Furniture Solutions for People with Limited Mobility & Incontinence.

Here are a few modifications that can make seating an asset to your limited mobility consumers:

• Arms.  Arms on chairs are a necessity for those with limited mobility as they provide extra support for transitioning from sitting to standing and vice versa. 
• Seat Height.  Seniors and others with limited mobility often suffer from reduced muscle tone.  In these cases, seat height must be higher to enable the extension of the knee from the sitting to standing position.  Seat Height should range from 20” to 22”.
• Seat Depth.  A shorter seat depth also aids in the transition from sitting to standing.  Seat depth should range from 20” to 22”.
• Cushion Firmness.  All seating pieces intended for use by individuals with limited mobility should have a cushion since the person tends to stay seated for extended periods of time.  A cushion should not be so soft that it creates an obstacle for standing but should not be so hard that it is uncomfortable for extended use.
• Other Considerations.  Fabric and other design enhancements can add to the comfort and function of seating for those with limited mobility.  Limited mobility and incontinence tend to go hand in hand.  Fabrics such as Crypton^© offer a high-degree of fluid-resistance and can protect upholstered furniture from odor and staining.  In addition, pop-out and clean out seat designs encourage fluids away from the client and the furniture. Caregivers and staff can easily access fluid clean-ups which are forced to the floor.
• Bariatric Seating: Bariatric furniture includes a wide variety of wood, metal and upholstered seating pieces that are designed and tested to hold up to heavier weights then standard furniture pieces. Wider seats. Extra heavy duty construction. Stronger Frames.
  

Beyond common area seating, dining seating also requires specialized functionality and design. 

Something for Everybody AND EVERY BODY!

So what exactly does bariatric furniture mean?

"Bariatric" is a broad word that encompasses the needs of people over recommended body weight.

The phrase “institutional furniture” is still used as a broad reference to furniture for group living and health care environments.

This phrase suggests high durability and virtual indestructibility, but the phrase “institutional furniture” also calls up images of unattractive, sterile and uncomfortable seating, bedroom and dining pieces.

In today’s group living and health care environments, institutional furniture has come to mean furniture that looks like what you would find in a home but is durable beyond retail furniture standards.

For furniture buyers choosing institutional furniture has become a tricky task.

• Contract furniture construction methods require more durable frames, components that have been tested to standards that are typically mandated by organizations like the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fabrics and finishes that are expected to last longer under higher-than-retail-usage and warranties that protect the buyer from manufacturers’ defects.

• Regardless of whether you are dealing with behavioral issues, limited mobility, obesity, incontinence, or just general heavy use there is furniture that can be part of managing these special needs.
  

• Once just a practical matter of where to sit or where to eat, furniture for institutional settings is now designed to be part of a solution to easing demands on consumers and staff by using bariatric seating, fluid-proof fabrics, higher seat heights, pop-out seat decks, and metal furniture.

When it is time for your next furniture purchase make sure to choose a Contract Furniture Specialist who takes the time to understand your typical consumer and your facility’s real needs. Chances are that there is a furniture solution that will not only make your life easier but will stand the test of time.

Why Combine Bariatric and Standard Seating?

Ganging systems that combine companion bariatric, non-bariatric and table options can be configured to fit any space and are an ideal solution for lobbies and common areas.

• In ganging systems, chairs and tables are joined using hardware to create a distinct configuration that is not easily moved. Fixing the configuration aids in traffic flow and safety since the pieces cannot be inadvertently moved into traffic paths or interfere with fire codes.

• Many styles and finishes are available for ganging options but the most popular tends to be metal-framed upholstered seating.  The metal, often mixed with wood arms for a warm, decorative finish adds sturdiness that will endure over time even with heavy use or use by individuals over 250 pounds. Some bariatric tested seats can safely hold individuals up to 750 pounds (ask for testing certification from your furniture seller).  Non-bariatric seats averaging 20” wide are mixed with bariatric seats which average 40” to create a perfectly balanced seating area.

• Bold patterns and contrasting upholsteries are a perfect way to create a ganging system that really does it all – durable seating with bariatric options in upholsteries to suit any decorating tastes.
  

• When considering how to furnish your common areas and lobbies, combinations of chairs and bariatric chairs work perfectly to balance a space and offer appropriate options to people of all shapes and sizes.  Ganging seating options accomplish the same balance with the added security of fixed positioning.
  

When considering your next project, talk to a contract furnishing specialist to ensure that you have considered all your options.