There are numerous occasions where adult booster seats may come in handy. Perhaps your vehicle seat is too hard or you have difficult time getting comfortable on long car rides, or maybe you just need a boost to see better over the steering wheel. Whatever the issue, it can likely be remedied with a little extra cushion.
These beneficial little cushions not only make car rides safer, but can also help reduce pain. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of booster seats and which one could be the best fit for you, read on to find out!
What is an Adult Booster Seat?
If you’re wondering exactly what an adult booster seat is, you will likely be happy to know that it is a far cry from a child’s booster seat. You will not be strapped in to a mini chair or anything like that. An adult booster is more of a cushion than anything else.
This memory foam cushion is specifically designed for a car seat and is meant to help the eliminate pain and discomfort that comes with sitting in a car. It also provide extra lift to make driving safer and more comfortable for people with shorter a stature.
How Do Adult Booster Seats Work for Seniors?
Adult booster seats can work for seniors in a few different ways. First of all, it is a well known fact that as most of us age, we shrink. Thus, as we get older, we may not be able to see as comfortably over the steering wheel. If you find yourself in this situation, especially in a vehicle where the seat does not mechanically raise high enough, a booster cushion can give you the height you need.
For a person who has been 6’4” their whole life, this isn’t likely to become an issue. However, for someone who has been barely pushing 5’5” since they was 20, this can prove to be a problem. If you can’t see over the steering wheel properly, you aren’t going to be as safe on the road. Plus, it’s highly uncomfortable to crane your neck in order to see
The second way adult booster seats can work for seniors involves the redistribution of pressure. These cushions allow you to sit without placing pressure on the tailbone (the coccyx). People are more prone to injury due to falls as they age, and many times this can result in injuries to the tailbone. When this happens, simply sitting on a chair can be excruciating.
One way to avoid this is to sit without putting any pressure on the tailbone whatsoever. Many of adult booster seats are made with “U” shaped cutouts that allow the user to sit with pressure only on their butt and leg muscles rather than against their coccyx. This helps provide a great deal of relief while driving (groceries still need to be picked up, after all).
These cushions can also help relieve pain associated with Sarcopenia, a form of drastic muscle loss commonly associated with the aging process. Someone with sarcopenia experiences muscle loss throughout the body. It’s not just confined to one region. Unfortunately, the glutes are one of the muscle groups that can be affected, which often results in having a very bony butt. With no natural cushion from muscles, it can be difficult to sit comfortably.
If this is something you or a loved one experience, an adult booster seat can help to provide the cushioning needed to help ensure car rides are as pain-free as possible.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Adult Booster Seat
The very first question to ask when looking for an adult booster seat is, why it is being sought after in the first place? Is it chronic pain, difficulty seeing over the steering wheel, or the inability to get comfortable while driving?
While there is a lot of overlap when it comes to the benefits various adult booster seats provide, there is also some specialization. It is always important to choose the right tool for the job at hand.
The Top 5 Adult Booster Seats on the Market
We’ve discussed the benefits and importance of an adult booster seat for seniors. Now let’s look at what the top 5 adult booster seats on the market are.
1. Everlasting Comfort Office Chair Seat Cushion
- EFFECTIVE PAIN RELIEF: Get relief from lower back, coccyx, and sciatica pain with our desk chair cushion. The tailbone pain relief cushion evenly distributes weight to reduce pressure and pain
- ALL DAY SUPPORT: Enjoy lasting comfort during 8+ hr workdays with our coccyx cushion for tailbone pain. Made with ComfortFoam, it contours to your bottom using body heat while never flattening
The Everlasting Comfort Office Chair Seat Cushion averages around $50, making it the most expensive option. Though it’s technically advertised for use in an office chair, numerous people have reported using this as an effective adult booster seat for driving.
This cushion is comprised of pure memory foam. It cradles your bottom, offering ample cushion and support. For those who have had troubles in the past with adult booster seats causing embarrassing and uncomfortable butt sweat, the Everlasting Comfort adult booster seat also features a breathable cover that helps eliminate heat entrapment. This helps to ensure that your car ride is as enjoyable as possible. Nobody likes sitting on a heating pad as they’re running their errands about town.
With use, naturally, there will be dust and dirt accumulation on the cushion. It’s simply thermodynamics: chaos increases. When your Everlasting Comfort adult seat booster is unbearably dirty (e.g., you spill Chik-fil-A sweet tea all over it), then the cover can be easily removed and tossed into the washing machine.
The Everlasting comfort is specifically advertised for those with coccyx or sciatica pain. If you experience either of these, this may just be the cushion for you. It is crafted with an ergonomic ‘U’ shape, allowing the coccyx to remain suspended without any uncomfortable pressure.
In short, it’s a wonderful adult booster seat, and it’s bound to please.
2. Dreamer Car Seat Cushion
- Wedge Shape Car Seat Cushion: The car seat cushions for driving is designed in a wedge shape that features a front low and rear high design. The front low design allows for easy access to the brakes, while the rear high design lifts the height for a wider field of vision. This design helps to improve driving posture and comfort.
- Slow Rebound Memory Foam Car Pillow: The car cushions for driving are made of slow rebound memory foam, which is soft and comfortable to sit on. This foam is also durable and maintains its shape over time, providing comfort with long-lasting.
The Dreamer Car Seat Cushion is a very affordable ($30) option that will greatly improve your ability to see over the steering wheel. The cushion is three inches thick at the rear, which helps improve one’s posture (beneficial for anyone already struggling with back pain) while simultaneously helping you see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals with ease.
