A chair at home gets used more than almost anything else in the house. It is where the person rests between walks, where they wait for the car or the meal, and where a family member sits during the night. A chair that is the wrong height or the wrong depth gets used anyway, and it causes small problems every hour. Size it to the person who will sit in it and the room it will sit in.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Start with how they get up now

Watch how the person sits down and stands up today. Do they push off with both hands on the arms, rock forward, or use a wall or a walker for support? If a therapist has seen them, ask what the therapist noticed about sitting and standing, and what they would want the chair to do. Write the answer down. This is the starting point for every measurement below.

Measure the seat height

Sit the person in a chair of known height and measure from the floor to the back of the knee. The seat should let the feet rest flat on the floor without the knees pushing up. If the seat is too high, the feet dangle. If it is too low, the person has to work harder to rise. A firm cushion raises the seat and a soft cushion lowers it, so test the chair with the cushion it will actually have.

Measure the arm height

Have the person sit with the forearms resting on the arms of the chair. The arms should sit at a level where the person can push up without reaching far. If the arms are too high, the shoulders lift. If they are too low, the person cannot press down. Remember that a cushion changes the arm height as well as the seat, so measure after you add it.

Check the depth and the back

Look at the front edge of the seat against the back of the knee. There should be a little space, not pressure. The back should support the person without forcing them to lean far forward to get up. Test this by having them sit back, then stand, three times while you watch. Note where they hesitate. Do not diagnose the reason. Write down what you see and bring it to the next conversation with the doctor or therapist.

Measure the stand-up room

Pull the chair out to where it will be used and check the space in front of it. The person needs room to step forward to stand. If they use a walker or wheelchair, the device needs to come alongside the chair without blocking the path to the bathroom or the door. Measure the clear floor space in the spot where the chair will live, then check it again with the walker placed beside the chair. If the spot does not fit both, move the chair before you buy one.

Check the weight rating and the label

Read the label or the maker's paperwork for the weight rating. Do not rely on memory or a store clerk's estimate. If the chair will be used by more than one person, the rating and the sizing should cover the largest person who will use it.

Write the numbers and compare

Write the measurements on one sheet: seat height, arm height, depth, stand-up room, and the rating. Use the same sheet for each chair you consider. A chair that looks right in the store can fit wrong in a living room. Choose by the numbers, not by the look.

For more on the equipment and services that may be available near you, see Local Help After a Discharge. For the wider discharge sequence, see the Day 0 to Day 14 After Discharge guide.

The Chair Is Sized to the Parent, Not the Catalog: Match Seat Height, Arm Height, and Stand-Up Room Before You Buy