When it comes to patient seating, wheelchairs are often the default solution. They’re essential for mobility and access to the community. But for individuals with complex needs or those who sit for extended periods, a wheelchair alone may not offer the postural support, pressure care, or functional positioning required to stay safe, comfortable, and engaged.
That’s where care chairs, also called Princess chairs or postural chairs, play a critical role.
Wheelchairs Serve a Purpose, But They Have Limits
Wheelchairs are designed primarily for mobility and transport. They allow users to move from place to place, both indoors and outdoors. However, they aren’t built for long-duration static sitting, nor do they typically offer the customisable features needed to support people with:
- Pressure injury risk
- Postural instability
- Neurological conditions
- Cognitive decline
In contrast, care chairs are purpose-built for comfort, postural support, and pressure redistribution during extended sitting, all while supporting safe transfers and engagement in daily routines.
What Care Chairs Offer That Wheelchairs Often Don’t
1. Alternative Postural Positions
Care chairs provide tilt-in-space and recline functions, enabling postural variation throughout the day. This helps reduce fatigue, maintain spinal alignment, and relieve pressure from high-risk areas like the sacrum or ischial tuberosities.
2. Improved Pressure Care
High-performance cushions, like the Elata Air Cushion, combined with dynamic positioning features, reduce the risk of pressure injuries. Many care chairs use viscoelastic foam or alternating air systems, designed for medium- to high-risk users.
Wheelchairs rarely include these features without significant and costly modification.
3. Greater Energy Conservation
Maintaining posture in a wheelchair can be physically taxing for those with low tone, fatigue, or neurological impairment. By supporting the body in a more relaxed position, care chairs conserve energy for essential activities like eating, communicating, and therapy participation.
4. Enhanced Daily Function
A properly fitted care chair can increase independence in tasks such as:
- Reading or watching TV
- Using a tray for meals
- Participating in social activities
This boosts both physical function and psychological wellbeing—especially in aged care, disability support, and palliative environments.
5. Safer Hoist Transfers
Care chairs are often designed with features like drop-down arms, removable footrests, and raised wheeled bases. These make them:
- Compatible with passive hoists
- Easier to position around transfer equipment
- Safer for both the user and the carer
Standard wheelchairs typically lack the space or access for this level of transfer safety.
A wheelchair might be appropriate for mobility, but that doesn’t mean it meets all clinical or comfort needs, especially for people who spend most of their day seated.
Why One Chair Doesn’t Fit All: Key Feature Comparison
| Feature | Wheelchairs | Care Chairs |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Mobility and transport | Postural support, pressure care, and long-duration sitting |
| Postural Management | Basic to moderate support (tilt/recline options vary) | Advanced postural supports (lateral, headrest, cocoon backrest) |
| Pressure Relief | Some pressure cushions available | Built-in tilt-in-space, high-performance cushions, recline systems |
| Transfer Compatibility | May not support hoists safely | Designed for hoist use (drop-down arms, raised wheeled base) |
| Seated Activities | Limited space/support for daily tasks | Stable base for eating, reading, engagement with tray tables |
| Customisation | Limited seat depth/angle adjustability | Highly adjustable seat dimensions, backrest angles, leg positioning |
| Daily Duration Suitability | Short to moderate duration | Designed for long-duration seating |
| Use Case | Transport, short-term sitting, community mobility | Home-based care, rehabilitation, aged care, palliative settings |
When to Prescribe a Care Chair in Addition to a Wheelchair
You should consider prescribing a care chair alongside a wheelchair when the person:
- Spends long hours sitting during the day
- Has experienced pressure injuries or skin breakdown
- Shows postural asymmetry or collapse
- Cannot shift weight independently
- Requires hoist transfers
- Experiences fatigue or pain in their current seating
- Has cognitive impairments limiting repositioning ability
No one, especially someone with complex care needs, should be expected to sit in a single chair all day.
The Role of Care Chairs in 24-Hour Postural Management
Postural care is a 24-hour commitment. Wheelchairs address mobility. Beds provide rest. Care chairs fill the gap between, offering therapeutic, supported sitting that enables:
- Social inclusion in living areas
- Functional activity between transfers
- Relief from upright or unsupported positions
Together, wheelchairs and care chairs create a complete seating strategy that supports both movement and rest throughout the day.
Conclusion: Care Chairs Are Not a Luxury—They’re a Necessity
While wheelchairs are essential, they are not enough for individuals with complex seating needs. Prescribing a care chair ensures that clients:
- Sit safely and comfortably for long periods
- Maintain skin integrity
- Engage meaningfully in their environment
- Receive safer, more dignified transfers
At Enable Lifecare, we help you choose intelligent, carer-friendly care chairs that adapt to changing needs and clinical priorities.
Explore Further:
- Browse our range of Princess chairs for complex seating
- Download our full Clinical Guide to Specialist Seating
