When someone begins having trouble getting up from a chair, families often go out and purchase a lift chair because they want to help. But is that always the right decision?
Before running to the store, it is important to consider why the person is having difficulty standing. Could the problem be lower-extremity weakness, pain, deconditioning, poor chair fit, impaired balance, or a change in medical status?
Sometimes the solution may be as simple as teaching the person a safer transfer technique, such as shifting their center of gravity forward before standing. An inexpensive seating modification may also make the transfer easier. In other cases, the person may benefit from skilled therapy.
Caregivers should not have to figure this out on their own. This is exactly why a skilled occupational or physical therapist should evaluate your loved one when you notice increasing difficulty getting out of a chair.
A professional evaluation can help identify the actual problem and determine the safest and most appropriate solution. A PT or OT evaluation may be covered when medically necessary, but coverage depends on the individual’s Medicare benefit, care setting, provider, and other requirements. Families should verify coverage before scheduling services.
What Families and Therapists Say About Lift Chairs
In a recent Facebook discussion, therapists, caregivers, and people with personal experience shared a wide range of perspectives.
The strongest theme was that lift chairs require individualized decision-making.
A lift chair may provide immediate safety, independence, pain relief, and energy conservation for someone with a stroke, progressive neurologic condition, severe joint disease, poor endurance, limited caregiver support, or fluctuating function.
At the same time, many commenters expressed concern that lift chairs are sometimes recommended too quickly as a “quick fix,” without first addressing strength, conditioning, chair height, transfer technique, pain, or environmental factors.
Several people pointed out that the chair itself may be poorly fitted. Others noted that a lift chair may encourage prolonged sitting or reduce opportunities for a person to use their own strength.
The overall message was not that lift chairs are always bad. Rather, a lift chair should not automatically replace rehabilitation or problem-solving. It may be appropriate as part of a larger plan that supports safety and independence while addressing the underlying cause of the transfer difficulty.
Why Is Standing From the Chair Becoming Difficult?
Difficulty rising from a chair can be caused by many different factors, including:
– Loss of lower-extremity strength
– Pain from arthritis, joint injury, or surgery
– Reduced balance or coordination
– A neurologic condition such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis
– Poor endurance or cardiopulmonary limitations
– Deconditioning after illness, hospitalization, or reduced activity
– Medication effects, dizziness, or vision changes
– Cognitive changes that affect safety and sequencing
– A chair that is too low, too deep, too soft, or lacking supportive armrests
A new difficulty with transfers is often a meaningful change in function. It may indicate that the person needs a medical or therapy evaluation rather than simply a new piece of equipment.
Reduced activity can contribute to declining strength and functional capacity. Over time, a person may become less willing to move because they are afraid of falling or getting stuck. This can create a cycle of less activity, greater weakness, and increasing dependence.
The Risk of the “Quick Fix”
Lift chairs are appealing because they offer an immediate solution. They can help someone stand and may reduce fear of falling. In some cases, they may allow a person to remain more independent while waiting for therapy, surgery, caregiver support, or additional medical care.
However, if the lift mechanism does all of the work when the person could safely participate in the transfer, it may reduce opportunities to use and maintain their own strength.
We hear the phrase “use it or lose it” often for a reason. Functional movement matters. Standing up, transferring, walking to the bathroom, and getting up for meals are all opportunities to maintain strength and independence.
One particularly important functional movement is the sit-to-stand. It uses the muscles of the thighs, hips, and buttocks and is directly related to everyday activities such as getting out of bed, standing from the toilet, and rising from a dining chair. Chair-rise exercises can strengthen the thighs and buttocks, but sit-to-stand practice should only be performed when it is safe and appropriate for the individual.
This does not mean that a lift chair will automatically cause weakness or that someone who needs one should be denied access to it. It means the lift chair should be part of a thoughtful plan. When safe, the person may continue practicing transfers, strengthening, and functional activity while using the lift mechanism as a backup when needed.
When Might a Lift Chair Be the Right Choice?
There are absolutely situations in which a lift chair may be appropriate and beneficial.
