Think About Alternatives When Using The Toilet Becomes Hard

Toileting aids used outside of a conventional bathroom play a part in the lives of many people in the UK. Certain physical conditions reduce mobility, making using the WC more difficult. Fortunately there are options to make life easier.

Commodes

In these circumstances, a commode chair might be a useful piece of equipment. For those spending extended periods in bed, it may become a routine-use item.

Before deciding which one you need, consider carefully the space you have available. As they tend to be next to a bed, it is wise to measure the area to ensure it is adequate. Many models are available with discreet designs, blending in with the room’s existing furniture.

Some commodes are foldable and easily stored away in a cupboard when not in use. Usually this type has a steel or metal frame with plastic components. Make sure you select one which is easy to clean.

Bear in mind that in many cases you will need someone to help you fold and unfold the chair. This person will also need to empty and clean the commode pan after use.

Many people need a carer to assist you in getting on and off the commode. It is important the commode chair is stable through this process. Transfer boards are useful to bridge the gap between bed and chair.

Think too about the height of the bed. In terms of its compatibility, it is helpful to ensure it is not unusually high or low. Grab rails fitted next to it may in some cases make patient transfer an easier process.

A commode chair can be an essential piece of kit if you find yourself unable move upstairs at home. Reduced mobility can make staircases serious obstacles. Some in the elderly community find the first floor of their house is impossible to reach, forcing them to sleep downstairs.

In most houses the bathroom is upstairs, which presents its own problems. In these circumstances, someone may choose to use a commode downstairs. For these situations, wooden framed models provide a good option. Many of these are attractive pieces of furniture which are not noticeable. A lid, doubling as a seat, covers the aperture.

Aids to raise the height of a toilet seat

People with many conditions associated with aging find it difficult to use the toilet. The reasons for this can be manifold, but the problem often boils down to difficulty in sitting down and standing back up.

There is potential to alleviate this problem by using equipment like support rails positioned next to the WC. These provide a stable hand hold for the user, increasing their sense of safety.

A toilet frame does a similar job of supporting the individual to access the WC. These move out of the way when not in use.

There are other methods to reduce the distance of travel which sitting down and standing up requires. A common one is the use of a raised toilet seat.

These devices fit either to the toilet bowl itself, or the existing seat above it. Some have clips which fit under the rim, while others have Velcro straps which attach to the seat.

Typically they are foam-filled constructions, with a wipe-clean outer layer. Others are hollow plastic shells, providing a more rigid platform on which to sit. Foam-filled varieties have adequate rigidity, but provide a slightly softer seat.

Both types of raised toilet seat reduce the distance required to sit down. In many cases this reduces the strain on the body, making the toilet easier to use. Most models are available in more than one size. Commonly, these devices can raise the sitting height of a toilet seat up to around five inches.

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Making Bathrooms Safe and Accessible For the Elderly

Adapting one’s bathroom for use in later life requires planning and an awareness of the options. Losing flexibility, strength or balance can all lead to issues. High quality equipment is now available which improves both safety and mobility. Sustaining independence in the bathroom is important to many people and selecting the correct aids can help.

Sitting Down in the Shower

A folding shower seat fits to the walls of your wet room or shower cubicle. They are stable when in use and save space by folding back against the wall when not required. It is important to fix the seat at the correct height, so make sure you think carefully before installation. In the UK, your occupational therapist should guide you in terms of its best position.

An OT should also be able to advise you on the positioning of any bathroom grab rails. Locate these at points which complement the folding shower seat. For safety reasons, it is crucial that a qualified tradesperson installs both the seat and grab rails. They need to understand the materials of the wall and the appropriate fixings. A poorly fitted seat or rail can easily lead to a fall and serious injury.

While less stable than a fixed folding seat, freestanding shower stools and chairs are also available. If this is your choice, make sure the floor of the shower is flat enough. Many shower trays have quite deep grooves or undulations, making them unsuitable for a freestanding shower seat. Again, your OT should be able to help you.

Accessible Baths

For people who still like a soak in the bath, special bathtubs are available. Many elderly people find it hard or even dangerous to climb in and out of a normal bath. Walk-in baths have a door cut into the side. One factor against this type of bath is that they require filling while the person is already in and the door sealed shut.

