Lift Beds and Sleep Chairs

I was wondering if a sleep chair would be a comfortable alternative to a mattress for seniors who have trouble moving around on a mattress and getting out of bed. I also saw a lift bed, similar to a sleep chair, but it is acturally a memory foan mattress, which sounded even better. It’s called the UPbed, but I found out the company is an absolute nightmare and has 35 one star reviews on BBB website. Does anyone know of a similar product from a reputable company?

Hi gregtames,

A sleep chair sometimes called a sleeper chair may be of benefit to you; they are basically like a ‘Lazy boy’ type chair with additional features, which ostensibly provides a more supportive frame that functions more like a bed when extended as well as the ability to raise in height. I am not very familiar with these, but they are available at many orthopedic and medical device/equipment type retailers. Sleeping in a chair also limits the size of the sleeping surface, and limits the movement…it would also be more difficult to find sheets and bedding that would fit. If you prefer to sleep in other positions besides your back, then having a position adjustable sleeping chair would also have limited benefits for actual sleeping. Overall (and bearing in mind that I’ve never tried it) I think it would be great for napping but I personally don’t think I would choose it for regular every night sleeping.

A ‘lift bed’ is just another name for an adjustable base. These have multiple articulation points that are low-profile for ease of getting in and out of bed, and allow a consumer to elevate their head, shoulders and legs as they desire. Some of these have a lot of additional ‘bells and whistles’ and can be purchased alone or together with a mattress that meets the frames’ requirements (always make sure any mattress you buy complies with their recommended bases, so that you don’t void any warranty and return policies of the mattress manufacturer, in case of return/exchange).

You may want to look at the adjustable bases at Mattress To Go or Richmond Bedding both of whom have many years of experience with all facets of these types of bases; Also SleepEZ carries the iSleepEZ adjustable base which may be of interest to you. Any of these should be able to provide you with the pros and cons of adjustable beds to help decide if an adjustable base would better suit your needs.

~ Basilio

Thanks for the reply. I currently have an adjustable base, but they do not change conmfiguration enough to get you intro a standing position. I wish that was a feature of regular adjustable bases! Thy\e products I mentioned are called different names but every company featuring it uses the same stock photos. And they cost around $3,000. The mattress is not included but is a 6" memory foam one (probably low density). At my weight it would not be very supportive. I strongly suspect the base is overpriced, taking advantage of seniors.

Hi gregtames,

Yes, it’s too bad that adjustable beds don’t raise to standing position! I don’t see any density or thickness on the UPbeds foams, and a sleep chair would still need to follow the [Mattress Durability Guidelines] (Mattress durability guidelines ... how long will a mattress last) to make sure it does not sag over time, and depending on your Stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health issue) it may not be a comfortable alternative. A lot of the BBB complaints seem to be on mechanical issues, and difficulty in staying ‘centered’. Most of the sleep chairs I have seen advertised seem to be on the expensive side as well, and as a primarily side sleeper, it seems to not be very conducive to you staying centered on the chair …also with such a wide range of motion it depends on how sturdy and how stable this system is. I would definitely say anyone considering this chair approach it with some caution.

~ Basilio