Thursday, August 30, 2018

GERIATRIC FURNITURE: EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO KNOW


Are you thinking of renovating the nursing home furniture of your residence? Or maybe you're making new equipment? If the answer to any of the 2 is yes, then we invite you to stay because this article is for you.

Today in Flexi working we will talk about the geriatric equipment, specifically, about the characteristics that the furniture of this type of spaces should have, designed to be used by seniors.


11 characteristics of the geriatric furniture

The most important thing is the functionality, then there is the design.
You will see that there is not so much difference between the characteristics of the furniture that is used to equip the hotels and the geriatrics. In fact, the fundamental difference is the type of customers and users who use the furniture.

Thinking about the people who will be its users, we must always look for ergonomics and, in this case, above all, comfort and ease when using it.

This does not mean, in any case, that the design of the geriatric furniture does not occupy its place, as you will have the opportunity to check later.

Stackable furniture

We usually associate this characteristic with the chairs of collectivities and with spaces of formation, however, in the geriatric ones the versatility is also looked for, for that reason the chairs and the stackable tables are very appropriate to equip certain areas, as for example in waiting rooms or common areas of the geriatric.

Easy mobility

If we talk about versatility, an interesting feature that we should value especially when buying our furniture is mobility. On the one hand, it may be that the furniture already incorporates mechanisms that facilitate its transfer (such as wheels, for example); on the other, if the furniture does not weigh too much, it is also an advantage.

Safe and stable structures

The most important thing is that the structure of the chair or table does not pose a risk for the elderly.
When choosing furniture, we must pay attention to the fact that the different pieces that make up the furniture do not incorporate projections that could be dangerous and that the design of the entire product is simple.
The base of the furniture (both the chair and the table) must be stable, since users must be able to feel safe when using it and lean on it.

Rounded shapes

It is another feature that the furniture must present: corners and angled shapes are not appropriate for use in this type of space. On the contrary, it is recommended to acquire furniture with soft and rounded designs.

Good finishes and quality materials

If we used to talk about trying to minimize user risks when using furniture, it is also essential to choose furniture made with quality materials and with excellent finishes. It would not be wise to equip the nursing home with furniture that had the joints of the wrong corners or with the melamine sheets half removed. 

In addition, you will see that furniture structures are often made of metal or wood. While the first one reminds us more of an aesthetic of "hospital" or clinic, the second is closer to the warm atmosphere that characterizes the home. 

Being a furniture that will have an intensive and frequent use, It is important to invest in quality product.

Seat of chairs 

It is not recommended that it be very high, so that it is easy to sit and stand up, also allowing the user to rest their feet on the ground. 

In fact, if you look, the chairs most used in the geriatric equipment are the armchairs and armchairs: they are comfortable and facilitate the movement (sit-lift) of the user.

Backrest for chairs

The patients of a nursing home tend to use chairs for long periods of time, so the backrest of the chairs must be adequate and stable for the back of the user.
In general, the chair should have a large size so that the user has enough space.

With arms

Almost always, as a general rule, the seating will have armrests, so that the user can support his arms and help him to sit and stand up.

Upholstered 

chairs The chairs should always be upholstered, so that the user's comfort is as possible as possible.

Easy cleaning

This aspect is fundamental in the geriatric furniture, since especially when we talk about textiles, it is necessary to use materials that repel stains, bacteria and microorganisms. Within this range of advanced fabrics, you can find the Sanitec as one of the most recognized, although lately Silvered has been breaking out with force, available in a wide range of colors. 

As for surfaces and structures, the ideal is to opt for non-porous materials, resistant to moisture and easy to maintain. Melamine, aluminum, stainless steel or plastic are some of the most suitable in this regard.

Textures and textiles and soft colors

Although at the beginning of the article we said that design was not essential, we also indicated that we should give importance, since it also takes its place by making the stay more pleasant.
The tones of furniture upholstery, for example, are recommended to be light in color and pastels, which are not violent or aggressive to the human eye. On the other hand, it is also not recommended that the green color be abused, since it is a tone that reminds us of hospitals, when what is sought in this type of organization is to generate a warm atmosphere that reminds the home; that makes you feel at home.

What do you think of these characteristics? Had you previously noticed these little details?

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