The measurements for a bed-to-chair transfer are not only about the height of the two surfaces. Before assessing a solution, you need to understand how it gets into the home, where it opens out, which side of the bed remains accessible and where the people providing care work. This guide brings together seven groups of measurements and checks: they are meant to prepare a concrete consultation, not to let you decide on your own which transfer technique to use or whether the chair is compatible with any given aid.
In brief
The home should be measured with both delivery and daily moves in mind: getting in with the chair dismantled does not mean the assembled product can get everywhere. Doors, bends, bed height, side space, table and charging must all appear on the same floor plan. Photographs and measurements help you prepare for the discussion with the Sollevita Team; if a passage remains uncertain, an appropriate check is needed before using it with the person.
Before measuring: describe the route you will actually need
Imagine an ordinary day, not a demonstration with the home completely cleared. Does the person rest in the living room, is helped to the table or uses the chair only next to the bed? Is the wheelchair still used to move between rooms? These answers help you avoid measuring unnecessary routes while overlooking the one used every evening.
Draw a simple plan with doors, bed, table, chair and the places where the other aids are parked. Add two different lines: one for bringing the product in during delivery, one for the moves planned after assembly. Note who will accompany the person and which pieces of furniture normally stay where they are.
In its French resources on home care, the INRS lists cluttered rooms, insufficient space and aids not suited to the situation among the significant difficulties. The product should therefore be fitted into the organisation of the home, not assessed in isolation. [1]
The seven groups below help you gather the information in order. Some require more than one dimension: for a bend, for example, you need the space before the turn and the space available after it.
1. Entrance, stairs and lift: the delivery route
Start from the point where the chair will be unloaded and work through to the room where it will be used. Record steps, stairs, landings, intermediate doors and whether there is a lift. For the lift you need both the clear opening of the door and the internal dimensions of the car: a wide door does not guarantee enough space to get the modules in and turn them.
Also photograph the turns between the door and the corridor. A piece of furniture fixed to the wall, a banister or a radiator can make turning difficult even when the width seems sufficient. Note what can be moved before delivery and what cannot.
Sollevita has a modular construction, with separable elements that make it easier to bring in. This advantage has to be checked with the Sollevita Team against the actual dimensions of the modules: it does not allow you to assume that the product will fit through everywhere. The details of Sollevita delivery and support should be agreed before arranging its arrival. [2]
2. Doors and corridors: measure the clear passage
Open the door to the position in which it will be held as the chair goes through and measure the clear width actually available. Take into account handles, door stops, furniture, door-frame protectors and doors that do not open fully. Note the narrowest point, not the average width of the corridor.
A photograph taken from the front and one from the side help you interpret the figure. Show where the tape measure is and the unit of measurement; avoid angled shots that make a passage look wider than it is. If you cannot take a measurement safely, leave it as a figure still to be checked.
For daily moves, what matters is the footprint of the assembled chair in the configuration set out in the manual. Do not plan to remove the backrest with the person seated in order to get through a door. The modular design intended for delivery is not a solution to improvise during use.
3. Bends, thresholds and flooring: going straight through is not enough
Mark the turns and the space available before and after each door. A chair that goes straight through a doorway may not be able to turn immediately into the corridor. Do not work out the turning radius from a photograph: ask for the dimensions and the handling instructions for the chosen configuration.
Note thresholds, changes in level, loose rugs and changes of floor surface. There is no such thing as a threshold that any wheeled base can cross with any person. The check must take into account the product, the route, the load and the person moving it, according to the applicable instructions.
The manually moved Sollevita wheeled base allows short indoor moves with the person seated, on suitable routes. It is not a self-propelled system and does not turn the chair into an outdoor wheelchair. The battery powers the motors for the adjustments: this does not mean that the wheels are electrically driven. [2]
Also plan where to stop to open a door, without leaving the aid across a passageway. The route should be checked beforehand, not by putting the person in the chair to find out whether a manoeuvre is possible.
4. Bed and side space: prepare the figures for positioning the chair alongside
Measure the height of the top of the mattress with the bed in its usual position of use. State whether the measurement was taken without load and whether there are mattress toppers or special surfaces. Do not transfer the person just to get a measurement: any observations under load should be gathered during the routine already planned and with the usual caregivers.
Draw the actual footprint of the bed, including side rails, controls, base and accessories. Measure the side space available and photograph anything that could get in the way of the approach. The side that seems clearest is not automatically the right one for the transfer: the choice must remain consistent with the guidance of the professionals supporting the person.
Sollevita combines the 180° lie-flat position, vertical height adjustment of the whole chair and a fully removable side panel. These functions make it possible to prepare a surface that can be placed alongside the bed, but the actual range of travel must be compared with that particular bed and with the surfaces used. Knowing that both are adjustable is not enough. [2]
When a patient hoist is in use, gather its model and documents and note where its base passes. What matters here is the space in the room; compatibility between base, boom, sling and chair requires a specific check. Do not treat equal heights alone as permission to carry out the transfer.
5. Living room: measure the chair when it is opened out too
The outline of the closed chair describes only one of its positions. Ask for the dimensions of the configuration you have ordered in the relax position, with the footrest extended, with tilt-in-space and in the lie-flat position. The clearance from the walls must follow the product instructions, not a generic distance found online.