For many people making a conventional bath more accessible is a more practical solution. Stable bath steps can make it easier to make the step into the bath. These have non-slip stepping surfaces, reducing the chance of slipping in the wet.

A bath seat sits within the bathtub itself. These effectively raise the height of the bath’s floor, meaning less distance of travel for the user. Most seats have suckers on their feet which stop them slipping. A grab rail fitted to the wall immediately next to the bath may provide a valuable point of support when using either bath steps or a bath seat.

Some baths are available with an integral moulded seat at one end. While these do require more installation budget, they work in the same way as temporary seats, enabling the user to sit at a raised height.

Walk-in Showers, Baths, Lifts and Hoists

For people with severe mobility restrictions or reduced strength, hoists and bath lifts are available. These are substantial pieces of equipment and physically carry you weight in and out of the bath. An OT would need to assess you for this type of equipment.

A walk-in shower is another option, if getting in and out of the bath is difficult. These have shower trays which are level or almost level to the ground, meaning there’s no step as you walk in. Suitable internal grab rails work well in combination with this type of shower.

Easy-turn Taps

Controlling temperature and the flow of water on or off can also become hard if you have lost strength in your hands or fingers. Conventional taps may stiffen over time and become difficult to turn. Large single lever taps provide more leverage and are a good alternative.

If you live in the UK and have a disability or chronic condition preventing you using the bath, you may be eligible to get a grant to adapt your bathroom. Contact your local social services if you think you might qualify. An OT who is fully aware of your situation would be able to advise you in this area.

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Inventive Aids Can Make a Difference at Mealtimes

Meal times can be one of the challenges of living with certain disabilities. Loss of fine motor control in the hands and arms makes using cutlery more difficult. Keeping forks and spoons steady enough is tough if tremors and shaking are significant.

Using standard knives, forks and spoons can be hard for people in this situation. Many find their narrow handles tricky to grasp or control with accuracy. Luckily, special disability aids are available which help.

Bendable and Curved Cutlery

Being unable to angle a fork or spoon into the mouth is a common problem. Sometimes using cutlery with an offset head is of benefit. Some forks and spoons have the head angle fixed at just off 90 degrees. Others have bendable heads which can be set to the angle most comfortable for the user to direct properly.

Curved cutlery serves a similar purpose. It generally has a sweeping curvature through the handle and head, making it easier to direct into the mouth without too much wrist flex.

Using ‘non-straight’ cutlery can also help with slicing food on the plate. Again, controlling conventional knives can be difficult. L-shaped knives use more of the palm of the hand and don’t need the finger control of standard knives. This type of knife, which has the handle and blade at 90 degrees to each other, retains the wrist in a more stable position.

‘Rocker knives’ are another alternative if cutting food is difficult. These have large, curved blades. Rocking them back and forth on the plate’s surface cuts the food, reducing the amount of downward pressure required.

Table knives with ordinary, fairly dull edges can be difficult to cut food with if you have diminished co-ordination or strength. Serrated blades are sometimes preferable as you may find they cut through food more easily.

Cutlery with Special Handles

The handle of a metal piece of cutlery is usually quite narrow. For some people with reduced motor-control, wider, heavier handles are easier to hold steady. Foam tubing is available which fits over standard handles. This makes them wider and easier to maintain in a stable position.

Some ranges of cutlery have handles which are ‘built-up’, or oversized, for just this reason. These wide-handled items require less pressure from the fingers to hold and control.

Weighted knives and forks do a similar job. Their extra weight means they are less prone to shake in the hand, making control easier.

Wider handles also tend to be gentler on the hands for those with arthritis. The condition often afflicts the fingers and the tight pressure required for knives and forks can be painful. Some have contours which are sympathetic to the fingers, making them more comfortable to use.

Flexible handled cutlery loosely fastens to the hand and reduce the chances of dropping it. These items have extra-long, bendable handles which wrap around the wrist, holding them in place.

Another clever idea is having a fork and a knife built into one item of cutlery. This inventive solution is ideal for people who only have the use of one hand.

