A mechanical device designed to support a patient with a disability (e.g., geriatric, injured, disabled) in a sitting posture and helps the person via its self-raising mechanism to both to sit down from a standing position and stand up from a sitting position. The manual and/or power-assisted (e.g., spring-assisted) features may include a seat that can be elevated and tilted forward to help the person stand, a back rest that reclines for comfort, a seat with tilting sections, and/or casters to permit a reorientation. It is neither a stander (which is intended to support a patient in a prolonged standing position) nor a wheelchair.