Designing for the Life Span Segment 4
Designing for the Life Span Segment 4 
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[D]
Testing the deflection in a chair with a suspension system.
Turn any chair considered for selection either over or upside down the inspect the suspension system.
There are numerous options available that provide long duration comfort, but they all must include a combination of a spring medium- such as the webbing show to the left- or steel coils are zig-zag springs.
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In selecting a chair for the older adult, it is important to examine seating products for their specific attributes. First, if the chair has a cushion, it should also have a spring system. Even before sitting in the chair, turn the chair over to examine the application of any spring system that can only be seen from the bottom. Sitting in a chair will actually inform the chair occupant about very little - unless that chair is extremely uncomfortable or the occupant sits in the chair for up to three hours - close to the durations of seated time of ambulatory older adults. First impressions about comfort are deceiving and are frequently referred to as "initial feel." Automobile seats are designed for both ride and for what the dealers call "showroom feel."
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