Where design meets aging: why this intersection is so exciting

Great design is about finding solutions that are both pragmatic and beautiful. As our population ages, we need exactly that: well-designed solutions that can help older people and those with mobility challenges maintain independence and quality of life. 

This space presents so many opportunities to create innovative, much-needed products and to spark important conversations about aging in our society. The following are just a few of the reasons we’re so excited to be here creating products like the AWEchair™.  

Focusing on those who are often ignored

We’re glad to put a spotlight on the needs of older people. It’s no secret that this group is frequently ignored in pop culture. And when they are portrayed, it’s often patronizing or inaccurate. One explanation for this gap is our overall discomfort with aging. In a youth-obsessed culture, we don’t like to think about older people or getting older, even though we’re all aging, every day.

Some may rightfully find it freeing to be targeted with fewer ads, but what’s not freeing is searching for solutions and not finding any that actually meet your needs. This void leads to a lack of thoughtful options for people as they age—and, as circumstances and bodies change, need mobility assistance. 

At AWE, we’re not looking away from the challenges of older adults. We’re using our voice to call attention to and solve the problems they face, large and small.

Beyond the direct impact this has for people who need assistance (and their caregivers), we believe that having more accessible options in the world is better for everyone. Take one of the most common examples of universal design, curb ramps. They create sidewalk access for wheelchair users but are also enjoyed by able-bodied folks pushing strollers, bikes, and more. When design can accommodate a wider range of abilities, we all have more choices.

There is one upside to the lack of attention paid to aging-related needs so far…

Room to innovate

There’s a ton of room to invent in this space. We know there’s nothing like the AWEchair™ out there because it’s what our founder searched for, in vain, while she was her parents’ caretaker. As you may have guessed, she then set out to create the secure, comfortable, stylish chair that she couldn’t find on the market.

The simplest way to describe many mobility assistance products is that they’re halfway there. They may meet the most baseline of expectations, but a lack of consideration becomes apparent when you look more closely or rely on them frequently, like a power lift chair that does indeed lift, but then leaves you slipping out or uncomfortably positioned.

If you’ve ever tried to rig up a recliner to be comfortable and secure enough for your loved one by rolling up towels and folding pillows for support, you know the feeling of Why isn’t this better? Why isn’t anyone DOING anything about this?

Which leads to the even bigger questions: Why have these designs been pretty much the same for decades? Has no one sat down to really consider the experience of using them?

We believe in the power of starting fresh, digging into the design challenge and all its complexities to come up with a truly holistic solution. Great leaps happen when we stop accepting what we have today as all we’ll ever get. Think of James Dyson, who was frustrated enough with his vacuum’s lack of suction that he invented a whole new technology!

That same spirit of reinvention and willingness to question the status quo has driven our journey reimagining the power lift chair. Design elements like recessed panels at the front of each arm for a secure grip, a safety curtain to prevent children or pets from getting under the chair, built-in cushioned lumbar support, and a specially designed under-knee pillow for comfort—these features came from carefully thinking through someone’s full experience.

Now is the perfect moment

The number of Americans older than 65 is set to double by 2060. And we have a hunch that as the Baby Boomers age, they’re not going quietly into the night. 

This generation is all about living well. They have the resources and knowledge to demand better than what’s currently available when it comes to mobility assistance and overall quality of life as they get older. 

This demographic shift makes it the perfect time to tackle our culture’s collective discomfort with aging head on. We can effect change by talking about the challenges of aging openly and unapologetically—and by taking action to create better solutions for the millions of people who need them, or will.

The importance of independence

When it comes to independence, the little things make a big difference. Even something as simple as standing up on your own.

We’ve seen the impact of changing mobility firsthand. We know that every ounce of self-sufficiency matters—and we understand the inclination to hold onto it tightly. 

Our goal is to give you the best possible tool to preserve that vital independence and continue to enjoy your life (safely, with the support you need) without compromising on what matters most to you.

We know that a power lift recliner like the AWEchair™ solves only one piece of a much larger mobility puzzle. But independence is so precious that every piece is immeasurably valuable. And it’s just the start of what we plan to do at AWE.

Pushing the design standard 

We’re incredibly proud of the AWEchair’s range of motion, comfort, and stability. But even with functionality as the primary concern, aesthetics matter. A lot. We’re all deeply influenced by the environments we live in and what we surround ourselves with (so much so that hospitals are making big design shifts to aid patient recovery and boost well-being). 

Knowing the power that great design can have, why make something clunky when you could make it pleasing to the eye instead? The quick answer is that it’s a lot harder to execute. And yes, the design challenges in this category are many, but we happen to believe when you decide to push for excellence and not settle for good enough, that’s when things really get interesting. Our goal has always been to push the design standard beyond “passable” and even simply “functional”—all the way to “beautiful”.

Our persistence paid off. The AWEchair™ took a decade to design and patent. We were turned down by 180 factories all over the world before finding the right match (thank you, German engineering)! 

But here we are, with a power lift chair like none that’s ever existed before—a testament to the belief that we all deserve incredible function AND beauty in the objects we rely on, knowing that they shape the lives we live.

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Thanks for being here. Stay tuned as we continue to innovate where design meets aging.