This cushion features a non-slip rubber bottom, ensuring that it stays in place as you drive. To further prevent unwanted sliding, it also features a buckle to firmly secure it to the driver’s seat.
There is only one potential downside to this cushion – it doesn’t stand up well to long periods of sunshine exposure. You may want to take this into consideration if your vehicle is parked outside where the seat would be constantly exposed to direct sunlight.
3. ComfiLife Gel Enhanced Seat Cushion
- Most Comfortable Gel Memory Foam Cushion On The Market - ComfiLife's all-in-one features are unrivaled: Non-slip rubber bottom, built-in handle for easy transport and machine-washable zippered velour cover for easy cleaning. The ComfiLife Coccyx Cushion is the best gel memory foam seat cushion on the market made of premium quality durable memory foam with cool off gel layer on top for superior comfort
- Supports Tailbone and Relieves Pressure - Ergonomically designed seat cushion provides maximum support and comfort while reducing pressure on the coccyx / tailbone and promotes healthy posture
The ComfiLife Gel Enhanced Seat Cushion may be the most comfortable adult booster seat around. This cushion costs approximately $44, putting it right at mid-range when compared to the other adult booster seats on this list.
It’s specifically crafted to help those who suffer from chronic pain, such as low back pain, herniated discs, tailbone pain, or sciatica. To accommodate these conditions, the ComfiLife is made with a ‘U’ shaped cutout to allow the tailbone to remain suspended. The pad is also crafted to help with improving posture.
When the cushion gets too dirty, the machine washable cover can easily be taken off and thrown into the wash. It also boasts a non-slip rubber bottom to prevent sliding and a built-in handle for easy transportation.
4. Cylen Memory Foam Bamboo Charcoal Infused Ventilated Orthopedic Seat Cushion
- BAMBOO CHARCOAL INFUSION -provides superb ventilation ability and reduces temperature from rising,Unlike other seat cushions for office chairs, our sciatica pain relief foam cushion uses activated charcoal to remove unwanted smells and stains.
- STATE OF THE ART MEMORY FOAM - provides quality seating comfort and pain relief experience
The Cylen Memory Foam seat cushion costs only $30, making it the most inexpensive cushion on this list. Plus, it comes with a five-year warranty to boot.
The Cylen Memory Foam seat cushion is crafted with a bamboo/charcoal infusion, which not only absorbs and neutralizes unpleasant scents but also prevents the cushion from retaining sticky odors over time. In addition, the bamboo helps reduce the temperature of the cushion while in use, keeping the driver cool, comfortable, and sweat free. When combined with the maximum airflow cover, this is certain to be one of the most comfortable adult booster seats on the market.
The cover is machine washable, of course, and features a no-slip bottom. The makers also advertise the Cylen Memory Foam seat cushion as able to alleviate discomfort associated with hemorrhoids, pregnancy, coccyx injurie, and more.
All of these qualities combined help make this one of the most feature-rich adult booster seats on the market.
5. Everlasting Comfort Car Cushion
- Upgrades the Feel of Your Car Seats: Made with 100 percent premium memory foam, the car seat cushion provides the extra padding needed to support a better driving experience
- Ideal Travel Companion: With a built in carrying strap, we've made it convenient and easy to transport your memory foam car seat cushion from your car, truck, home, office, or airplane
We’ve featured the Everlasting Comfort office seat cushion above, but Everlasting Comfort also makes a product specifically with car use in mind. This product costs only $33 and is made of three-inch thick memory foam. The thickness not only assists with seeing over the wheel, but also ensures the car ride is as comfortable as possible.
Like many adult booster seats on the market, the Everlasting Comfort Car Cushion is crafted with a “U” shaped cutout to suspend one’s coccyx (making this a perfect option if one has sustained an injury to that area due to a fall). It also boasts a non-slip bottom to better help it to stay in position.
A carrying strap is included to make portage of this adult booster seat as convenient as possible. The only potential downside of this cushion are the reports that it can stain leather car seats. If your car seats are fabric, this likely will not affect you. On the other hand, if you have luxury vehicle with leather seats, you may want to avoid this particular booster.
Final Thoughts on Adult Booster Seats
There are plenty of reasons why a senior may want to consider an adult booster seat for driving. These can be a very convenient product to keep at the ready. Whether you’re looking for help seeing over the steering wheel, are recovering from a recent surgery, or simply are looking for a more comfortable car ride, there is an adult booster seat on the market that can fit the bill.
If you are in the market for a booster seat now, check out one of the above designs we’ve mentioned. It’s our opinion here at Elder Guru that these are the best on the market. If other people have loved these products, you’re bound to love at least one of them as well.
We’ve shared our opinions, so now we would love to know your what are your thoughts on the issue? Are there other products you feel like should have been added to the list? Have you ever tried any of the above? What are your thoughts on adult booster seats in general? Let us know in the comments below!
2 comments
I already have a similar adult booster seat but my problem is in the right hip. A car accident a long time ago stretched my periformis muscle and now I need to stretch a lot to keep those muscles stretched out. I’m not always good about stretching so do you have a recommendation for me OR, is my only resource to get out of the car on 5 hour trips and stretch several times? Walking doesn’t do it but maybe a new car seat might help. Your input would be appreciated.
That’s a good question to ask your physical therapist. That said, I don’t have hip problems but 5 hours in the car begins to get painful for even me.