FURNITURE DESIGN
waterfall seats reduce pressure on the backs of legs.
Behavioural issues With some users, frustrations and conditions manifest themselves by way of violent outbursts, and many of these incidents are directed towards the furniture. Knightsbridge focuses a lot of time into developing furniture which can cope with these outbursts in terms of a robust build, but also observing other risk areas such as furniture being broken to fashion weapons to be used in harming others, or the users themselves. Polycarbonate vision panels in the underside of higher specification models allow staff to check for potential contraband, whether it be hidden medication or weapons. Furniture can be weighted to prevent lifting or throwing, and in this particular case designs are specifically developed to deter lifting through shape and form. In addition, for lower risk areas, a recent
The ‘super-stylish’ Cheetah seating range, designed by Jason Lansdale, and developed with Knightsbridge’s in-house Design and Development Team, proving, as Jason Brown puts it, ‘that furniture for these environments can look cool and still be fit-for-purpose’.
back hygiene gaps prevent the creation of dirt-traps, removable cushions (where permitted) allow easy cleaning under the seat, and minimal stitching details in user contact areas make thorough cleaning an easy and quick operation.
Importance of good posture Equally, specific features have also been incorporated into healthcare facility seating to help manage pressure care and tissue viability in long-stay wards. Here, furniture designers and manufacturers have acknowledged that good posture is crucial: it not only ensures even weight distribution and reduces shearing forces, but also encourages movement, social interaction, and self-reliance. This is becoming increasingly important as the number of service-users at the larger end of the spectrum rises, especially with certain medication affecting weight gain. Enhanced lumbar support built into user seating supports posture even over prolonged periods in the same chair, while a choice of heights and sizes enables differences in ergonomic demands to be accommodated. Other pressure-reducing features include waterfall seats and weight-distributing cushions.
Bariatric users Infection control and tissue viability are issues with implications for patients affected by a broad spectrum of conditions. However, seating for defined user groups represents a different sort of challenge for furniture designers. In response to demand from hospitals for more furniture to accommodate the rising number of ‘bariatric’ users, for instance, specialist seating has been developed for visitors, residents, and patients, who weigh typically 35-50 stones. Ideally combining style with functionality, such seats should merge comfortably into a mixed setting, and complement other seating, while providing for the special needs of larger users. This is imperative when observing user dignity, and will assist in not only the individual’s demeanour, but also their acceptance into individual social groups. For waiting areas and consulting
rooms, armchairs with enhanced size and strength feature extra-supportive arms, with handgrips to aid rising, and housekeeping wheels to help manual handling. Reinforced lumbar support ensures that correct posture is maintained even after prolonged periods, while
Furniture designers and manufacturers have acknowledged that good posture is crucial: it not only ensures even weight distribution and reduces shearing forces, but also encourages movement, social interaction, and self-reliance
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innovation has been the development of upholstered motorised recliners to help bariatric users presenting associated health and mobility problems. With patient or staff-activated remote controls, these allow the seat back to be poised at any angle to facilitate a comfortable position, and are fitted with padded arms and wings for additional support.
Recliner use The increasing use of recliners in clinical areas is not restricted to bariatric users. A growing variety of options now ranges from compact models designed for tight spaces to recliners that provide additional support through a snug containment back, with applications ranging from counselling suites to phlebotomy clinics and maternity departments – where they appear to be increasingly useful to mothers and their carers. Several models can also be fitted with extra-wide equipoise arms to ease the administration of treatments like blood transfusions or dialysis while the patient remains in a comfortable seated position. Available in a broad spectrum of
upholstery materials – including soft-touch waterproof and antibacterial finishes, recliners are available with either manual or motorised action; in both cases, the recline position can be stopped at any stage to allow the user to find the most comfortable angle. Other options include heavy duty, lockable easy-clean castors to assist mobility.
Day-to-day handling Indeed the day-to-day handling of service- users remains a key area of concern to healthcare staff, and furniture has been developed with a range of features to ease – and safeguard – the work of healthcare professionals as they move patients and service-users around a busy hospital. Specialist patient transfer seating is now available ready-fitted with push handles and castors for easy manoeuvring, and
MAY 2022 | THE NETWORK
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