The #1 and #2 of Toileting 101

If I could 'go back and do it over again' starting as a new OT in 1996, I would have just gone to work doing marketing for the maker of the Hinged Toilet Riser, which I suggest you go to the website of The YouCan Toocan Store and look for.  (I had all things built into this topic and links and then they changed their website around and I have to re-do all that when they're all done so this topic is a bit DIY more than usual, sorry!)

You can use your own regular toilet seat on top of it, therefore it doesn't look 'medical,' and it is hinged so you can clean all the surfaces, none of the 'downside' of the other types of toilet seat risers of old days. (To clean the usual type of toilet riser, it has to be taken off, put somewhere else to be washed and then reinstalled; many people's main objection to a toilet riser is not that it 'looks bad', it's that they SMELL bad if they're not properly maintained.  So streamlining how to clean that is, to me, a very worthy consideration. 

BUT it's not covered by Medicaid for those who have the benefit of Medicaid; please do not mistake Medicare with Medicaid.  Medicaid is insurance that is given by the government when people prove to them they're without financial resources over a certain amount.  Medicare is the insurance that taxpayers qualify for when they reach 62 or otherwise qualify because of a medical disability if at an age earlier than 62, providing they do all the paperwork and are accepted.  Why Medicare won't pay for anything to do with the bathroom is ANOTHER story I've asked vendors to jump in and help tell sometime here at Lumigrate. So far no takers on that and I went ahead and independently studied some things on my own and simply feel that it's best to just call it 'monkeybusiness' and 'the way the System is set up'.  Very frustrating but we just need to understand why as best we can about that in general and get on with solving our problems ...

Then if you need to have arms like a chair near the toile for people to help themselves lower down or stand up safely the toilet safety frame shown in the photo is my very favorite type of all time. (again, I'll have to redo all this at some point, but look for the one at the YouCan Toocan Store's website that has grey foamy type soft tubing coating the arms and they're kind of all curvy and no sharp edges.) 

I put a photo and info of the clamping riser as I really recommend people think about making sure there is a clamp on anything they put on a toilet.  I just saw my  cat fall off of a stool that had a pad on it for me to sit on comfortably ... had I secured it with a strap it wouldn't have fallen!  But it was a cat, it landed on it's feet.  Not so with people!  

If a person also needs arms to push up from, and there is room in the toilet area for arms to be attached through a bracket that also attaches where the toilet seat bolts through the toilet, purchasing a "toilet safety frame" is also recommended.  The left, right, or both arms can be attached depending upon the needs of the person and the space in the bathroom, considering the tub if it's nearby, etc. 

I always suggest to a person working on these things themselves to become an actor and immitate the person's physical limitations and their stature.  Go through the motions of pretending to be that person using the bathroom for all the things they'll use it for: maybe they won't need to use the shower/tub, for instance.  Ask friends to brainstorm with you.  Ideally, a specialist is available to you to assist; Lumigrate has people who consult about such things, so message if you're in need and we'll direct you. (You can find me on facebook too).

The padded toilet cushion is good for littler people who just need a little lift but not the 3" that a taller person needs or those who have pain.  Sometimes you double up on these pieces of equipment to meet the complex needs of people. 

And last but not least, the 3-in-1 commode.  Bedside with the bucket in it.  Over the toilet with the sleeve in it.  Arms so it's like a toilet safety frame, this is the most 'bang for your buck' AND since if a person has the need to justify it being used BEDside, insurances such as Medicare will pay for it in those types of applications.  So there's kind of a trick to talking people into getting one when the 'gettin' is good' and they're needing one still.  If it's appropriate to tell your provider that you are concerned you'll have an episode of needing to use the toilet and you might be unsafe trying to hurry to the bathroom/toilet, that's usually justification enough. 

I hope this information and tips help!  ~~ Mardy

Items have moved and this unit is being reconstructed, but the items at YouCan Toocan most typically recommended for clients/patients have been the Hinged Toilet Riser, Guardian Toilet Safety Frame, Clamping Toilet Riser, Padded Toilet Seat Cushion, Three-in-One Commode.  Find them online at The Youcan Toocan Store's website.