Aging is not for the Faint of Heart, but it's better than the alternative!
This is a quote that many older folks often say and as I'm getting older I would have to agree with them. There are so many things to be thankful for when we reach that "Golden Age"! But (and now comes the truth), there are also many things that start to go wrong! Things that we never noticed in our youth. Like the effects of arthritis on our joints especially hips and knees, fingers and such.
My other half and I look after two more elderly than us, relatives. My uncle turns 91 today and my mother turns 90 in August! While we "look after" them, they are still both in good health (relatively speaking) and only require help with shopping, doctors appointments and such. So we are blessed that they both still have their wits about them.
One thing that they both complain about is getting up and down. Stairs and getting up off of the couch or chair causes them both some measure of discomfort. They are both showing signs of age related arthritis that can be very painful at times. That seems to be their most difficult and constant complaint. They can't get up as easily as they used to!
So we started to look for things that would raise their chairs and couches up a little bit more so that they didn't have to work so hard to get up. What we found were several options that were affordable, easy to install and provided that extra lift!
Buying new furniture was not an option for either of them or we might have suggested that!
Now my uncle is tall (over 6 ft.) and my mother isn't a shorty either, so we decided to go with something that would give them enough of a lift so that when sitting their knees were at 90 degrees to their hips. Right now, without these risers, their "bottoms" are lower than their knees, making it hard to rise up out of the chair or couch.
Medical equipment specialists, have chairs that will electronically almost stand a person out of the chair when activated, but that was over doing it where my family was concerned and they are very pricey ($400+).
Furniture risers seemed to be a great answer and we decided to try it ourselves first because I have very bad arthritis in my knees and was having the same problems that they were having. We ordered and installed the "iPrimio Furniture Risers" and it could not have been easier. Simply lift each leg and slide the riser under the foot of the couch and place it back down again. No holes to drill, no marking up the floors, no slipping either as they have a rubber foot that doesn't slide. Within minutes our couch was 3 inches higher than it was before.
These are the risers that we have installed on our couch.
Added bonus is that now it is even easier to vacuum under the couch. With that extra bit of space underneath, the vacuum head easily reaches under the couch!
You can see in the ad, that there are also risers for bed frames too. No need to buy a whole new bed assembly, just lift and install the risers and I know you will hear words of thanks coming from your loved ones.
Bathrooms are also problematic. Just recently toilets are being made to what is called a "comfort height". If they live in their own homes you could hire a plumber to install one of these but again be prepared for a cost that is not average. A regular standard height toilet will cost about $150. dollars without installation. You can get regular height toilets that can cost much more for "decorator styles". Comfort height toilets will start at $270. plus! Again that is just for the toilet, installation will cost extra.
But, when getting up and down is a real effort or causes pain, then you have options that can help your loved ones live life easier with just a few modifications. Safety and comfort for our aging population are important as we try to keep them as independent as possible.
I hope that my experiences with these really easy additions might help you with whatever joint related issues you or one of your loved ones might be having.
The risers are wonderful and you would never guess that they were added after the fact! Everyone who comes to our house enjoys sitting on the chairs and couch, not realizing that the extra height makes it so much more comfortable. Rising from them is no longer a pain in the knees or anywhere else.
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These risers for furniture, beds and toilet sound like a perfect solution to the age-related problem of getting up and down. Glad to see there are products that help.
ReplyDeleteThese are life changing products that help many with mobility issues. I'm so glad we have them on our couch because even for me it makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteWow! These are fabulous suggestions Olivia! I've lived with scoliosis my whole life and know how getting up can be painful. Having that added height or lift to specific chairs and sitting would be wonderful. The thing that most captured my attention here though is the toilet seat handle! That could help sooooo many people!!! What a fabulous invention. Thank you for reviewing these practical health needs for seniors, as well as the handicapped, or anyone who just needs a little help getting up from time to time.
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome Miss Mouse. I know that mobility issues are part of getting older and we all want to get older and still be independent. These small items really help a lot with getting up and down. The toilet seat with the handles are important as it gives the lift stability. Just adding a riser to an existing seat without the side rails makes it too easy to slip and move about. Safety first before anything else!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I just bought a new couch for that very reason. I had no idea these risers existed. Will spread the word among my friends for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt took some looking into the possibilities. Years ago my father made some risers for his own use, but they were clunky and didn't look so nice. Purpose was more important than looks. These cover both of those things.
DeleteOlivia, my husband and I moved in with my parents for the last 10+ years of their lives to help them remain comfortably at home. John installed very similar bed, furniture, and toilet seat risers (and, eventually, an ADA-height toilet) for them, which made an enormous difference in prolonging their mobility as long as possible. I wholeheartedly agree with your recommendations, which can be a godsend for anyone with physical pain or mobility problems, regardless of their age!
ReplyDeleteGlad to know that you were able to help them with their issues as well. It is hard when you can't do the things that were so easy a few years ago. Thank goodness there is help available now that is easy to install and does the trick.
ReplyDeleteWow! what great ideas Olivia. I had had no idea that they even made lifters for furniture. It's great that you did your research to find such helpful tools to make life just a little easier.
ReplyDeleteWe actually started researching this for my problems with my knees. When we got the set for our couch, we knew that it was something that my mother and uncle could use too! Since she has had hers installed, she tells me everyday that she loves her couch and chairs now! So I know they are doing their job and doing it well. Thanks for your comments!
DeleteWhat a great idea - I hadn't thought of or heard of doing this type of thing. The fact that you say people find the furniture comfortable is terrific, because honestly, wouldn't think it would be? Great tip, thank you so much for this - and more affordable!
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas! The risers for the furniture sound an easy to install, straightforward solution to promote continued independence and comfort. I think they may also be useful to people of any age with certain issues like persistent back pain and arthritis and if getting up and down becomes an issue for any reason. Simple changes like the risers can make a huge difference. Thank you for these great suggestions!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Olivia and I agree, growing old is much better than the alternative.
ReplyDeleteThose couch lifts are fabulous and not just for older people!