Mobile Toilets Make All the Difference If You Lose Your Mobility

After losing one’s mobility due to illness or disability, routine tasks previously taken for granted become difficult. If you are bedbound and unable to get to the bathroom, items like commodes and other mobility aids may become necessary.

The inability to make the trip to the toilet presents a practical problem, but there is plenty of great equipment to help. Bedside commodes are essentially mobile toilets. They do not have a flush or running water supply, but instead use a plastic pan which fits underneath the seat. The user sits on it as they would a normal WC. The pan needs emptying after use.

You Will Need Help

Commodes are roughly the same height as a toilet and most people position them next to the bed. In almost all cases you will need assistance to move from the bed onto the commode chair. You will also need someone to remove the pan, clean it and refit it to the commode.

Many commodes come as discreetly designed wood-finished units. These fit in with the room furniture and don’t look too conspicuous. It is natural for some people to feel embarrassed at having to use this kind of toileting equipment. These discreet designs may go some way to disguising the issue.

Other types of commode fold away when not in use. Their frames collapse down for storage. Steel or aluminium framed commodes usually have a plastic seat. Aluminium is lighter in weight and less prone to corrosion. Steel frames have a wipe-clean powder coating and are heavier.

The legs of folding commodes need rubber stoppers on the ends. These act to prevent the feet from slipping and are important safety features. If you are helping someone from a bed onto a commode, it is crucial to first ensure that the commode is as stable as possible. If it is a folding model, make sure that it is fully open before anyone sits on it.

Transfer from Bed

Position the commode as near to the bed as possible, making for a short distance of travel. Bear in mind that the commode chair’s seat is likely to be lower than the bed. The person will need a lot of support as they move down and back up afterwards.

Sometimes this bed-to-commode transfer is easier when using a transfer board. These aids create a ‘bridge’ from the bed to the chair, enabling the person to edge from one to the other. Transfer boards are available in various sizes.

As well as the static models, mobile commodes are also available. These have wheels which means they act as wheelchairs for short distances if required. It is important to fully engage the brakes before transferring someone from the bed to the chair. Some models with non-rusting components are suitable for use in wet rooms under the shower.

Commodes come with a bucket or pan which fits beneath the seat. These usually have a quick release mechanism for easy disconnection. Most people choose to partially fill the pan with tap water before use.

Hygiene

Hygiene is a big consideration. Disinfection of all the commode’s surfaces is important to prevent the spread of germs. It is essential to wash-out and disinfect the pan itself.

Toilet Seat Comfort

Commode chairs can have uncomfortable seats. If this is the case, using a padded toilet seat might be a good option. These are particularly useful aids if the person has skin which is easily broken.

A padded toilet seat is either circular, or U-shaped. It fits to the existing seat by means of straps, which hold it in place. It provides an extra degree of comfort when sitting down. Foam-filled and inflatable toilet cushions are available.

When using with a standard WC, many people who have difficulty standing up or sitting down, use a raised padded toilet seat. Raising the overall height of the seat puts slightly less stress on the body.

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Avoid Furniture Surfing and Keep the Home Accessible

79-year-old Helena has lived for 20 years with increasingly severe arthritis. It causes her constant her pain and stiffness all over her body. It is a challenge for her to move around at home but she finds certain equipment makes a big difference. She shares her experience of her key mobility aids in the hope that it might give ideas to others in similar situations.

Luckily for Helena, she has always lived in a single-floor bungalow. The pain in her hips makes climbing and descending stairs particularly uncomfortable, so her home suits her well. The only steps she needs to deal with are the two shallow ones up to her front door and one outside the back door to the garden.

For both of these fitting rails to the adjacent walls at around elbow height, has made a difference. Placing them here on a slant provides support exactly where required. These particular rails are specifically for outside use, so they will not corrode after getting wet in the rain. They have plastic textured surfaces which aid grip and do not feel icy cold even in the middle of winter. Helena has considered fitting mobility ramps to overcome the steps to the front door and garden, but has so far decided against it.

No More Furniture Surfing!