Some disabilities affect the bite reflex. This can be quite dangerous if the person bites down too hard on a metal fork or spoon. Special cutlery is available which has an extra-tough plastic coating, so the individual is less at risk of damaging their teeth.

Disability aids like this often go hand-in-hand with non-slip mats which prevent bowls and plates from sliding around on table tops. Scoop bowls or those with high sides are also useful at mealtimes, if food is prone to spillage.

Using a Chair Table

For people who have difficulty standing up and sitting down from an armchair, a chair table of some kind might be a solution. These items allow the user to remain sitting down in a low chair without needing to rise.

A chair table which sits in your lap can be unstable, so it is better to have a more solid surface if possible. These work in the same was an overbed table you might see in hospital wards, but are lower and designed for armchairs or even sofas. They slide or roll beneath the furniture and provide a stable surface from which to eat.

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Mobility Equipment Gets People Moving Again Outside The Home

One of the factors which takes its toll on many people in old age is the difficulty associated with getting out of the house. A person might lose their mobility for a host of reasons, whether it be arthritis or another chronic condition. This may lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which itself brings new problems. The isolation which afflicts some elderly people can get worse under these circumstances.

It is important therefore to maintain one's independent mobility for as long as possible. While many elderly people resist using mobility aids, it is better to keep an open mind to their benefits. Many people struggle with the self-image of using this type of equipment. It is also possible that they fear becoming reliant on it.

Different Kinds of Walking Aid

For some, these barriers are simply too great and they never overcome them. Others find that the practical benefits of special equipment outweigh the negatives. A simple walking stick, for example, provides support when travelling short or medium distances.

Some sticks have special weight-distributing handles, made to increase comfort. These are especially good for those with arthritis in the hands, who find conventional grips dig-in to the palm and fingers, causing pain.

If a normal stick does not provide enough support, tripods or tetrapods might be the answer. These have a single shaft branching out at the base to either three or four legs. This provides a wider, more stable contact with the ground. While not as light as a normal walking stick, modern materials keep the weight manageable. The height of these mobility aids is easily set via a pin-clip in the shaft.

Another piece of equipment to help with mobility outside the home is a rollator. These wheeled walking frames often have integral seats with a shopping basket underneath. They allow the user to lean on them with both hands as they walk. On many models, bicycle-style brakes help keep the walker under control. Rubber tyres and large wheels make rollators suitable for pavement use.

Four wheeled models tend to feature a seat: useful if you need a rest halfway through a journey. The basket is also useful as it removes the need to carry a heavy shopping bag by hand. It is easy to transport most rollators in the boot of a car. The seat flips up and the frame collapses down.

Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters

A wheelchair is a traditional aid to mobility which many people use when they lose the ability to walk unassisted. Broadly speaking, there are two types of wheelchair, attendant-propelled and self-propelled.

The latter is only suitable for those with good upper body strength. Self-propelled wheelchairs have large rear wheels, rotated by the person in the chair. These wheels have an outside rim which when pushed down, turns them and propels the chair forwards. Wearing padded gloves makes it less likely injure one’s hands.

Attendant-propelled chairs do not have the large rear wheels so require an assistant to operate.

It is important to plan your routes carefully when using a wheelchair. If you are using a self-propelled model, the gradient of any wheelchair ramp needs to be fairly shallow. Steep ramps require a lot of strength to push oneself up.

In order to ensure a shallow gradient, using a long wheelchair ramp is usually the answer. The drawback is that longer ramps require more space, so it needs careful consideration. It is not unusual for a climb of relatively few steps to need a ramp of six or seven feet.

Mobility scooters are another option for keeping on the move outside the house. While these are large and some quite expensive, many people find them invaluable. They require space to park at home and regular maintenance.

A standard wheelchair ramp may not be strong enough for mobility scooter. Check the weight capacity of any ramp before using it.

The advantage of a mobility scooter is that it can travel relatively long distances. Some models are suitable for roads rather than pavements. These come with headlights, indicators and wide, comfortable seats. Shelter covers are also available which fit over the top of the rider.

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