Choosing the spot in the home where family life actually happens is the first step when a chair is intended for a frail person. A perfectly clear but isolated position in a secondary room can be less useful than a living room carefully arranged around meals, conversation, light and rest.
Integrating a technical chair does not mean hiding its needs. Cables, side clearance, carer access and routes must stay clear; what can change is the way these elements are tidied, contained and coordinated with fabrics, furniture and personal belongings.
Assessing Sollevita at home means linking the trolley, the removable armrest, the upholstery and seating comfort to real activities, without crediting a change of room with guaranteed psychological or cognitive effects.
In brief
- The best room is the one that combines family life, access, light and working space, not necessarily the largest.
- Personal belongings, the table, the phone and the remote control must stay within reach without filling the area used by the mechanical movements.
- Fabrics and finishes can be coordinated with the home, but ease of cleaning, removable covers and durability remain practical criteria.
- Aids and care materials should be organised in a dedicated area, not scattered around the chair.
- The trolley can bring the person closer to family moments, but the route must be even and planned in advance.
Choose the room from the routine, not from what happens to be free
Watching where the family spends the morning, mealtimes and the evening avoids placing the chair simply in the emptiest spot. If the person wants to join in at lunch, the distance from the table and the route matter more than a clear wall in the bedroom.
Describing the day’s activities helps to decide whether the living room should be the main position and the bedroom a resting position, or the other way round. The choice may change when the person also uses a wheelchair, a patient hoist or an adjustable bed.
Leaving at least one side accessible lets the carer and the technician get close without moving the furniture every time. The other side can be paired with a small table, as long as it does not obstruct the armrest, the wiring or the movements.
Keeping a clear path to the door and the bathroom reduces improvisation. The home can stay welcoming without cluttering the route with loose rugs, cables and small pieces of furniture.
Light, view and the way the chair faces
Turning the chair towards a window or a busy area can make time spent there more pleasant, but direct light must not create glare on the screen or fade the fabric. Adjustable curtains and side lighting offer more flexibility.
Placing the television and the chair on the same line reduces the need to keep turning the head. The Push Head can adjust the support, but it does not correct a television that is too high or set off to one side.
Placing a reading lamp within reach avoids having to stand up or call for help over small adjustments. The lamp’s cable must be kept away from the area of the chair and secured along a safe route.
Keeping a view over the room lets the person follow what is going on. This aim is about participation and familiarity, not a promise of cognitive improvement.
Fabrics, colours and upkeep without a clinical look
Choosing upholstery that matches the sofa, curtains or rug can lessen the impression of an out-of-place object. The colour, however, should be weighed up alongside visible stains, light, pets and how often it will be cleaned.
Favouring a pleasant texture must not get in the way of upkeep. Removable covers, washing labels and the availability of replacements matter more than a treatment vaguely described as “hygienic”.
Using personal blankets and cushions can make the setup feel familiar, but these accessories must not get into the linkages or cover controls and ventilation areas. Every added item must be removed before the movements when necessary.
Keeping a separate set of washable protectors can be useful during meals or personal care. The protector must fit properly and must not turn into a large sheet that slides under the seat.
The table, social life and the trolley’s route
Measuring the clearance under the table shows whether removing the top part of the armrest brings a real advantage. The top must leave room for the knees, the feet and, where relevant, a folded footrest.
Adjusting the height of the chair in relation to the table can make it more comfortable to join in with meals or a game. The correct height must keep the feet supported and a natural distance between the elbows and the tabletop.
Moving the chair with the person on board can avoid a transfer whose only purpose is to change rooms. The route must be checked for thresholds, turns, rugs and actual widths.
Laying the table before arrival reduces manoeuvres with hot or fragile objects around the person. The trolley is there to bring the chair towards the activity, not to improvise moves while the passageway is obstructed.
An assistive home without the clutter of care
Gathering remote controls, the charger, the manual and small accessories into a dedicated container stops every surface from becoming a storage spot. The control used by the person must stay separate and always within reach.
Keeping sheets, gloves or care products in a nearby but closed cupboard keeps the room tidy and protects privacy. Care materials should not be left on show as a permanent decoration of frailty.
Parking the wheelchair or the patient hoist in a set spot stops them from blocking doors and routes. The position must allow them to be retrieved when needed without crossing the area of the motors.
Hiding cables inside trunking or along the skirting board can improve tidiness, as long as sockets and connectors stay accessible for checks and servicing.
A practical map: function, atmosphere and limits
Assessing each element on three levels prevents choosing on looks alone or on safety alone. The home must work, stay recognisable and let those providing care work without obstacles.
