I hope his uninformed and stupid attitude cames back to bite him in his a$$ when he is OLD. Most older people need the arms of a chair to help them stand. Yes, I think you need to find a more compassionate Dr.

Not only is his attitude wrong but I can't ever remember being in a doctor's office where there were armless chairs.

I would switch. He sounds like a JERK. Oh, and also email him a copy of the replies to this thread, as I am sure you will get many.

He may have taken the Hippocratic Oath (do no harm) but he sure is a hypocrite!!!!! Lose him quick.

There are chairs with arms in my doctor's office and also in the examining room.

Sue

The last he would see of me is my backside walking out of his door, Gazania! For him to have such an uncaring and cavalier attitude is absolutely unforgivable. He is in the wrong business. Being a physician means caring for an individual, not just a treatment but the whole person. Obviously he doesn't care about his patient's comfort and well being, only his insurance rates and payments.

I wonder if he is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act? 800 - 514 - 0301 (voice) It might have been fun to ask him that question and see the look on his face.

My first thought was that possibly severely overweight individuals might not fit into a chair with arms.

Found this from the link below:
Severely overweight people cannot fit into standard wheelchairs, waiting-room armchairs, blood pressure cuffs, hospital beds and gowns, or M.R.I. and CAT scan machines.

snip

''I can barely stand up, but the chairs in the doctor's waiting room all have arms, so I can't sit down,'' said Mrs. Gamzon, 55,.....

I guess the best solution would be to have some of both in the waiting room area, and one of each in the exam room, if space allowed.

I like Sleeperblues' suggestion of sending him these replies. He needs a little dose of reality.

Yes, it would make sense to have both kinds of chairs in the waiting room. I can't remember what my doctor has, but I know if I suggested something he'd be polite and receptive.

I wonder if he would change his attitude if you asked him for help standing up each time.

I really have a problem with doctors that already have their patients seated when they come in to the examination room and don't check to see how their patients are doing walking. One doctor we had, never saw my DH walk and he walked really unsteady. He didn't know until one day, when I was in alone, I spoke to him and asked him to watch my DH actually walk. He was a good doctor but had never seen him walking as he went from one patient directly to another. Once he saw it, he caught on how bad his condition actually was.

Get another doctor. His thinking is closed and not rational - negative qualities in a doctor.
Surely there is another doctor in your area who is board certified in the specialty you need.

This is a really interesting topic--one I've never considered.

My doctor's office has OLD (he bought the practice about 30 years ago, and the chairs were there then, and already old) loveseats and chairs in the waiting room. They all have arms. In his office, where you sit to have your BP taken, etc, the chair has arms. Of course, the exam table does not, but I'm pretty sure he'd lend a hand if one were needed.

My dentist's office has low seats without arms for the most part, but I THINK there are 2 chairs across the room that have arms--have to go there later this morning, and will definitely look.

I think the eye dr and urologist's waiting room chairs have arms, too.

All of the chairs in our doctors offices have arms. I often lean on one when I'm reading a magazine. What a rude arrogant man!

I find it hard to believe that armless chairs are safer for people with mobility issues. I would definitely consider a new doctor.

Our doctor's office has chairs with arms and sofas. The last time I took DH there, there was a couple who were both morbidly obese (at least 400-500 pounds). They each needed a sofa to themselves. In the exam room, the chairs do not have arms; they are in a small area, made of plastic and smaller than an airplane seat. I have no clue how they fit into the exam room, much less into the small chairs.

I'm another one who never noticed whether or not there are chairs with arms in the doctor's offices. So far I can get up from an armless chair, with the help of my cane. I'm going to be looking on my next visit.

Our hospital has just gotten an MRI unit that is huge, and can accommodate patients up to 550 pounds, and they can have their head out.

I wonder if they have thought about larger, armed chairs in the waiting areas?

Sue

My doctor's office has chairs with arms and even one or two higher chairs for people recovering from hip replacement.
Find another doctor, one with compassion.

My doctor's office has both armed and no armed chairs. The chairs that fill up first are the armed chairs. On average I wait 20 to 30 minutes to see my doc and if I have to do so, I better be comfortable.