Consider the front, the back, underneath and the sides. A small table may not touch the chair when it is still, yet get in the way when it rises, reclines or opens the footrest. The route for the person providing care must also remain clear, without having to move furniture while the person waits.
Mark on the plan one area to be kept clear for adjustments and a separate area for objects within reach. The remote control, phone and water can be close by, but must not be in the path of the mechanism. Also check that the chosen position does not stop the door from opening or block the usual route to another room.
6. Table: check the underside, not just the height
Measure the height of the table top, the clear space underneath, the distance between the legs and any drawers or crossbars. The top surface may be at the desired height while an element under the table stops the knees or the chair’s structure from getting close.
The removable upper armrest section reduces the bulk that gets in the way at some tables. This is a different function from removing the whole side panel for a sideways transfer. Height adjustment can help you find a more comfortable height relative to the table top, but it cannot overcome a rigid obstacle, nor does it on its own guarantee suitable support for the feet. [2]
Before making any adjustment near the table, check the space for legs, hands and moving parts. Do not operate the chair against the underside of the table to find the position. The table should be reached along a route that has already been checked, and the chair must be stabilised according to the instructions before the activity.
7. Socket and charging: organise the connections
Mark the power socket, the position of the power supply and the route of the cable. Check that no section crosses the walking area, lies under a rug or could be crushed by the chair. If the electrical installation needs to be modified, involve a qualified professional.
The lithium battery allows the adjustments to be operated without a continuous connection to the socket. You still need an accessible charging point and battery management in line with the instructions. Do not estimate battery life, charging frequency or remaining movements from data relating to a different battery. [2]
Agree on who takes care of charging and where to store the cables during moves. A solution that only works when a specific family member is present may need clearer organisation for the other times of the day.
The home sheet: what to send and what is still missing
Fill in one row for each group. For measurements, always use the same unit and state from where to where you measured. The sheet below is an organisational tool, not a completed technical or clinical check.
| Group | Data and images to collect | Point to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Stairs, lift car, door and turns | Module dimensions and how they are brought in |
| Passages | Clear width of doors and narrowest point | Whether the assembled configuration gets through |
| Route | Bends, thresholds, floors and stopping points | Handling as set out in the manual |
| Bed | Mattress height, accessories and side space | Positioning alongside the bed and aids already in use |
| Living room | Plan with furniture and clear areas | Dimensions in the required positions |
| Table | Top, underside, crossbars and legs | Approach, supports and space for the body |
| Charging | Socket, power supply and cable route | Accessible connections without interference |
Add the person’s height and weight, current seating and main difficulties. Sollevita offers seat widths of 52 or 63 cm and three available depths: these are seat measurements, not overall dimensions. The dedicated high-capacity configuration supports a maximum user weight of 340 kg; this figure tells you nothing about dimensions, manoeuvrability or whether the space is suitable. [2]
The person comes before the space available. Choosing an unsuitable seat just because it fits the room better does not solve the problem. In cases of reduced mobility and daily care, it is useful to assess body, activities, aids and environment together.
When photographs are not enough
A narrow passage, a difficult bend or several aids in the same bedroom may require a site visit or the involvement of the professional who oversees transfers. Images are useful for formulating precise questions, not for promising remotely that every movement will be possible.
Above all, avoid three shortcuts: considering a room accessible because the door is wide, using a bed height without stating its configuration, and thinking that the battery removes any need to manage the connections. Leave missing data visible too: “to be checked” is more useful than an estimated number.
FAQ
Common questions
What measurements are needed for a bed-to-chair transfer?
You need the height of the surfaces and the space required for the approach, aids and the people providing care. The route, the bed configuration and the chair’s dimensions must also be considered. A single height does not prove compatibility.
Does the modular design mean it can get through any door?
No. It makes getting in easier during delivery, but the dimensions of the modules must be compared with doors, bends and the lift. For everyday moves, what matters instead is the assembled chair in the permitted configuration.
How much space should I leave behind the backrest?
It depends on the dimensions stated for that configuration and on the positions used. Ask for the measurement with the backrest, tilt-in-space and footrest in the intended conditions, respecting the clearances given in the instructions.
Should I have the person sit on the bed to measure the mattress?
No, do not arrange a transfer just to take the measurement. Record the accessible height, noting that it was taken without load and the type of surface. Any checks during normal use should be agreed with the person providing care.
Can Sollevita always be brought up to a high table?
No. Above all, check the underside of the table top, crossbars, legs and the space for knees and the chair’s structure. Removing the upper armrest section can help, but it does not make every table compatible.
Do photographs replace a home assessment?
Not always. They are a useful basis for the consultation. When space, transfers or aids remain uncertain, a more thorough check is needed before confirming the room layout.
Sources and references
[1] INRS (French National Research and Safety Institute) · France. Home care (in French). Accessed 9 September 2026.
[2] Sollevita · La Castellana. Sollevita care riser recliner. Accessed 9 September 2026.
The health sources support the principles cited, not a recommendation of Sollevita. Product features are information from the manufacturer; the practical sheets are editorial content, not clinical tests.
The next step: compare your plan with the product
Gather the seven-group sheet, a simple plan and photographs of the critical points. Compare them with the functions and measurements of the Sollevita care riser recliner and go through them with the Sollevita Team: the aim is to understand where the product can really fit in and work in the person’s day, before delivery.
