A riser recliner chair for bedridden people can offer a different place to rest, spend time with family or receive care. Before choosing one, you need to be clear about which activity the person would like to do out of bed, which positions are suitable and how to organise the transfer and the return. The 180° lie-flat position, vertical height adjustment and side access can make these steps easier, while keeping the aids and help planned for the person.
In brief
Choosing a chair for a bedridden person starts from the activity they would like to do out of bed, the positions they tolerate and the supports they need. The way there and back must be organised before the trial. The 180° lie-flat position, vertical height adjustment and the removable side panel can make access easier, but they must be combined with the aids already planned. A shorter stay or a different surface may turn out to suit the situation better.
Start from what the person would like to do out of bed
“We’d like them to spend a little time in the chair” is an understandable intention, but still too vague. Try turning it into an activity: listening to music in the living room, chatting during a visit, taking part in a family occasion or receiving personal care in a more accessible position.
The activity helps define the set-up. For a conversation, being turned towards the others may matter; for resting, supports and the possibility of changing position become central; for sitting at the table, the chair’s position in relation to the table top must also be checked. The first goal does not need to cover all these situations.
The French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé) devotes a reference document to the personalised plan that gives weight to the person’s expectations. [1] When communication is difficult, family members and professionals can contribute by reporting known preferences and usual signals, without taking it for granted that every change of room is welcome.
The guide on older people with loss of independence offers broader guidance. Here we focus on the specific decision to introduce a place to sit out of bed, not on another general description of frailty.
Being bedridden does not, on its own, describe the ability to sit
Two people who spend most of the day in bed can have very different abilities. One may be able to stay seated with the usual supports; another may need specialist supports or may not tolerate certain angles. “Bedridden” is therefore neither a measure of sitting ability nor an automatic reason to buy.
Before the trial, ask the professionals who look after the person which activities and positions are appropriate, which supports must be kept and when to stop. It is important to know about any limitations already identified, without asking the family to carry out balance or strength tests.
In their material on mobility during a hospital stay, Geneva University Hospitals (Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève) link daily activities to healthcare support suited to the situation. [2] The useful principle here is to keep a concrete, agreed goal, not to transfer hospital exercises or programmes to the chair at home.
If the person’s seating has not yet been assessed, the first step is to gather the questions for those who know the person. A sales video call can present the product, but it cannot, on its own, establish that a new position is appropriate.
Supports, comfort and skin: what to clarify before the trial
Head and trunk
Describe how the person is currently supported. Do they need help to hold their head up? Do they often slide down? Do they use prescribed supports? This information helps you understand whether the standard backrest is enough or whether the new seat will need to work alongside more specific requirements.
The high backrest and the Push Head powered headrest allow the support for the back, head and neck to be adjusted. When trunk or head control is reduced, the trial must also take into account any specific supports already in use. The adjustable headrest does not replace a prescribed postural support. [5]
Seat, comfort and skin condition
HUG materials on pressure ulcers point out the importance of assessing individual risk, supports and skin changes. [3] If the person already uses a specific cushion, give its model and the instructions for its use: do not replace it just because the new padding seems softer.
Sollevita’s three-layer seat construction combines a sprung seat base, individually pocketed springs and a comfort top layer to promote a balanced distribution of weight and support the body. If the person uses a specific cushion or has instructions on pressure management, these should be assessed together with the new seat, without stopping them on your own initiative. [5]
Plan the return to bed before the move to the chair
The trial is not complete if we only know how to get the person into the chair. You also need to know how they will return to bed, who will be present and where the aids will be available. Help that is sufficient in the morning may not be enough at another time of day.
Suva links the moving and handling of people to the use of suitable aids and to the training of those providing care. [4] Having a removable side panel does not justify improvising a sideways transfer; the fact that two surfaces are close together does not determine which technique to use.
So prepare a description of the transfer already in use: starting bed, aid, space, people involved and destination. There is no need to film a difficult manoeuvre to demonstrate it. Photographs of the aids and the room, without the person, may be enough to start the technical discussion.
If the transfer requires a patient hoist, the chair must be assessed together with that model and its sling. Being able to position the chair alongside the bed is a useful feature, not an automatic confirmation of compatibility with every system.
A matrix to distinguish goal, requirement and alternative
This matrix helps you prepare the discussion before the trial. Fill in only the relevant activities and name the contact person who can clarify any requirements still open, before involving the person.
| Desired activity | What to clarify first | Alternative to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Chatting in the living room | Tolerated position, support and transfer | Visit or conversation in the current setting |
| Joining others at the table | Instructions on seating and on any meal; access to the table top | Usual place, if already suitable |
| Having a shave, hair care or help with dressing | Height, side access and suitability for the activity | Adjustable bed or surface already in use |
| Resting outside the bedroom | Surface, angle, duration and how to call for help | Bed with the planned supports |
| Changing surroundings | Route, aid and care needed | Wheelchair, when already recommended and suitable |
Add three free lines below the table: priority goal, question to resolve before the trial, return arrangements. This summary prevents the key information from being scattered across messages and phone calls.
The alternative is not a second-best option. It is what allows you to avoid prolonging a stay just because “we’ve got this far now”. It may also be the person’s preferred solution for a particular activity.