A lift chair may help someone with:
– Significant pain
– Severe arthritis
– A neuromuscular condition
– Stroke-related weakness
– Progressive neurologic disease
– Very limited endurance
– Significant fluctuations in strength or function
– Limited caregiver support
– A high risk of being unable to stand safely without assistance
A lift chair may also be helpful for someone who lives alone or cannot reliably receive hands-on assistance. In those situations, the chair may provide an important safety net.
For some individuals, simply knowing that the lift function is available may give them the confidence to get out of bed and spend time sitting up rather than avoiding the chair because they are afraid of becoming stuck.
A person’s worst day matters, too. Someone with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fluctuating fatigue, or progressive weakness may be able to stand safely at one point and require more assistance later.
The goal is not always to eliminate the lift mechanism. The goal is to use it appropriately while maximizing safety, participation, and independence.
Not Everyone Can Safely Use a Lift Chair
A lift chair is not automatically safe simply because it is designed to assist with standing.
The person must be able to maintain a safe seated position, understand or appropriately respond to the chair’s movement, and control the device or have reliable assistance.
Cognitive impairment, poor vision, impaired coordination, impulsivity, weakness, or difficulty following directions may make operation unsafe.
We once worked with a person who sat on the controller. The chair began to rise unexpectedly, and the individual slid or fell to the floor. We have also seen people who could not consistently manage the controls or recognize when the chair was moving.
A proper assessment should consider not only whether the person needs assistance standing, but also whether they can safely use the equipment.
The Chair Itself May Be the Problem
Many people struggle to stand because their current chair is not well suited to their body or abilities.
A low, deep, sagging, or overly soft chair can place the hips below the knees, make foot placement difficult, and increase the effort required to stand. A chair without supportive armrests may also make it harder to push up safely.
Sometimes, a simpler seating modification can solve the problem. Depending on the person’s needs, options may include:
– A firmer chair with supportive armrests
– A seat with an appropriate height and depth
– A properly selected platform or seat-height modification
– Improved positioning to support foot placement
– Removal of obstacles around the chair
– Transfer training and caregiver instruction
– Strengthening, balance, and functional mobility training
– Treatment of pain, fatigue, dizziness, or other medical contributors
We have used platforms and other seating adaptations to raise the height of an existing chair, making it easier and safer for someone to stand. These options may cost less than a lift chair and may encourage the person to continue using their own abilities.
Again, caregivers should not have to determine the best solution on their own. This is what skilled therapists specialize in assessing.
Why a Skilled PT or OT Evaluation Matters
If someone is having difficulty getting up from a chair, a skilled physical or occupational therapy evaluation can help identify the safest and most appropriate solution.
The assessment should consider:
– Strength, balance, coordination, and transfer technique
– Pain and range of motion
– Endurance and activity tolerance
– Cognition, vision, and ability to operate controls
– The height, depth, firmness, and positioning of the chair
– Fall risk and the surrounding home environment
– Caregiver availability and ability to provide assistance
– The person’s diagnoses, prognosis, goals, and typical “worst day”
– The family’s financial resources and insurance coverage
– Potential grants, community resources, or other funding options
The recommendation may be rehabilitation, caregiver training, a seating modification, another type of adaptive equipment, or a lift chair.
The most appropriate solution may not be the most expensive one.
Are Lift Chairs Covered by Insurance?
Medicare coverage for lift chairs can be confusing. In general, Medicare policy distinguishes between the chair itself and the medically necessary seat-lift mechanism. Medicare typically does not pay for the entire lift chair.
Coverage also requires specific medical, functional, prescription, documentation, and equipment criteria. The person must be able to safely use the mechanism, and coverage depends on the individual’s benefit, medical necessity, and supplier requirements.
A therapy or medical evaluation can help determine whether the equipment is clinically appropriate and what documentation may be needed. Families should confirm current coverage requirements with the treating practitioner, Medicare plan, and participating supplier before purchasing equipment.
Do not assume that a chair advertised as “Medicare approved” will be fully covered.
Our Recommendation
We do not believe families should purchase a lift chair simply because someone is having trouble standing. Whenever possible, we recommend starting with a skilled PT or OT evaluation.