Comparing a before-and-after photo makes clear the difference between removing furniture and rearranging it. Often a moved lamp, a narrower side table and a defined aids area are enough.
Asking the person which objects they want nearby avoids designing the setup on their behalf. Photos, books, plants or a radio can remain part of the space, if placed clear of the movements.
Reviewing the room after two weeks shows which routes are actually used. A theoretical arrangement can be corrected on the basis of everyday life.
| Room element | Practical function | How to keep it homely | Risk to avoid | First-party check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position of the chair | Access, view, route | Facing it towards family or a window | Isolation or blocked sides | Overview photo from the seat |
| Side table | Water, phone, reading | Material matched to the furnishings | Obstruction to the footrest and lift | Reach test while seated |
| Lighting | Reading and orientation | A warm, discreet lamp | Cable in the route or glare | Daytime and evening photo |
| Aids area | Wheelchair, hoist, sheets | A dedicated cupboard or area | Scattered materials and blocked doors | Floor plan with a parking spot |
| Textiles | Comfort and protection | The home’s colours and textures | Blankets in the linkages | A run-through of all the movements |
| Route to the table | Taking part in meals | Minimal, continuous furnishings | Thresholds, turns, rugs | Video of the route with the chair empty |
First-party case: from an empty room to a lived-in room
Photographing the living room before any change lets you show a wide side table, a loose rug, a distant socket and a wheelchair left in front of the door. The photo should not include unnecessary personal details.
Rearranging the same room can mean moving the side table to the non-working side, securing the cable, creating an aids area and turning Sollevita towards the table. There is no need to turn the space into a clinical setting.
Adding objects chosen by the person completes the plan. A book, a photograph or a lamp makes it clear that the setup belongs to someone, not to a category of patients.
Comparing the routes after a week shows whether the solution works. A first-party case should describe activities and limits, not credit guaranteed emotional improvements.
When safety and appearance come into conflict
Removing a much-loved rug may not be the only solution: in some cases it can be fixed down or moved out of the route. The choice should be discussed with the person and checked against the type of trolley or aid.
Keeping a piece of furniture nearby can carry sentimental value, but it must not block the removable side or the technician. A minimum working distance should be maintained even when the furniture stays.
Covering the chair completely to match it to the sofa can interfere with the movements and ventilation. It is better to choose the right upholstery and use specific, compatible protectors.
Accepting that some technical elements stay visible keeps the plan honest. A well-managed cable is preferable to a hidden, inaccessible connection.
Mistakes to avoid
- Putting the chair in the emptiest room without watching where the day actually unfolds.
- Blocking both sides with furniture to make it look like an ordinary fixed armchair.
- Hiding cables under rugs or behind inaccessible objects.
- Using decorative throws that get into the linkages or cover the control.
- Moving the person to another room expecting automatic cognitive or psychological benefits.
- Choosing the fabric on colour alone, ignoring washing, removable covers and replacements.
Next step
Send an overview photo of the room and mark where meals, conversation, reading and rest take place.
Mark on the photo the chair’s route, the aids area and the objects that must stay within reach: the Sollevita team can then suggest a functional arrangement without erasing the character of the home.
Key references
- WHO, Age-friendly environments in Europe: accessibility, participation and inclusive settings.
- WHO, Integrated people-centred care: preferences, participation and coordination around the person.
- WHO, Age-friendly Cities Framework: housing, social participation, respect and inclusion.
- La Castellana, internal data sheets on the trolley, removable armrests, upholstery and home organisation.
FAQ
Common questions
Is it better to place Sollevita in the bedroom or the living room?
It depends on the daily routine. The best room allows participation, rest, access and safe routes. In some homes the chair can be moved between several areas using the trolley.
Does an assistive armchair have to look like a medical device?
No. The upholstery, proportions and surrounding furniture can help it blend into the home. The technical requirements, however, must remain visible and accessible.
Can I cover it with a throw that matches the sofa?
Only with a compatible cover that does not get caught in the mechanisms, does not obstruct ventilation and does not hide controls or cables. Generic throws can be risky.
How do I organise the wheelchair and patient hoist?
Set aside a parking area that does not block doors or passageways and that lets you bring them close to the chair when they are needed.
Can the trolley bring the person to the table?
It can make indoor moves easier along suitable routes. Once there, the chair must be stabilised as instructed before it is drawn up to the table.
Which photos are needed for a consultation about the room?
An overview, the view from the chair, the route to the table, the power socket and the working sides. A visible tape measure helps to interpret the distances.