Chair features that can prove useful
In the Sollevita riser recliner chair with integrated care features, the 180° lie-flat position creates a flat surface; the vertical height adjustment raises or lowers the whole structure with the person seated or lying down; removing the entire side panel frees up that side. Together, they make it possible to prepare for positioning the chair alongside the bed. [5]
Recline, tilt-in-space and leg support make it possible to look for different positions for a rest. Zero Gravity combines several adjustments, while the 180° lie-flat position offers a lying position. The choice should be linked to the person’s comfort and the instructions they have received, not to the need to use every function. [5]
Sollevita has from 5 to 8 independent motors, according to the weight capacity. The adjustments must be explained to whoever will use the handset, including how to stop a movement and the sequence for returning. When the person cannot operate the controls, whoever provides care follows the product instructions and the individual care plan. [5]
Both the outer and underlying covers are fully removable, and together with the removable modules this makes caring for the upholstery easier. The wheeled base, moved by hand, can allow short moves indoors with the person seated, if the route and the use are compatible. The battery powers the adjustments, not the movement of the wheels.
A useful trial also looks at what happens afterwards
Once the trial has been agreed, choose the priority activity rather than a demonstration of every function. The time and the positions to be used must follow the individual instructions; they are not set by this guide.
Before starting, confirm that the person can express discomfort in their usual way and that whoever provides care knows how to recognise it. During the stay, note what they say, any requests to change position and the help actually needed. Silence alone does not prove that the seat is comfortable.
Also record the return to bed: was it possible at the desired time? Was the aid available? Did any difficulties arise that had not come up on the way there? This part is as important as settling the person into the chair at the start.
Illustrative example: the goal is to listen to music with a family member in the living room. The first trial serves to find out whether the activity is welcome, whether the supports are adequate and whether the return is well organised. It does not automatically justify planning a whole afternoon out of bed.
Any pain or skin changes should be reported according to the instructions received. Do not repeat the trial just to complete a form if the situation first requires a reassessment.
When to postpone or choose a different solution
The chair may not be the right answer when the position is not tolerated, the necessary supports are missing or the transfer cannot be organised. In these cases, there is no point in looking for a more extreme adjustment to make the plan work anyway.
Postponing is also reasonable if the care available does not cover the return, the space prevents the use of aids or a change in the person’s health requires clarification. The rush to finish furnishing the room must not replace these checks.
A common mistake is to treat the “180° lie-flat position” as equivalent to a nursing care bed. They are products with different structures, access and possibilities. Another is buying the chair as a general way of preventing the consequences of being bedridden: we do not attribute to Sollevita the prevention of pressure ulcers, thrombosis or breathing problems.
The choice can be reassessed if goals, conditions or supports change. Postponing does not rule out future use: it simply avoids giving the product a task today that it cannot perform properly.
FAQ
Common questions
When is a riser recliner chair useful for a bedridden person?
When it offers a real opportunity for rest, social contact or care outside the bed, and positions, supports, transfer and return have been checked. It does not depend only on the 180° lie-flat position being available: the preparation must respond to the person’s real situation.
Does the lying position mean it can also be used without trunk control?
Not automatically. Being able to recline does not establish which supports are needed, nor does it make transitions safe. The professionals who know the person must clarify the appropriate posture, supports and way of providing care.
How long should the first stay in the chair last?
The duration should be agreed case by case, together with the signs that call for stopping. We do not use a standard number of minutes. It must be possible to end the trial when planned, with the return already organised and without depending on a carer arriving later.
Can the lie-flat transfer configuration be used with the patient hoist already in place?
It can be assessed together with that system, but compatibility must be checked on the actual model. Information is needed on the base, travel, sling and space. The lie-flat transfer configuration does not replace the hoist’s instructions or the procedure specified for the person.
Does the Push Head replace specialist head support?
No. It offers adjustment of the head and neck support, but it does not immobilise and does not automatically replace prescribed devices. If specific supports are already in use, they should be reported and taken into account before the trial.
Where should you start if the family and the care staff have different concerns?
With a shared goal and a clear division of roles. The person and the family describe the activity they would like to do; professionals clarify the care requirements; the Sollevita Team provides information on measurements and functions. None of the three perspectives should be left out.
Reference sources
[1] French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé). The person’s expectations and the personalised plan (in French). 2008; page updated in 2018.
[2] Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). During your hospital stay, dare to move! (in French). Updated 29 July 2025.
[3] Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). Preventing pressure ulcers in hospital (in French). Updated 11 February 2026.
[4] Suva. Smart moving and handling in care and support work (in Italian). Page consulted on 8 September 2026.
[5] Sollevita · La Castellana. Sollevita riser recliner chair with integrated care features. Manufacturer information, consulted on 8 September 2026.
The health sources support the principles cited; they are not a recommendation of Sollevita. The technical features are manufacturer information; the practical worksheet is editorial content.
Assessing a place to sit out of bed with a clear goal
Gather the desired activity, the instructions received, the aids and the return arrangements. In the Sollevita guides for specific needs, you can shape your discussion with the Sollevita Team, distinguishing what the product offers from the conditions that must be assessed for the person.
