VELA chair assessments are conducted by our specialist VELA assessors and take place within the home, school or work environment.

Assessments take around an hour to complete and demonstration chairs and accessories are taken along for the user to try so as to ensure that the correct size / model of chair is recommended for the best comfort and support possible.

Prior to the assessment, the OT provides a brief overview of the child / young person’s requirements, where the chair is going to be used and a rough idea as to their size.

Our assessor takes along a selection of appropriately sized chairs as standard, however, bariatric chairs or sit / stand stools can also be taken along on request.

On arrival, the occupational therapist (OT) will generally introduce our assessor to the child / young person and have a general chat with the individual before the assessment to help put them at ease and reduce any anxiety or apprehension.

We then demonstrate the workings of the chair and it’s benefits and features before seating the individual in the chair and making adjustments to the seat angle , depth, backrest etc. all under the guidance of the OT to ensure correct posture is achieved.

Once everything is set up correctly, accessories such as footplates, lap-belts, lateral supports and headrests are considered to further improve comfort and posture and once again this is carried out with guidance from the OT.

Finally, the chair is relocated to the environment where it will be most used and the child / young person is given the opportunity to spend time in various situations. This allows us to ensure the functionality of the chair works well for the individual in each specific environment and will provide a fully accessible long-term solution.

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Case study one - VELA chair - Less sciatica and more energy at work with a VELA chair

Case study two - VELA Salsa sit-stand chair - Patrick