In her late 60s, Helena spent more than a year ‘furniture surfing’ around her home. This meant leaning on sideboards, the backs of chairs and other furniture to get support while moving around the house. Occupational therapists consider this to be dangerous, as you are likely to tip-up the furniture, potentially leading to a fall. For this reason, they strongly advise against it.

Around the house Helena now has grab rails in several strategic locations. Next to the toilet she has a white one fitted to match the tiles. There is also one inside the shower cubical. In the same cubical she keeps a three-legged shower stool. This she uses while showering, so she can sit down and wash her feet without too much strain.

Helena moves from room to room with the aid of a stick. It is aluminium with a special extra-comfy grip. It is lightweight and the shape of the handle grip makes it comfortable even with a lot of downward pressure. The handle’s contours distribute weight across the palm of the hand, so that it doesn’t dig in. This was a big improvement for Helena, who found her old walking stick with a narrow handle increasingly painful to use.

She also has a walking frame designed for indoor use but at the moment does not use it regularly. It is a different matter when she is outside. She finds that a wheeled walker is almost a necessity to make the 600-yard round trip to the local shops.

The rollator she uses has four wheels. This she says is stable and has the extra benefit of an integral seat. She walks slowly even with the rollator, and the seat comes in handy when she needs a rest. When she sits down, the brakes automatically engage, so there is no risk of it rolling from underneath her. She considers this wheeled walker to be among her most valuable mobility aids.

The wheeled walker folds-down when Helena wants to stow it away, but usually she leaves it unfolded at the bottom of the steps outside the front door. This means it is ready and convenient when she wants to go out.

Because her speed of movement is slow even with the rollator, when she goes out with her family, she prefers to use a wheelchair, so she does not hold them up! They push her along at their pace and carry mobility ramps in the car with them. These they have had need to deploy from time to time and have come in handy. The mobility ramps they use are telescopic, so compress down and are easy to carry in a ready-made bag.

Source : https://essentialaids.tumblr.com/post/187205300328/avoid-furniture-surfing-and-keep-the-home

Simple Aids Help the Severely Obese Stay Mobile

With obesity on the rise in the United Kingdom, bariatric care is becoming increasingly relevant in modern society. More people than ever are carrying excessive weight. 2019 figures from the NHS reveal that 29% of adults in the UK are obese. Of that percentage, a smaller number are severely obesity. This means reduced mobility, leading many turning to disability aids in order to move around independently.

Bariatric Walking Aids

A rollator walker is important equipment for many people who may find it hard to walk because of their weight. Excessive fat puts strain on the body, making it difficult to move even short distances. Not only is weight a factor, but also the greater body mass inhibits the person’s range of motion.

A wheeled walking aid like this offers more support than a stick. It allows both arms and shoulders to take the user’s weight at the same time.

A typical rollator has either three or four wheels and acts as a robust support frame, suitable for outdoor use. For severely overweight people, four wheeled models are better, mainly because of their stability. A wheel in each corner spreads the weight evenly, making the walker less likely to tip over.

These four-wheeled walkers also have a built-in seats. In the case of bariatric models, these seats are wider and strong than standard, making them suitable for heavier people.

For bariatric patients a typical aluminium frame may not be strong enough. Standard aluminium models are lightweight and easy to move, but lack the strength to support heavier individuals.

Steel is a better choice for a bariatric rollator walker due to its strength and weight-bearing capacity. The drawback with steel is that it is heavy, making it more difficult to manoeuvre. The high weight of steel walkers also makes them slightly more awkward to store or transport.

The wheels on the mobility walker also need to be suitable for the pressure of extra user weight. They tend to be larger on bariatric models, with strong steel parts. The overall width of the frame also needs to be wider than standard, to fit people with high body mass.

Before using a walker, it is important to check the maker’s notes to make sure it is suitable for your weight.

For the severely overweight, a reinforced walking frame may be useful for home use. Like the walkers for outdoors, bariatric versions are usually made of steel and are wider than standard frames.

A Mobility Scooter?

For longer distances, a mobility walker is not enough. This can mean the need for a vehicle and some people turn to electric sit-on scooters. These disability aids are expensive but do provide mobility for those struggling to travel under their own steam.

