Golden and Pride, Advancing Technology

A lift chair is a home lifting aid that is modeled after a recliner. The first lift chair was introduced over twenty-five years ago in the beginning of the 1980′s. These early lift chairs took an existing recliner and outfitted it with a spring lifting system. These early chairs proved to be dangerous, because there was no way to stop the chair from rising once it was engaged.

The design of the lift chair was greatly improved when Golden Technologies began making lift chairs in 1985. Rather than simply fitting a lifting system on a recliner, they began custom making the entire lift chair, frame and all. This resulted in a chair that was much more durable and better able to handle the stress of being lifted.

The other innovation was the introduction of an electrical lifting system. The co-founder of Golden Technologies, Robert Golden, realized that the spring chairs were dangerous and poorly constructed. He set out to and managed to completely revolutionize the way these chairs were built. The next year in 1986, Pride Mobility also began to custom build electric lift chairs. Together Pride Mobility and Golden Technologies changed the way lift chairs were made. Today these companies are both leading manufacturers in the Lift Chair and home medical industry.

Today lift chairs are available in a number of different styles and designs. Both Pride Mobility and Golden Technologies offer several different lines of lift chairs. These lines offer different features and options, but no matter the line, they are still built to adhere to very high standards. Most of their chairs also feature a battery back-up, built in system diagnostics, a life time warranty on the chairs frame, and a fairly comprehensive parts warranty.

When shopping for a lift chair, the height and weight of the user is very important. The height rating determines how high the lift chair can be raised into the air, so it should always be followed. For example, a person that is five feet tall and using a chair designed for people who are six feet tall, risks being raised too high and at too sharp of an angle to exit the chair in a safe manner.

The weight rating is also very important. Always take into account expected weight growth and when in doubt air on the side of caution. Most people recommend always allowing for an extra twenty percent of weight. So, for instance, a hundred pound person would want a chair that could at least support a hundred and twenty pounds.

Most chairs support over 300 pounds and there are several bariatric chairs that are able to support over 500 pounds. Bariatric chairs usually feature dual electric motors and have much wider seats. Some are available that support 700 pounds of weight.

Using a lift chair is a very good way to ensure a person is able to stand without requiring outside assistance and without the fear of a fall.