I wonder what the reasoning is behind an armless chair being safer, other than the arm falling off lol

I think it may have to do with the arms being touched by people who are sick and exposing others to germs rather more than anything else. One place I know of went to chairs without arms and vinyl seats so that they could be sprayed and wiped to be disinfected easily. It all happened about the time of H1N1.

I don't believe the doctor told the truth about the insurance company. That makes no sense.
Of course there are people who need armed chairs. There is more liability when people can't support themselves getting up.
It is not easy to find new doctors either. Maybe you will have to bring a friend to help you.

You were treated like he doesn't hear you or need you but he does. If he has 30 chairs he is running his patients through like a cattle call in order to make money.

What a ridiculous answer he gave you! I'm betting that his wife and her decorator furnished the office.

I've never been in a medical facility where there were no chairs with arms. NEVER!

I first became aware of the need when I would take my late MIL to appointments. She had severe RA. We'd always seek a chair with a high, firm seat, AND ARMS!

Does the office have any wheelchairs on hand for patients?

My doctor's surgery has both armless chairs and chairs with arms, and even a special higher seated chair with arms for those who have trouble standing up from a low seat. I'd be looking for another doctor.

My doctors office has chairs with no arms, because they are the "higher end" but still relatively cheap stacking chairs. I assume they were bought in volume and used across all the offices in the complex.

Perhaps you might consider using something to help you sit and get back up, I am sure you have encountered this problem in other places. My grandfather had a folding cane that he would use to balance when sitting and rising. He didn't need it for walking.

Dances.

What kind of doctor is he?Most people who go to a doctor are sick and they need help getting up and some need help getting down.I don't see the logic in what his actions areIs he a shrink?

The doctor is a general practioner. There are 2 other doctors in the practice, so that is why there are so many chairs.
I always walk with a cane, but I cannot use it to get up from a chair. I have no 'lift' power in my legs, so I lift my body by pushing with both my hands/arms. Chair arms make that much easier.
I sometimes use a walker or even a scooter, but in this examining room, I know that there is no room for the scooter for sure, and it would be hard to even manuver the walker around. If I go back to him again, I will take the walker and let the nurse figure out where to put me. The doctors flippant attitude is what really set me off.

I, of course am very aware of the seating anywhere I go. In the past, many waiting rooms were without armed chairs. It is rare to find that these days. Now, the lab where I go for blood tests has just 2 chairs with arms in the waiting room. They are at the very far end of the long narrow room that is lined on each side with 13 armless chairs and a couple of tables. I believe the thinking here is that able bodied people will always take the closest chairs rather than walk to the far end of the room for the armed chairs, thus leaving those for the people that need them, like me. No matter that the disabled must now struggle to get to them. But once they get there, they can now sit and get up more easily. LOL! It's kinda like the handicapped stall in the public restroom is always at the farthest end from the door. I know, there must be a good reason for this, but when one is feeling like 'just one more step is more than you can do', it is hard to see it.

If possible, a new doctor is in order. I don't like this one's attitude. If nothing else, he is absolutely tactless.

All the doctors I go to have chairs with arms. I have a hard time with armless chairs as I need something to give me leverage to get up. My doctor also helps me up and down from the examining table since I am unsteady on my feet. If he has me lie down he also assists me and makes sure I am comfortable. I love my doctor and have told him so many times. He is cute besides being a wonderful doctor. LOL

You really need to at least start looking for
a new doctor! This one is a jerk for sure, and
a rude one at that!!!

Well, since we have moved I guess I don't really have a doctor but the ones I left were wonderful. They had chairs with arms and/or sofas.

My dentist had just bought the most wonderful big comfy chairs (real furniture, not office furniture). I didn't want them to call me back cause I was so comfortable.

Get thee to another doctor.

Linda

Perhaps this practice would like to discourage older or infirm -- or MEDICARE -- patients?

I seem to remember someone asking Tommy Hilfiger(sp?) why he didn't make his clothing in larger sizes. He didn't want to see his clothes on any 'fat people'.

If you do want to stay with him, I'd tie up one of his wheelchairs. Then you'll have the arms. That is, unless he has armless wheelchairs... "insurance mandated"!