- Daily care need first; diagnosis or product category second.
- Fit is checked before quote or final configuration.
- Sollevita does not replace medical or professional assessment.
Set the chair up before you move anyone
Most of a safe transfer is decided before the person moves at all. Bring the chair close to the bed, lock the wheels, and clear the route so nothing is underfoot. A calm, unhurried setup does more for safety than any single lifting technique.
Match the seat height to the bed
Aim to have the seat sit at roughly the same level as the mattress, so the person moves across rather than up or down. A level, sideways transfer takes far less effort from everyone and tends to feel much less frightening for the person being moved. If your bed height is fixed, this is the single measurement worth getting right.
Open up the transfer side
Decide which side the person will move towards, and clear that side completely. On chairs where the armrest lifts away or swings back, remove it on the transfer side so there is nothing to lift over. The Sollevita and La Castellana ranges are built with this kind of side access in mind, so ask which models allow it.
Position yourself, then move one step at a time
Stand where you can support the person without twisting or reaching across the bed, close enough to guide rather than haul. Talk through each step before it happens, pause between movements, and never rush the sit-down. If a second pair of hands makes it steadier, wait until they are there.
Learn the technique from someone who can watch you
A short session with an occupational therapist or physiotherapist, doing the transfer in your own room with your own furniture, is worth more than any written guide. They can adjust your footing, your grip and the setup to suit the person, and spot small habits that make a move harder than it needs to be.
Know when to stop and get a review
Stop and ask the care team for a fresh look if a transfer starts to feel unsafe, after any near-miss, or if either of you notices pain during or afterwards. That review might point to a different technique, a change to the setup, or a hoist. It is an honest signal, not a failure.
When a hi-lo seat earns its place — and when it doesn’t
Where bed and seat heights simply won’t meet, a Hi-Lo function raises or lowers the seat to sit level with the mattress, so the person can move across on the flat. That can turn an awkward daily lift into a gentle side-to-side slide. But be honest with yourself: if your bed already adjusts and the person transfers comfortably, a simpler chair may be all you need.
Before you commit to a chair
Every situation is different, and the room, the bed and the person all matter. Book a free fit check with Sollevita before requesting a quote, so any transfer needs and access points are measured properly and you only pay for the functions that genuinely help.