At Home Therapy Solutions, we can help determine whether the primary issue is weakness, pain, poor endurance, an unsafe transfer, an improperly fitted chair, or a more complex medical or functional change.
We can also help with:
– Practical seating and environmental modifications
– Strengthening and functional mobility training
– Transfer training
– Caregiver education
– Equipment selection
– Fall-risk reduction
– Identifying grants or other community resources
Sometimes the best answer is a lift chair. Sometimes it is a different chair, a platform, a therapy program, caregiver support, or a combination of solutions.
The important thing is that the recommendation is individualized, safe, and connected to the person’s goals.
The Bottom Line
A lift chair is a tool, not a diagnosis and not a complete treatment plan.
It can improve safety and independence for the right person, but it can also be unsafe, poorly fitted, unnecessarily expensive, reduce opportunities to maintain strength and functional ability, or be used in place of rehabilitation.
If your loved one is having increasing difficulty getting out of a chair, do not simply run out and buy equipment. Have the situation evaluated. Find out what is causing the transfer difficulty, what the person can safely do, and which solution will best preserve function and quality of life.
The right question is not, “Should we buy a lift chair?”
The better question is: “What is preventing this person from standing safely, and what solution will best support their independence?”
Before You Buy a Lift Chair, Let Us Help You Find the Right Solution
Is your loved one struggling to stand from a chair? The problem may be weakness, pain, balance, transfer technique, chair fit, or another change in function. A lift chair may help—but it may not be the only or best solution.
Home Therapy Solutions can evaluate your loved one in their home or at our Grand Forks clinic. Our occupational and physical therapists will help identify what is making standing difficult and recommend the safest, most practical solution.
Schedule an Evaluation Today
Call Home Therapy Solutions: (218) 230-2171
Request an evaluation online: www.hometherapysolutionsnd.com
A referral is not required to get started in many cases. Our team can verify your insurance benefits, explain any requirements, and help you determine the next step.
Before you buy the chair, find out what is making standing difficult. The right solution starts with the right evaluation.
This blog provides general educational information and is not a substitute for an individualized medical or therapy evaluation.
About the Author
Kara Welke, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, is the founder and owner of Home Therapy Solutions and an occupational therapist with more than 26 years of clinical experience. She is a national and international speaker and educator with extensive expertise in healthy aging, aging in place, fall prevention, dementia care, caregiver support, home safety, and community-based rehabilitation.
Kara is passionate about changing how people experience aging. Her work focuses on identifying risks early, preserving function, and helping older adults remain safe, independent, and engaged in the activities that matter most to them. She combines evidence-based assessment with practical solutions, including functional rehabilitation, caregiver education, environmental modification, and appropriate equipment recommendations.
About Home Therapy Solutions
Home Therapy Solutions is a leader in healthy aging and community-based occupational and physical therapy. Recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System—Committed to Care Excellence, our team provides evidence-based services in the home, clinic, and community.
We help older adults and their families address mobility and transfer challenges, reduce fall risk, manage neurological and age-related conditions, improve home safety, select appropriate equipment, and plan proactively for changing needs. Our goal is not simply to help people remain at home—it is to help them continue living safely, independently, and meaningfully wherever they call home.
References
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, January 27). Preventing falls and hip fractures. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/prevention/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Chair rise exercise. STEADI: Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/59195
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). LCD: Seat lift mechanisms (L33801). Medicare Coverage Database. Retrieved September 3, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/lcd.aspx?lcdid=33801&ver=26
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Seat lift mechanisms: Policy article (A52518). Medicare Coverage Database. Retrieved September 3, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/article.aspx?articleid=52518
Rogers, S., Haddad, Y. K., Legha, J. K., Stannard, D., Auerbach, A., & Eckstrom, E. (2021). CDC STEADI: Best practices for developing an inpatient program to prevent older adult falls after discharge. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/108535
Siebens, H. (1994). Mobility disorders in older adults: The role of deconditioning. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 4(2), 91–96. https://doi.org/10.3233/BMR-1994-4206
Reference note: Insurance coverage, equipment eligibility, and clinical recommendations vary by individual circumstances. Families should verify current requirements with the treating practitioner, Medicare plan, and equipment supplier.
