When you are choosing a Care Chair for yourself or someone you support, you want to be sure it is safe, comfortable, and will make a real difference.
With this in mind, we explain why an assessment is essential, what actually happens, and how the results translate into a chair that fits daily life.
What you will learn:
- The two parts of a good assessment, and why both matter.
- What we check on the day and how to prepare.
- How clinical findings guide the right features on a Care Chair.
There is no single safe sitting position for everyone. Bodies, homes, and daily routines differ. An assessment ensures the Care Chair is tailored to you, rather than you having to work around the chair. This is why assessments are so important.
The two parts of a good assessment
1) Clinical assessment, made clear
If a clinician or therapist is involved in your care, their input is powerful. They look at how your body sits and moves and then share clear guidance, so the seating trial is focused and safe.
What they are working out:
- Posture: Can your position be gently brought back towards midline (upright), or should we support your current shape?
- Safe angles: Can your hips, knees, and ankles reach the angles needed for sitting without pain?
- Support needs: What helps keep you upright for longer, for example, gentle side supports or extra head support?
- Skin risk: Any history of pressure areas or current redness means pressure care must guide the plan.
- Real life: How the chair needs to fit your routines, your transfers, your home, and any other equipment.
Why this helps you: These answers tell the Seating Assessor which chairs and accessories to bring, and which features to try first, making the session meaningful, relevant, and useful.
2) Seating assessment, the practical trial
This is where you try options and feel the difference. We match the chair to your measurements and routine, then you use it as you would at home.
What we establish together:
- Purpose and time: What will you use the chair for, and how long will you sit in it at a time?
- Access and manoeuvrability: Doorways, flooring, turning space, and where the chair will live.
- Independence or support: Whether you will use the chair alone or with help, and what that help looks like.
- Fit with other equipment: Hoists, standing aids, cushions, trays, or tables that must work alongside the chair.
What you do on the day:
- Sit as upright and symmetrically as you can while we set the chair dimensions.
- Set the foot support so both feet rest flat and feel grounded.
- Try tilt-in-space to rest without sliding and to manage energy.
- Try back-angle recline if needed for a more open, relaxed hip angle.
- If needed, try lateral supports for gentle side stability and a headrest for comfort.
- If standing is part of your routine, practise sit-to-stand so it feels familiar and achievable.
- Discuss the features, as well as the benefits of the chair.
How clinical findings guide chair features
A few common examples:
- Posture is not easily corrected: We prioritise shaped cushions, side supports, and a stable base so you feel secure without constant effort.
- Limited hip or knee range: We use back-angle recline to open the hip angle, or adjust leg support, including negative angles when you need your feet tucked back under the chair.
- Frequent sliding or early fatigue: Tilt-in-space becomes a key tool for short rest breaks that reset comfort without losing position.
- Pressure risk: We choose pressure care cushions and plan regular position changes that work for you.
- Neck and shoulder fatigue or distortion: We set head and trunk support so breathing, swallowing, and conversation feel easier.
How to prepare
Bring the reality of your day into the session:
- Wear your usual clothes and shoes.
- List the top three things you want the chair to help with.
- Bring a carer or family member if they help at home.
- Think about where you will keep a drink, a remote, or a book, then try that reach during the trial.
Who does what?
Clinicians are experts in positioning. Seating Assessors are experts in Care Chairs. You are the expert in yourself. The best outcomes happen when all roles work together. You guide what comfort and success mean to you.
Summary:
An assessment is not a hurdle; it is the step that turns a list of features into a Care Chair that fits your body, your home, and your day. With clear clinical input and a practical seating trial, you get safe angles, the right supports, and controls that feel simple. That is how you sit longer with less effort and feel more comfortable doing the things that matter to you.