Have you heard of a geri chair? Designed for individuals with mobility challenges, geri chairs (also known as geriatric chairs or jerry chairs) offer a comfortable and supportive wheeled seating solution beyond typical wheelchairs and recliners. Depending on you or a loved one's needs, they can offer the perfect balance of mobility and relaxation.
Here, we'll explore what a geriatric chair is, different types of geri chairs, and what features to consider when shopping for the perfect chair for your lifestyle.
What is a Geri Chair?
A geri chair, often referred to as a medical recliner, blends the advantages of recliners and wheelchairs. These chairs prioritize comfort and support, featuring adjustable backrests, footrests, armrests, and head supports. Integrated wheels make it a breeze to move users between rooms or through hallways, without transferring to a lift or wheelchair.
While a conventional wheelchair is primarily designed for mobility (getting you from point A to B), a
Have you taken a vacation this summer? Travel continues to be at an all-time high post-pandemic, with a record number of people taking flight to seek out new vacations, experiences, and spend quality time with loved ones.
If you rely on a mobility scooter to navigate everyday life, air travel can feel overwhelming. What are the scooter requirements? Are you able to take your scooter onboard, or will you store it as checked baggage? What steps should you take with the airline prior to your flight? What models are best for navigating crowded airport terminals?
Below, we've included a list of our top tips for flying with a mobility device, what features to look for in a travel scooter, and our recommendations for best-in-class travel mobility scooters.
Tips for Scooter Air Travel
Pre-Flight Arrangements: Don’t wait until you reach the boarding gate– contact the airline at least 48 hours before your flight to notify them about your mobility scooter. Provide all necessary information,
Medicare Part B typically covers DME that is medically necessary for individuals at home. This includes mobility equipment like manual/power wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers, rollators, and more.
In all cases, the mobility equipment must be prescribed by a healthcare provider, approved via prior authorization, and the patient must be able to use the device at home. The exact coverage and out-of-pocket costs can vary widely, so it's important to confirm specifics with Medicare or a range for a wheelchair or mobility scooter healthcare provider.
Will Medicare pay for my wheelchair?
Medicare Part B often covers a manual wheelchair or power wheelchair if you have a health condition that limits mobility, and if other aids like canes or walkers are insufficient. You must be able to safely operate the wheelchair or have someone who can.
How do I receive a wheelchair through Medicare?
To get Medicare to pay for a wheelchair, your healthcare
Struggling with mobility can make even the simplest tasks seem impossible. That's where patient lifts come in– essential tools that make day-to-day transfers easier for both the patient and caregiver. From moving between rooms in the house to getting in and out of the pool, the right patient lift can safely move patients without putting any unnecessary strain on anyone.
However, with so many different models, features, and requirements to consider, finding the perfect patient lift for your needs can be overwhelming. That's why we've created the Ultimate Buyer's Guide for Patient Lifts. Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make an informed purchase decision.
And if you still have questions or need help choosing the right lift, our team of product specialists with decades of experience are always available to assist you.
Falls become an increasingly serious health risk as family members and loved ones age. One errant step or slip can result in serious injuries: broken bones, hip fractures, or infection. The best way to protect against these accidents? Take steps today to promote fall prevention in your home.
In this guide, we'll offer seven tips to decrease the risk of fall injury. These range from inexpensive home modifications, to overall adjustments the care team can make for older adults.
In this case, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.
Work with a professional
One of the most important steps in the fall prevention process is to work with a professional as needed. A physical therapist or occupational therapist can work individually with loved ones to improve muscle strength and injury recovery.
These professionals can conduct a formal risk assessment, offering tailored fall prevention strategies for your unique situation. In physical therapy, older adults can improve their strength,
There’s little doubt that quality of sleep is essential for overall health and well being. Despite that, a full 7-19% of adults do not get enough sleep to maintain a healthy lifestyle (National Institute of Health). Selecting the right bed for optimal sleep is one of the most important purchases you can make for you or a loved one’s overall health– it can even save your life!
For adults dealing with chronic illnessess, a loss of mobility, or a stationary lifestyle, finding the right bed is exponentially more important.
While most people know the importance of finding the right long term care bed, it’s easy to overlook one of the most important elements of a good night’s sleep: the mattress.
The right medical air mattress can support medical treatment and offer much needed pressure relief for loved ones.
In this blog, we'd love to introduce you to two of our favorite mattress types that help support patients: pressure redistribution mattresses and low air loss mattresses.
Need help moving from a seated to standing position? For bariatric patients who struggle with mobility, heavy duty lift chairs can make a world of difference in everyday life. These lift chairs are specifically designed to support a high weight capacity, and are built with incredible durability.
A bariatric lift chair features a sturdy frame and a motorized lift mechanism. This functionality allows the seat to be raised or lowered with the push of a button, helping users sit down and rise from a seated position safely. These chairs are often equipped with a variety of features designed to increase comfort and safety: including armrests, adjustable headrests, and lumbar support.
Here, we've put together a comprehensive list of the top heavy duty lift chairs available in the United States. These chairs lead the industry in terms of comfort and functionality, making them the perfect choice for your home.
Two of the most common everyday mobility solutions are power wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Both allow users to easily navigate daily excursions without the stress of walking, though they do have important differences. Here, we’ll cover what differentiates power wheelchairs and mobility scooters, as well as how to choose which solution is best for you.
Mobility Scooters
If you or a loved one needs some extra support “getting around”, mobility scooters are the most popular, affordable option. These battery-powered scooters are great for users who need only mild to moderate mobility assistance, as they do require arm and torso strength to operate the tiller handle.
Mobility scooters can be excellent for travel: many models fold down or disassemble to be easily tucked away in a storage compartment. This bypasses the need to purchase an expensive vehicle lift. Mobility scooters come in many lightweight models to make even airline travel a breeze.
For those wanting to maintain their independence and a busy lifestyle, mobility scooters can make a world of difference. Built for users who struggle to walk long distances, scooters can drive across dozens of miles on a single charge.
One of the most important considerations when purchasing a mobility scooter is determining where you want the scooter to take you. For most individuals, a scooter will be used indoors, in shopping centers, or in other day-to-day environments.
However, some users may be looking for a little more adventure. Do you often travel on dirt paths, gravel, grass, or sand? Don’t want to miss the family camping trip or beach day? It may be time to consider an all-terrain scooter.
Designed to withstand rugged, uneven terrain, these heavy-duty scooters are capable of traveling almost anywhere.
While individual models may vary, most all-terrain scooters have the following features:
Shock absorption systems for a smooth ride on uneven ground
Both walkers and rollators can be incredible, affordable mobility tools for users who struggle to walk around independently. Whether you’re recovering from a surgery, illness, or simply need some extra support, these tools can help users safely maintain an active lifestyle.
However, there are some key differences between the two: it’s important that you select the right product for your individual needs. In this blog, we’ll go over the differences between walkers and rollators to help guide you to a confident purchase.
Walkers
Walkers have four legs which all stay firmly planted on the ground to support a user’s weight. In order to move forward, users need to physically lift the walker off the ground, then place it back down again one step ahead.
Walkers are great for individuals who need extra balance assistance. Because all four legs touch the ground at all times when bearing weight, they are a stable tool to partially support your body weight.