What Is A Broda Chair

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
12 min read

Understanding the meaning of a broda chair is helpful for the staff of healthcare facilities and clinics, who must juggle numerous responsibilities. Broda chairs are a type of wheelchair designed to help people who spend their days sitting by providing a tilt-in-space positioning chair as an assistive device.

We understand the difficulty of narrowing down the seemingly endless options for medical chairs to choose the one that best suits your needs for the long term. If you don’t know much about the products you’re considering, making a choice can be challenging.

Broda chairs are designed to alleviate pressure on the body and increase airflow to provide a more relaxed and supportive sitting experience. Those in need of long-term care can benefit from the ergonomic design and high level of comfort offered by broda chairs.

In addition, without the need for additional gadgets, these chairs can safely and securely place the user. This chair includes a number of useful features that could make it a good investment for you or a member of your family.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about broda chairs.

What is a Broda Chair?

Broda is a wheelchair manufacturer known for their tilt-in-space positioning chairs equipped with the Comfort Tension Seating® system, which is designed to minimize skin breakdown by lowering body temperature and perspiration in any healthcare situation.

Broda Wheelchair Vs A Geri Chair: Compare & Contrast | OT Flourish

When a patient requires specialized placement because of a condition like severe scoliosis, knee contractures, skin disintegration, Huntington’s disease, or a history of frequent falls, I often recommend a Broda chair.

Broda chairs and wheelchairs are eligible for funding in specific circumstances and jurisdictions since they are considered DME Class1 Mechanical Wheelchairs (IOR). Due to their classification as DME, they must undergo rigorous premarket approval in accordance with established norms and standards to guarantee the highest levels of patient safety, mobility, and result.

When to Recommend a Broda Chair:

1. Change in Condition

To make sure the patient is still using the right equipment to treat their symptoms, make them feel better, and keep them safe as their illness evolves, it is necessary to reevaluate them regularly. One way to tell if a reevaluation is in order is if:

  • Reduced ability to sit for long periods of time
  • Pressure ulcers are more likely to occur or develop.
  • Reduced capacity for independent locomotion
  • Applying restraints such as seatbelts, soft belts, lap trays, etc. to keep the patient seated safely.
  • The prevalence of slouching, slumping, and forward head and/or torso movement when seated has increased.

2. Change in Medication (dosage, frequency, etc.)

When patients employ technology that is no longer adequate for their needs, it can lead to a variety of undesirable side effects, some of which may require a change in treatment regimen. There are verbal and nonverbal indicators of this, including:

  • More people are saying they are in agony.
  • Claims of fresh discomfort
  • Alterations in behavior as a result of physical distress, emotional distress, or the inability to express basic needs in words
  • Enhanced signs and symptoms, including but not limited to: upper and lower extremity swelling and numbness; lower back pain; hip discomfort;
  • Consequently, there will be a rise in the usage of painkillers, psychiatric drugs, and other medications.

3. “Behavioral” Changes

Constant pain and the worsening of other symptoms can prompt a patient to alter their behavior if the pain is allowed to persist for an extended period of time. These alterations may manifest as hostility or dissatisfaction in patients who lack the language skills to express their requirements. There are verbal and nonverbal indicators of this, including:

  • Changes in or an increase in aggressive behavior
  • Increased or new occurrences of frustration
  • Attempts to rise from a seated position raise the possibility of a fall.
  • Alterations in “behavior,” such as hostility, sobbing, frustration, outbursts of anger, etc.
  • Employing the use of restraints to keep the patient seated safely
  • Utilization of psychotropic drugs has increased (to calm patient)

4. Increased Time in Bed (Decrease in ADLs and Social Participation)

It’s possible that the patient’s sitting tolerance and social skills will shift if they continue to use a wheelchair that is no longer suitable for them. Modular seating systems lose their initial comfort characteristics once some time has passed. Discomfort in a wheelchair might cause a patient to spend more time in bed, where they are at greater risk for pressure ulcers, falls, and other complications. There are verbal and nonverbal indicators of this, including:

  • The discomfort level has increased.
  • Increased reliance on painkillers and psychoactive drugs
  • A decrease in activity and an increase in bedtime are symptoms of depression (resulting in isolation and depression)
  • Changes in seated posture, include slouching, slipping, and leaning to one side
  • Enhanced signs and symptoms, including but not limited to: upper and lower extremity swelling and numbness; lower back pain; hip discomfort;

Some of my Favorite Broda Features:

