Seating in Aged Care

What is it about?

Seating recommendations for older adults in residential aged care environments are complex. those independent and mobile require a chair that is easy to get in and out of independently, while encouraging healthy posture but not restricting movement. those with less mobility and postural control require greater contoured support and safe assisted transfer. We did : Audit of facilities Observations Semi structured interviews with residents and staff Thematic coding with Noldus Observer. We found that: The main issues are that seat depth in most lounge chairs is too generous for many residents. Seat Height is providing easier transfer in and out of seats but limited comfort while seated, especially for smaller residents. There is almost no use of footrests, which might otherwise offset some of these issues.

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Why is it important?

This research suggests that a balance needs to be found between ease of getting into and especially out of chairs, which impacts independence of residents, and comfort while actually in the chair.