Check out the chairs that are changing lives on a global scale. As power chairs and gravity chairs become more accessible, users are empowered through enhanced independence.

Gravity chairs: the calming resource transforming classrooms

Gravity chairs are a valued resource to people with special needs and their families, helping users to stay calm and focused while being adequately supported physically. These lightweight foam chairs can be used with palliative care patients or people with autism or ADHD, and many schools are starting to embrace gravity chairs as a therapeutic resource for students. When children with special needs become agitated, the chairs help them regain their composure, allowing them to return to their lessons.

Hamilton North School was able to purchase two gravity chairs, thanks to a grant from the Mazda Foundation. The special sensory chairs are made out of contoured layers of foam that give the upset child a squeeze, similar to a hug – as the chairs conform tightly around the body, the tightness allows the pupils to relax. So far, the chairs have been a huge hit with the children and teaching staff, allowing the students to remain calm and composed and facilitating their participation in class.

Power chairs: empowering people through mobility

Power chairs give children and adults with mobility issues the independence they need to make their way in the world. With mobility comes empowerment, and power chairs provide kids with the opportunity to explore their world and participate in activities alongside their peers. Modern chairs are extremely maneuverable, engineered to tackle tight spaces that could not have been navigated in the less streamlined chairs of old.

American high school student Pat Veltri has been able to expand his horizons through the use of a power chair. The sports-obsessed teen has congenital muscular dystrophy, and has been using a wheelchair for years. Thanks to the power chair, Pat has been able to participate in a number of team sports during his time at school, becoming involved in the management of the football, ice hockey and lacrosse teams on campus. With mobility comes accessibility, and Pat is the perfect example of the way that power chairs are changing lives.

These resources are invaluable, allowing adults and children with disability to participate in activities that may have been inaccessible to them beforehand. Power chairs and gravity chairs empower users to embrace life more fully, and are having a positive impact around the world.