There are three elements that could make it difficult for an older adult to get in and out of a chair: the chair seat height, the slant of the seat, and the absence of arms or short arms on the chair.
The height of the chair seat should be equal to lower leg length. If the slant of the chair seat is more than 1 1/2 inches from the front to the back, it could be difficult for an older person to rise from the chair. If the chair is too low and/or the slant of the seat is too much, the person's hips will be lower than the knees, making it difficult to get up.
Chairs for an older adult person should have arms that extend to the front edge of the chair. If the arms do not go to the front edge, the person will be off balance when he tries to use them for support in getting in and out of the chair.
