Seating options can feel limited in a long-term care setting. It's a standard chair, or a geri chair or a wheelchair but are these the only options we have to keep a varied range of users comfortable while out of bed?
Geriatric chairs certainly have their uses in long-term care settings. They help residents become more mobile, and comfortable and they can suit the basic needs of many groups. However, they do have their limitations. While geriatric chairs can serve as an off-the-rack seating solution, they often don’t account for individual posture or pressure management needs. They are also not easily adjustable to fit the needs of residents of different heights or body types. Additionally, they often have limited recline positions which does not take into account every resident’s individual comfort needs.
As we see the skilled nursing population becoming increasingly acute in terms of co-morbidities and complex conditions, specialist, adjustable seating is becoming a popular choice for clinical care recliners. Does this mean more wheelchairs? Perhaps not...
The Configura Advance chair recliner does so much more than a standard 3-position geri chair recliner but without the clinical aesthetic of a traditional wheelchair. So what does it do? Well, we called it Configura because it's so easy to configure into the most comfortable positions and dimensions for the individual resident. We called it Advance because it's infinitely adjustable to cater for the complex needs of the aging population we are now seeing in rehab and skilled nursing facilities.
Let's take a look at what makes it so unique.
The Configura Advance is the new standard of comfort in long-term care. This recliner can adopt multiple positions for the changing needs of your residents including an upright position, backrest recline, elevated leg rest, tilt-in-space, and deep recline. All positions can be adopted in increments thanks to our click-lock brackets, so you can get the most comfortable position for your resident.
This is what we mean by "adjustable":
· Seat width adjustable from 16 to 22 inches
· Seat depth adjustable from 16 to 22 inches
· Footplate height from 13 to 22 inches
· 3 options for footplate angle
· Tilt-in-space from 0 to 37 degrees
There are two backrest options to choose from; the waterfall or the postural backrest. Each has its own benefits and features.
The postural backrest features adjustable lateral supports to encourage a midline posture. An optional profiled headrest is also available to use with the postural backrest, increasing comfort and neck support.
The waterfall backrest features three individual fiber-filled cushions that can be moved to achieve the most comfortable configuration. The bottom two cushions can even be placed vertically to accommodate for kyphotic spine. In addition, each individual cushion can be manually manipulated to suit the individual's needs by removing or molding the contents of each cushion.
While the Advance chair is not suitable for transportation in vehicles, it is extremely effective at transporting residents around the healthcare facility. It has a large, comfortable handle for caregivers and easy-to-lock castors. Plus, due to all the available features and adjustments, it's one of the most comfortable transport chairs your resident will ever experience.
The Configura Advance features 4-way-stretch, vapour-permeable, vinyl fabric which allows the individual to immerse into the comfortable cushions and effectively manage pressure on the skin. The high-spec, static foam seating cushion comes as standard in the Advance but this can also be replaced by any 17 by 17-inch specialty pressure cushion that will fit into the aperture, providing excellent comfort and pressure management.
There is one more feature of the Configura Advance that helps with wound management and prevention; we call it BodyMove. Our signature BodyMove autoregression technology works to reduce backrest shear and the resulting pressure on the skin as it reclines. As the backrest reclines, it moves the pivot point backward and upwards simultaneously to mimic the way our own bodies move. Hence the name: BodyMove. This feature means that space is created over the sacral area where other similar recliner chairs would pinch, cause shear and apply pressure to this zone.
Every resident deserves individualized care, and this is where conventional wheelchairs and the standard 3-position recliners fall behind. The Configura Advance is a surprisingly affordable specialist chair that can be adjusted in multiple ways to make it the leading standard of comfort for a wide range of residents, including those with limited mobility and posture challenges.
Particularly in the midst of staffing challenges, it's more important than ever to ensure residents are comfortable, engaged and protected even if sitting for extended periods of time. In addition to the benefits it brings residents, the chair is able to be adjusted by caregivers because of the tool-free design so it's so easy for nurses to use effectively.
Thinking about upgrading the comfort of some of your residents with the Configura Advance recliner chair? You can find out more about our products on our website.
Geriatric chairs, commonly called geri chairs are semi-specialized seating for older adults. While there are some variations in features, some of the elements that many have in common are:
· They achieve a reclined position
· They feature an elevated leg rest
· They are covered in a wipeable material which serves as a moisture barrier
· They have wheels for easy transport of residents with limited mobility
· They are usually intended for nursing homes and other healthcare settings
Then, there are other features that aren't common to all types such as a built-in headrest, 3-position recline options, neutral color options, a convenient tray and high weight capacity for larger patients. These chairs are supposed to cater to the needs of many who are in senior living facilities.
Unlike medical recliners, wheelchairs are typically for residents with a higher acuity and specific mobility needs. often the criteria for changing from a geriatric recliner to a wheelchair is the development of mobility issues or posture challenges. For example, if the resident is not able to reposition themselves in the chair then they may become a high risk for developing pressure wounds. Or, if they have kyphosis of the spine, a traditional recliner chair may not account for the curvature of the spine.
In terms of the resident's experience, a geri chair looks and feels more like a normal, non-medical chair whereas a wheelchair looks more clinical, and they can even feel uncomfortable when compared to the padded armrests of a mobile recliner.
The material is vapour-permeable. Therefore, it allows air to move from within to outwards and helps prevent fluids from getting in. This means the material is easy to clean but won't have the common problems with vinyl seating.
The Configura Advance features two backrest options to complement that chair. The postural backrest is an optional upgrade and is compatible with a profiled headrest. There is also a drop-down armrest option for this chair for ease of transfers.
In our opinion, it's the Configura Advance. While it's not a product you would instantly recognize as a geriatric chair, it has many of the functionalities of one plus so much more. Since it's infinitely adjustable with pressure-relieving, 4-way-stretch fabric and multiple reclining positions including tilt-in-space it's one of the most comfortable chairs around.
The Configura Advance care chair is suitable for residents under 352 lbs.