Scooters are available in various sizes, some of which are for pavements and other others for the road itself. Many of the larger models are available with extra wide seats, giving room enough for those with high body mass.

Support Rails

Even in the comfort of home, severely obese people may struggle with their mobility. Again, certain mobility aids may help with routine tasks. Getting in and out of bed can be hard.

Fitting a hoist next to the bed provides a hanging support bar. When lying down, the user reaches up to it, helping them to pull themselves up into a sitting position. Hoists like this are either fixed to the ceiling or there are free standing units which have feet which slide under the bed.

Heavy duty shower benches are available which have a greater weight tolerance than standard models. If the person struggles to stand for a shower, these benches are invaluable. For similar reasons, it may be necessary to fit a support rail inside the shower cubicle.

A rail may also be helpful next to the toilet and the bathroom sink. Having support points in strategic locations around the home is key for independent mobility.

In the living room there are other aids to help. For an obese person, getting to one’s feet from an armchair can be difficult. To help, some grab rails have feet which fit underneath the sofa or armchair. A vertical pole with a handle at the top gives a leverage point for the person to pull themselves up.

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If You’re Bedbound, Remember – Take Steps To Be Comfortable!

Many people living with chronic illness turn to a range of products which make life easier. Some conditions may lead to an individual needing to spend extended periods in bed. After an operation for example, there may be no choice. For these individuals, it’s important to find pieces of equipment which will help.

Overbed Tables

An overbed table for home use is similar to the equipment found next to most hospital beds. If you find yourself confined to bed for long periods, a table like this is useful furniture. Usually fitted with wheels, the feet of these tables roll underneath the bed, allowing easy positioning.

A table like this provides a stable surface from which you can eat meals, keep books, iPads, phones and anything else you might need readily to hand. When not in use, they are generally easy to roll out of the way.

Most models are available with a tilting table-top. This allows it to set at a different angles, which may be helpful for reading books or magazines, or watching a tablet screen.

Most tables are adjustable in height, so they can be set to fit the bed available. It is important you assess both your bed’s height and the space around it, to ensure there is enough room for the table.

Another consideration is the clearance height underneath the bed. If you have a divan, this may only be a narrow gap. Bear in mind that the legs and wheels of the table need to slide into it, so you may only have a small vertical space.

If there is not enough room for wheels, you might need to consider a table without them. Some models have horizontal legs and feet without wheels. The legs themselves slide across the floor and under the bed, needing very little in the way of clearance height.

If you select this option, ensure your flooring is suitable. These types of table work best with carpet, as they require the feet of the table to slide with minimal friction. Hard floors may be at risk of scratching.

Pressure Cushions

Sitting for long periods in a bed may also lead to issues like pressure ulcers. Commonly known as bed sores, these can develop if you stay in one position for a long period. Even while asleep, people tend to move when in bed. Unfortunately, certain physical conditions and illnesses prevent this happening.

If you lose weight, you may find that the harder, bony parts of your body are at risk. Heels, elbows, buttocks and toes can all be vulnerable. Moisture on the skin through incontinence or from some other source can also increase risk.

Pressure cushions distribute body weight evenly, easing the pain of existing ulcers and reducing the risk of more occurring. The technology of pressure relief has developed over the years and various types of cushion are now available.

Many foam pressure relieving cushions are nodular. While the foam itself has weight distribution properties, gaps between the nodules helps air to flow, which in turn keeps the user cool.

This principle also applies to many gel-based pressure relieving cushions. Again, many of these have a nodular design, allowing air to flow while gel sacks efficiently distribute body weight.

As well as using pressure cushions, there are also practical steps to guard against bed sores. The most important of these is to try to change your position regularly. You may need help to do this, but it is vital. It is also important to prevent your skin becoming too moist or too dry. Either could make you susceptible to sores.

Keeping bed sheets flat and smooth also helps. Wrinkled sheets produce catching points which could affect the skin, especially if they are in contact with bony parts of the body. Fleece body protectors are available to protect those areas. These tend to fit loosely and invite airflow, while also gently padding the skin.

Source : https://essentialaids.tumblr.com/post/186880367693/if-youre-bedbound-remember-take-steps-to-be