How can the Little Lento Help Adults With Disabilities?

What is the Little Lento?

The Little Lento is a care chair specifically designed for paediatrics and small adults. It is a scaled-down version of its big brother, the Lento Care Chair, with multiple features of adjustment to match the needs of the individual.

As with all the chairs in the Lento family, the key feature of the chair is its high level of adjustability; the seat width, depth, height and other features are all fully adjustable to suit the widest range of patients possible. (The word ‘lento’ means ‘flexible’ in Latin.)

The Little Lento is built for children and small adults up to a height of 5’ 2” (1.6m) and 20 stone. As well as the ability to resize it to suit a wide variety of patients, the Little Lento has many other features that can help elderly adults with disability needs.

What are its features?

Postural support

The Little Lento has different backrest styles to suit different postural needs.

• Cocoon back — a cocoon-shaped back with all-round lateral support
• Waterfall lateral back — a combination of waterfall and lateral support cushions

Pressure relief

The tilt-in-space positioning takes pressure off the sacral area and spread’s the person weight more evenly across their body. The dartex contact surfaces and gel or air options available in the seat provide for elderly clients who are at high risk of pressure ulcers or have fragile skin.

Removable arms

The arm section removes with a simple screw knob fitting, to allow easy side transfers to and from the chair.

Options and accessories

• Soft pillow head cushion — a small pillow-shaped cushion that provides support behind the head
• Profiled head cushion — horseshoe-shaped, this provides all-round head support for those with weak neck muscles
• Extended wings — 4” deeper backrest wings for more sideways support and elderly patients that may be prone to leaning
• Depth adjuster pad — a depth adjuster cushion that reduces seat depth by a further 2”
• Chest harness — helps keep elderly patients positioned centrally in the chair if they have a weak core
• Ankle huggers, pommels and hip guides — positioning aids for patients who struggle to keep a midline position in the chair due to spinal or pelvic abnormalities.
• 2 or 4-point belt — these can help the patient feel secure in the chair and provide restraint if necessary
• Footrest pad — additional cushioning on the footrest for patients with fragile skin
• Backrest wedges — wedge-shaped cushions that can be inserted behind the backrest to provide more support on either side

Manual/electric

The tilt in space and back angle action are available in manual or electric versions

Back angle adjustment

The back angle can be adjusted independently to create a more reclined angle for the patient and help with breathing or swallowing difficulties.

Available in a range of different colours

Different colour schemes are available to match interior décor or suit the client’s personal preferences.

Articulating footrest

The legrest and footplate extend to spread the weight of the client’s legs and relieve pressure.

Removable cushions for cleaning

The magnetic dartex cushions and chair sides can be removed and easily wiped down to prevent the build up of bacteria.

How can the Little Lento help common presentations in elderly adults?

The Little Lento is ideally placed to help elderly adults deal with a range of physical symptoms and seating issues.

Some of the more common presentations amongst elderly adults include:

Leaning

This can be caused by a range of factors that could be neurological (e.g. dementia) or musclo-skeletal (weak core and neck, spinal deformities). Accessories such as extended wings, backrest wedges and lateral supports are available to counteract a lean, whilst providing support on the side that is leaning without the build up of pressure. Read our blogpost on the subject here.

Skin efficacy

The soft dartex material on the chair’s contact surfaces helps protect weak skin and prevent pressure sores.

Weak neck muscles

The head leaning to one side due to weak neck muscles can be counteracted by a horseshoe head cushion or high level head support.

Swelling

The articulating legrest is particularly beneficial for older people suffering from swollen ankles or oedema (build up of fluid). The trough-shaped leg support raises the patients legs, relieving pressure and improving circulation.

Footrest pad

If the patient has swollen feet and doesn’t wear footwear while seated, the footrest pad is a useful accessory to provide cushioning for the feet.

Curvature of the spine

Spinal deformities such as kyphosis (forward curve) or scoliosis (sideways curve) can be addressed by shaping the waterfall back cushions to suit the individual.

Summary

The Little Lento is a versatile chair, designed to accommodate a wide range of needs for both paediatric clients and small adults.

We offer assessments for the Little Lento, and work with healthcare professionals up and down the country specifying care chairs for all ages. Why not get in touch with us today to arrange a no-obligation assessment.