How Can I Help a Parent Who Struggles to Get Out of a Chair?

August 10, 2026

Noticing that a parent has started struggling to get out of their chair is often the first sign that something has changed. It is also one of the more awkward things to raise, because it touches on independence, and because the person concerned has usually noticed long before you did.

This article covers how to have the conversation, what to look at before buying anything, and when to involve a professional rather than a retailer.

Start by watching, not shopping

Before deciding what to buy, spend a visit paying attention to what is actually happening:

Do they struggle in every seat, or only the low soft one?
Do they rock several times to build momentum?
Do they pull on furniture, or on a person?
Are they steady once they are up, or do they pause and hold on?
Has it changed over weeks, or over a year or two?
Are they avoiding sitting down at all, or staying in the chair longer than they want to?

Those answers point in very different directions. Struggling only in the sofa is a furniture problem. Struggling everywhere is a strength problem. Being unsteady once standing is a balance problem — and that one is a reason to speak to a GP rather than order equipment.

Having the conversation

A few things tend to help.

Lead with the chair, not the person. “That sofa is really low, isn't it” lands very differently from “you're struggling to get up”. It is also usually true.

Ask rather than announce. Arriving with equipment already bought rarely goes well. Being asked what would help, and being involved in choosing it, changes the meaning of the object entirely.

Frame it around what it protects. Most people are not motivated by mobility aids; they are motivated by keeping the garden, the walk to the shop, or not having to ask for help. Equipment that protects something they care about is easier to accept.

Expect it to take more than one conversation. First reactions are often no. That is not the end of it.

Do not overstate it. Suggesting someone is at risk of a fall when you do not know that is both frightening and unhelpful. If you are worried about falls specifically, that is a conversation for a GP, and the NHS has practical guidance on falls.

Check the free things first

A surprising amount is solved without spending anything:

Which seat do they use? Moving to a firmer, higher chair with arms may be the whole answer.
Is the seat sagging? A board or firm cushion under a tired sofa cushion restores the height the chair was designed to have.
Technique. Shuffle to the front edge, feet back under the knees, lean the nose forward over the toes, then push through the feet and the arms together. Many people are trying to stand from the back of a deep seat, which is close to impossible for anyone.
Footwear. Loose slippers with worn soles make everything harder.

Then look at equipment

In rough order of cost and intervention:

Chair raisers — if the chair is simply too low.
A handle or rail — if there is nothing to hold on to.
A lifting cushion — if they can stand with a boost, particularly if more than one seat is a problem. Powered versions give the same help regardless of body weight; a powered lifting cushion like the MOVI Cushion can move between the armchair, the sofa and the dining chair, and can come with them when they visit you.
A riser recliner — if they cannot rise even from a good firm chair, and spend most of the day seated.

Our overview of mobility aids for getting out of a chair goes through each of these in more detail.

When to involve a professional instead

Go to a GP, physiotherapist or occupational therapist rather than a shop if:

There has been a fall, or a near miss
They are unsteady, dizzy or light-headed on standing
The change has happened over weeks rather than years
Pain, breathlessness or confusion is part of the picture
They cannot get up from a firm dining chair with arms
Someone is physically pulling them up every time

That last point deserves emphasis. Hauling someone up by the hands or under the arms risks shoulder injury to them and back injury to you, and it is a sign the situation needs assessing rather than equipping.

An occupational therapist can assess at home and often arranges equipment directly. In England, you or they can request a free needs assessment from the local council. As a family member you can also request a carer's assessment for yourself. Age UK publishes free guidance on both, and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists explains what occupational therapists do.

Strength is not fixed

It is worth knowing that leg strength responds to training well into later life, and that sit-to-stand practice from a higher chair is a standard physiotherapy exercise for this exact difficulty. The NHS publishes free strength and balance guidance. If there are painful joints or heart or lung conditions involved, get advice on what is appropriate first.

Equipment and exercise are not alternatives. Often the useful combination is a device that keeps someone doing things now, alongside work that improves the underlying strength.

If you are buying from a distance

Measure before ordering — seat width, seat depth, seat height, and the gap between armrests. Check the maximum user weight against their actual weight. Check whether they can operate the controls. And read the returns policy before you order, because hygiene-related restrictions are common on seating products.