the facility. Care to find out about these factors? Here are the most important characteristics that you would want in your high-seat sofa.
· Comfortable: Comfort is the first and foremost feature that is desired in any sofa and when it comes to sitting space for elders the value of comfort rises even more. The high seat sofas should be comfortable and have firm cushioning. The sturdy cushion offers firm support to the elders. It is great for backache and also ensures that the e; doesn't experience any sort of discomfort while sitting on the sofa.
· Firm construction: While investing in the high seat sofas for elderly make sure that they are constructed well. You don’t want to buy a sofa that is too shabby and ill-constructed. A sofa that is not made by a professional artisan won't last long and won't offer the comfort the elders expect. Many vendors are now opting for metal frame technology to ensure that the sofas are strong and sturdy. While purchasing a high-seat sofa, choose a vendor who is known for the firm construction of the sofas. It is better to check reviews of various vendors online and then choose the best one that offers the best-constructed furniture.
· Non-skid feet: The feet of the sofa should be sturdy enough to make sure they don’t skid with the weight of the elders. Commonly, elders put their arms on the armrest or back of the sofa to get some support while sitting or standing up. A sofa with skidding feet can move from its position in such a case which can cause uneasiness for elders and can even hurt them. This is why it is important to buy a high-seat sofa that has sturdy feet. The designers should design every part of the sofa keeping in mind its intended use. You must check the sofa thoroughly before finalizing a purchase. It is better to be nosy while making a purchase than to regret it later.
· Armrest: Ideally, the high seat sofas should come with a rest. It is because the armrest acts as an added support for the elders. They can hold it firmly while sitting down or standing up. The armrest acts as a firm support that helps the elders transition between positions without needing help or assistance from any other human and offers them the independence they wish for.
· Exceptional Quality: Quality is a feature that is very essential in every sort of purchase. But when you are investing in sofas for a care home then you got to be even more conscious to check out the quality of sofas. It is because the funds of such care homes are limited and you would never want to waste any of the money that is meant to help the elders in any way. Moreover, when buying sofas for elders you need to make sure that the quality is top-notch because your work is to offer them comfort. This is why it is important to choose vendors who can swear by the product quality.
· Easy to clean: The sofa should be easy to clean and maintain. Elders in such care home facilities can experience accidents like water spillage or food particles crumbling on the seat. This is only human to experience such accidents in older age as the elders sometimes lose their balance which is quite normal for their age. But to make sure that the seats are cleaned thoroughly in case of any such incident, make sure that you invest in one that is easy to clean. The sofa should be such that it doesn’t leave a watermark after cleaning, the sofa must be easy to maintain because it helps to keep it just as new and gives a nicer look to the facility. Also, an easy-to-maintain sofa lasts longer making it a worthy investment for the elders and care home.
· Ergonomic design: Invest in a sofa that is designed by keeping in mind the ergonomic needs of the elders. The sofa should be crafted on the principle of ergonomics to make sure that it offers a sturdy surface to align the body and lowers any risk of pain or discomfort for the elders. The high seat sofas for elderly are meant to be ergonomic and offer a heightened sitting space that facilitates the elderly in every possible way.
· Affordable price: Though comfort is the most essential feature that you should look for there is no second opinion that price surely matters. You would want to invest in a sofa that has all the desired characteristics and the most affordable price. Different vendors offer different price ranges for such sofas based on the quality they offer. You surely don’t want to compromise on the quality either. This is why the best option to go for is to buy the sofas that have metal frames and wood grain coating. Such sofas are lower in price because metal is cheaper than wood. But having the wood grain coating will give the same look and feel as a wooden sofa. So, why purchase a wooden sofa for more when you can get the same feel in less price without compromising on the quality? Such metal wood grain sofas are around 50% to 60% cheaper than wooden sofas.
· Easy to keep and move: Though mostly you keep the furniture in a fixed spot in care homes you might need to move the furniture quite often. This is because it is good to change the setup to give a fresh look to the facility. Also, the elders might request you to move the furniture or sofa as per their ease and desire. This is why the high-seat sofa should be light in weight and easily moveable. The traditional wooden sofas are quite heavy and you need at least 2 people to move the sofa. This is why it is better to invest in a metal sofa that can be easy to move. Everyone among the staff should be able to move the sofa even a girl to ensure that there is no compromise made when it comes to elders’ comfort. The metal high seat sofa with wood grain coating is 50% lighter in weight in comparison to the traditional wooden sofa.
· Durability: The sofa is an investment that is not done now and then. Rather, you invest in furniture thinking that it will last at least a few years. This is why while investing in the high seat sofas for elderly make sure that they are durable and long-lasting. Durability means that you won't have to invest again and also save the time that you spend in finding another sofa. Remember, the care homes don’t come with unlimited funds so having a durable sofa means that you are managing the funds efficiently.
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