Need advice on recliner lift chairs. Any thoughts?

My wife has dementia. 2yrs ago I bought her an expensive recliner, one that had separate buttons for leaning back, raising legs, stop in any position with battery backup. She could not operate it. I did all of the button pushing. She would just crawl out of it when reclined when I wasn't in the room. It wasn't too long before she became bed bound.
I suggest renting a recliner to see if she could adjust to any new and unfamiliar controls.

My hubby had a lift chair. It for to the point where he couldn't figure out which was up and which was down. I even wrote Stand by the Up button and Sit by the Down button and it did no good. He now has one that he just has to lean back in and that is a problem. I hate this disease.

These chairs are great for a certain age and stage. My mom used one for years and it was great. She did not have dementia. My DH aunt with dementia has one and she slid to the floor when she decided out of the blue to adjust it.
I like Windy’s idea to adjust and unplug. Then when you wanted them to get up, you could plug back up and be there to help them. Aunts was expensive and a waste since she wants to stay in bed. But occasionally she sits in it and it’s easier for caregivers to get her up with the lift.
We had to get rid of aunts old recliner which she loved. Red leather her favorite. But had begun to smell. We removed the old one after we got the new chair which we placed by her bed. She never mentioned the old one. Out of sight, out of mind.
Almost forgot. The chairs that have two motors are more useful. One motor for the recline, the head. One for the foot rest. This way you can sit in the chair upright and lift the feet while watching tv or eating or visiting. With the one motor the head reclines and the feet go up at the same time. No choice. The two motor ones are usually more expensive but I have seen them for less. The vinyl is better for cleaning but easier to slip out of. There are washable pads available online for recliners.

MIL’s doctor wrote us a script for one of these which I do not understand because she is in. MC facility and will not remember how to use it. Blows my mind

I don't think there's any way she can learn a new controller unless it's exactly like her old one. Is it possible to find a newer used version of her existing one? Call the company that makes it? Just a thought.

I wanted money on two of these things for mom and dad. At first it was like a fun thing but due to dementia they both soon forgot how to make them work. They’d get stuck up or down. I finally set them at a comfortable spot and unplugged them. They’re about $800 or more.

It’s like the rolling walkers with brakes, walk in baths that celebrities sell on tv, it takes a fair amount of cognition to make this stuff work.

I would have an insert made for the seat. It takes weeks to get a chair recushioned and reupholstered.

I would buy some memory foam and use water proof cover, then make covers like pillowcases, make a couple sets.

That way she gets to keep her beloved chair and you know it is giving her support and comfort.

Have the current recliner recovered. OR,
Buy one identical to it and set it beside the old one.
Spend her money now, what is sibling waiting F O R , I wonder.....

Your post has brought up memories, when all the family heard was:
"Don't spend my inheritance".

Have the anxiety treated.
While on hospice, have a medication review, trying to remove all nonessential medications, and/or decrease the dosages.

You don't wait.

All I know about lift recliners is that my mom's caregiver had lots of stories about clients that had basically been dumped on the floor because of them, I think it takes a fair amount of physical and mental coordination to use them safely.

At an assisted living facility that my friend's father was in they were not allowed. They felt they contributed to loss of leg strength and to falls. Some of them practically dump you out of the chair. If her current one still works I'd leave things alone.

The lift recliner chairs have a hand control that operates the positions.

She may have issues learning the controls and remembering them.
Husband's aunt, 92, has one and occasionally gets confused and once almost slid on the floor. Thankfully she has sitters all day to supervise.