The Buyer’s Guide to Toilet Aids
Let’s face it; no one wants to rely on the help of friends, family or care-workers when it comes to using the toilet. Unfortunately, too many disability sufferers don’t have the necessary mobility aids in their bathrooms, and that can lead to the indignity and embarrassment of requiring assistance with one of life’s most intimate essential tasks. However, with just a few simple modifications to a home, daily ablutions can be carried out exactly the way most people prefer – privately!
Commodes
Although many disabled people will find living in a bungalow far easier, a steep flight of stairs presents a significant barrier between most people and the toilet. In situations where a disability profoundly affects mobility, regular – and potentially dangerous – trips to the bathroom can be impractical at best. However, having toilet facilities in the main rooms of a home can have a doubly positive effect. Not only can disability sufferers enjoy a little privacy, they can attend to their essential sanitary needs without putting themselves in harm’s way. The latest commodes come with padded seats for extra comfort, and antibacterial plastics ensure that everything remains as hygienic as possible. Adjustable heights, non-slip feet and removable pots make the whole experience of using a commode quick and relatively simple. The latest uplift models are designed to take up to 80% of the user’s weight – ideal for people who are particularly unsteady on their feet.
Raised Toilet Seats
Some disabilities simply require a few, relatively minor modifications to a bathroom. A raised toilet seat can be fitted onto most standard toilets, and it can be fixed firmly into place with a simple bracket system. Many seats now have antibacterial qualities as standard, and a single, moulded piece of plastic means keeping them clean is a relatively simple process. A toilet seat heightens the seating position of the user, thus greatly reducing the risk of slips and falls whilst getting on and off.
Toilet Frames
A toilet frame can be positioned over most standard toilets, and it will provide a safe and secure seating position for the user. A moulded, polyethylene seat fits securely to a metal frame, and the seating height can usually be altered without the need for tools. Many frames can be removed in a matter of seconds – desirable if able-bodied people are using the same facilities. And because some toilet frames double up as shower chairs, there is an opportunity to solve two potential problems whilst saving some money.
Shower Seats
Of course, not all disabilities require such drastic intervention. Growing old comes with a number of inevitable consequences, and one of them is a general decrease in mobility. Whilst help from a family member or carer is not needed, a little help with balance and support may be necessary from time to time. Shower seats for the elderly will often be attached to the wall, but they can be folded away when not in use. Some seats will come with non-slip feet and legs for added support, and the top-of-the-range models are often equipped with padded back and arm-rests for extra comfort.
Disability comes in many forms, but rarely should it be allowed to deprive people of their independence and dignity. Equipping a bathroom or toilet with a few, relatively simple mobility aids could have a profound effect on a person’s quality of life.
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