Electric Recliner Chairs for the Elderly: A Complete UK Guide
An electric recliner chair for the elderly does two jobs. It reclines for rest, and it tilts the seat forward until you’re nearly standing, so you get up without pushing off the arms. Adapt A Home’s chairs take users from 120kg to 159kg, with single or dual motors.
Every electric recliner chair we supply is measured to the person who will sit in it, at a free home assessment. You can see the full range of riser recliner chairs before you read on, but the useful part is knowing what to ask for, which is what this guide covers.
What Makes an Electric Recliner Chair different from an Ordinary Recliner?
A standard recliner tilts the backrest for comfort. It gives you no help getting up, so you still have to push off the armrests.
An electric recliner chair with a riser function adds a powered lift that tilts the whole chair gently forward, bringing you to a near-standing position. That takes the strain off your hips, knees and back, and it usually means you don’t need someone to pull you up.
It works in reverse too. Instead of dropping the last few inches into the seat, you lower yourself down slowly. Over a day of sitting down and getting up, that’s a lot of jarring removed.
Single or Dual Motor: Which Electric Recliner Chair Do You Need?
This is the choice that matters most, and it’s easy to get wrong from a photo.
Single Motor
The backrest and footrest move together on one motor. Two buttons, recline and rise. It’s simple, reliable and an affordable option. If all you need is help standing up and a comfortable rest position, it does the job.
Dual Motor
The backrest and footrest have separate motors, so you can move one without the other. You can sit upright with your legs raised, or recline the back while keeping your feet flat. If you’ve been told to keep your legs elevated, or you’re recovering from hip or knee surgery with restrictions on how far you can bend, that independent control is the reason to pay more.
If you find a recliner chair for elderly users advertised at a surprisingly low price, check which type it is before you compare. A lot of chairs at similar prices are single motors.
Electric Recliner Chairs for the Elderly
Icon Essence: Our Most Popular Electric Recliner Chair
The Icon Essence is a dual-motor chair with a porter function, which means it can be moved around the room with someone sitting in it, using the rear chrome push bar and a foot pedal. If you’ve ever tried to shuffle a loaded armchair across a carpet, you’ll see the point.
The details:
- User weight up to 150kg (23.5st)
- Seat 21 inches wide and 18 inches deep, seat height 19 inches, back height 26 inches
- Whole chair measures 73 x 90 x 106cm and weighs 55kg
- High-density memory foam over pocket springs, with built-in lumbar and lateral back support
- Massage and heat functions across nine points: legs, seat, back and headrest
- LED backlit handset with large buttons, so it works in a dark room
- Two side pockets and a hook for the handset
- Waterproof PU leather outer, in two styles (Sky and Dawn)
Free white glove delivery within London and the Home Counties, which normally costs £180, and the product page lists monthly payments from £83.25 over 12 months at 0% APR, subject to status.
The 73cm width matters more than people expect. Measure your doorways before you order any chair, including the turn at the bottom of the stairs.
Antiochia: Dual Motor with a USB Port
The Antiochia takes users up to 159kg. It’s a dual-motor chair with a deluxe waterfall backrest.
It has an LED backlit controller and a USB charging port built in, so a phone or a hearing aid charger can sit beside the chair rather than across the room. The fabric is soft but hard-wearing and wipes clean.
Alexandria: Dual Motor with an Extended Footrest
The Alexandria is British-made, dual motor, and takes users up to 158kg. It has a three-step waterfall backrest, which the product page describes as suited to people who stay in the chair for longer periods, and an extended footrest.
Its handset is LED backlit and lets you save a position, so you can return to the exact angle that suits you rather than hunting for it each time.
Icon Sterling: Made to Your Measurements
The Sterling is the one to look at if standard sizes don’t fit. It’s made in Britain to your exact measurements, with the seat height, depth and width all specified for you, and you can have it as a single or dual motor chair.
It takes users up to 120kg, has a waterfall back that supports you from head to lumbar region, a side pocket and loop for the handset on the right-hand side, and 35mm twin-wheel castors for easier moving. Washable arm caps and headrest covers are available, which is the sort of thing that decides whether a chair still looks respectable in three years.
Icon FIFE and the Specialist chairs
The Icon FIFE is a care recliner for users up to 159kg. It’s mobile hoist friendly, has a foldable footrest and comes in waterproof fabrics, so it suits a setup where a hoist is used.
Beyond the standard electric recliner chairs there are specialist options. The Epoch is a dual tilt-in-space chair that occupational therapists issue across the country, with integrated pressure care available at grade 3 or grade 4, and pressure care that can be swapped as someone’s needs change. The bariatric range uses reinforced steel frames, stronger motors and wider seats, with the Epoch Attollo XL supporting up to 254kg (40st). All three bariatric models are made to measure in Britain.
How to Size a Recliner Chair for Elderly Users
A recliner chair for elderly users has to fit the body, not the room. Seat height, depth and width should all match the person using it. That is why the measurements are taken before a chair is recommended, rather than after.
This is why we measure at a free home assessment rather than selling from a catalogue. Our specialist visits, takes the measurements, checks the chair against the space and recommends what fits. There’s no obligation to buy, and the quote comes with transparent pricing and no hidden charges.
If the person using the chair has complex postural needs, an occupational therapist should be involved. The NHS explains how to ask social services for an assessment for equipment or home adaptations, and an OT will visit at home and go through what you find difficult. There can be a wait, so it’s worth starting that early.
Five Things to Check Before Ordering an Electric Recliner Chair
● Battery Backup
A power pack backup keeps an electric recliner chair rising during a power cut. It isn’t standard on every model and may be an optional extra, so ask before you order.
● The Doorway
The chairs are wide. Check the route from the front door to where the chair will live.
● Who Moves It
At 55kg, the Essence isn’t being dragged around by one person. The porter function exists for a reason.
● The Fabric
Waterproof PU leather and easy-clean fabrics are worth it if spills are likely. Washable arm caps extend the life of the chair.
● Handset Type
Big backlit buttons suit limited dexterity. Wireless handsets are tidier but can be mislaid.
Book a Free Home Assessment
The honest way to choose between electric recliner chairs for the elderly is to sit in one, in the room where they’ll live, with someone measuring properly.
Our specialists cover London and Greater London, delivery and setup included, and the assessment costs nothing. Call 020 8191 3247, or request a callback from the recliner chair pages and we’ll ring you back.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s an electric armchair that reclines for rest and lifts the seat forward to bring you to a near-standing position. The motor does the work, so you don’t push up from the armrests.
A single motor moves the backrest and footrest together. A dual motor moves them separately, so you can sit upright with your legs raised. Dual motors suit specific medical or postural needs.
Seat height, depth and width should match the body of the person using it. Adapt A Home takes those measurements at a free home assessment and recommends a chair that fits, rather than working from standard sizes.
Not if you’re chronically sick or disabled and the chair qualifies. You complete a declaration at checkout, or our team can help. GOV.UK sets out who is eligible.
You can apply to your council for equipment or home adaptations, and an occupational therapist will assess what you need. What you are offered depends on the assessment.