  • If the user is a “foot ambulator,” the wheelchair’s seat height can be lowered far below that of a standard chair.
  • For those who would benefit from a soothing rocking action to help alleviate agitation, the Encore Pedal Rocker is a great option. Since it “moves with the patient,” I have also used this function to accommodate for varying degrees of stiffness or spasticity.
  • Some of my patients with the most extreme hypertonicity and tremors have ruined other wheelchairs, but they have had no trouble with a Broda device.
  • That’s enough of padding already, so stop looking! All necessary pressure reduction is already built into the seat’s Comfort Tension design.
  • It’s possible to lie flat on it! This can be helpful when a carepartner needs to help with specific toileting requirements.
  • Perfect for those who are challenging to position, such as those with severe kyphosis or Huntington’s chorea.

Broda Tranquille Auto-Locking Glider | eSpecial Needs

Who Needs A Broda Chair?

Consider the various ways in which the chair can accommodate the demands of the person who will be using it. A skilled caregiver who is familiar with the resident’s seating needs should evaluate the scenario to see if a broda chair is acceptable. They are residents who have been classified as needing low to moderate assistance.

A person’s fear of falling can be reduced and their ability to sit for extended periods of time improved with the help of the right solution. Better posture is the result of increased support and comfort, which in turn reduces fatigue, the urge to move around during the day, and the likelihood of injury.

Users of wheelchairs need secure seats to be able to move their bodies. This is due to the inability of cheaper seats to distribute weight properly. Your loved one’s or the resident’s individual condition will decide several of the goals that the appropriate chair should fulfill, as well as the characteristics that will provide the maximum comfort and safety.

How Do You Use A Broda Chair?

Chair position

When a resident is transported to a chair, the caregiver must next decide how much of a tilt the chair needs to provide proper positioning. To reduce the likelihood of a resident sliding or falling forward from the chair, we advise a modest incline. The caregiver in charge of seating must take a measurement of the resident to determine the appropriate degree of seat tilt.

Seat tilt position

Always ensure the patient is seated comfortably in the chair before using the seat tilt. Your right hand can hold onto the bar for stability while your left can grip the tilt handle for fine-tuning. You may adjust the seat’s back tilt to get just the right angle.

Chair location

This chair should only be used in a secure setting where residents, caregivers, and visitors can’t accidentally adjust the settings, move the chair, or perform other potentially dangerous actions like sitting or leaning back on the reclining back, elevating the footrest, or resting their arms on the armrests. The chair could be broken or topple over if these behaviors are not stopped.

Lock wheel breaks

The wheels of Broda chairs can’t swivel or turn because of the total lock brakes installed on them. The chair’s brakes should be used whenever the chair is not in use, including when a resident is being transferred into or out of the chair.

How Much Does A Broda Chair Cost?

First-generation wheelchairs with a lower price tag are typically of lesser quality. To begin providing enough support and durability, such fundamental equipment typically requires the addition of costly padding, cushions, and accessories.

Prices for Broda wheelchairs range widely depending on the model you select. This too is dependent upon the individual requirements and medical state of the resident or patient. You can inquire about these things with a healthcare provider.

A broda chair, if purchased immediately, might cost upwards of $600. However, as we have already established, low-quality seating solutions won’t survive and may possibly cause more issues. The chair’s purpose is to aid the patient over the long term, even if the patient experiences some discomfort along the way. Investing in a high-quality broda chair could be a good idea.

Is a Broda chair considered a wheelchair?

The items sold by Broda are not geri chairs or furniture. Broda products are classified as Durable Medical Equipment. Broda wheelchairs are classified as Class I Mechanical Wheelchairs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Product Code IOR; Regulation Number 890.3850).

Do Broda chairs need cushions?

The items sold by Broda are not geri chairs or furniture. Broda products are classified as Durable Medical Equipment. Broda wheelchairs are classified as Class I Mechanical Wheelchairs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Product Code IOR; Regulation Number 890.3850).

Broda Seating – HospEquip

Conclusion

None of Broda’s items qualify as geri chairs or furniture. Products made by Broda qualify as long-lasting medical gear. Class I mechanical wheelchairs is how the Food and Drug Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services classes Broda wheelchairs (Product Code IOR; Regulation Number 890.3850).

Having a foundational understanding of the mechanics and context surrounding your option is crucial. If the chair you’re considering doesn’t make you feel comfortable and could endanger your loved ones, you should probably spend a little more money and get something better.

Compare and contrast the Broda Wheelchair with the Geri Chair in terms of when each should be used.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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