Transfer from Wheelchair to Toilet 🚽

Adapting the Bathroom for People with Reduced Mobility

Transforming common spaces in a home into an accessible and inclusive environment for people with reduced mobility can be quite a challenge. 

One of the most sensitive areas in the home is the bathroom and shower, as traditional setups don’t provide the appropriate space for wheelchairs or support for people. 

Adapting the bathroom becomes a challenge, but the most comfortable and efficient solution is found in orthopedic devices, which guarantee ergonomics, cleanliness, and safety, making everyday life easier for users, families, and caregivers. 

In bathrooms with very limited space, for example, transferring from a wheelchair to the toilet may seem impossible. However, there are many devices to facilitate this, even in small spaces, including well-known Commode Chairs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adapting the Bathroom for the Elderly

While anyone recovering from surgery or an accident will need to make some temporary adjustments in using the bathroom, for elderly people and those with disabilities, these adjustments require a long-term approach. 

Before starting, it’s important to consider the user’s needs in order to adapt the available space and overcome architectural barriers with the orthopedic devices available in the market. 

Key aspects to consider include: 

Non-Slip Mats: 

These are very useful in washbasins and bidets, as well as in areas of the floor where extra security is needed to perform the transfer from wheelchair to toilet.

This type of multifunctional mat is made from a soft but highly stable material, and thanks to its perforated design, it allows for air and water circulation, preventing bacteria and fungus buildup, and making it easier to clean. 

Adjustable Portable Head Wash Basin:

An essential device for making tasks easier for caregivers of people with reduced mobility, providing comfort when it’s not possible to use the regular sink. 

This conical device is made of PVC and is placed directly over the sink, adjusting to the neck curve with an elastic strap to avoid spills and provide total comfort.

Grab Bars and Support Rails: 

These provide extra security when entering and exiting the shower, as well as when performing the transfer from wheelchair to toilet independently or with help, preventing slips and providing more confidence. 

Made from various materials such as stainless steel and aluminium, they are easy to install with different fastening systems and offer multiple grab bar models and foldable rails for support.

Toilet Seat Raisers: 

These help improve posture when sitting down and standing up, as well as facilitating the transfer from wheelchair to toilet. 

There are numerous models, with or without armrests, with or without folding legs, with or without wheels, offering the possibility to choose the most suitable one for each need based on mobility level and available assistance.

Shower Chair:

For facilitating full hygiene, both inside the shower and in the room, thanks to its non-slip, stainless steel structure that is completely washable. 

There are a wide variety of models and materials, with or without wheels, and even models that can be mounted on the bathtub or hung on the wall, making them easy to use thanks to their lightness and foldable design. 

Transferring from and to the Wheelchair in the Bathroom

Even with all the orthopedic devices installed to adapt the bathroom for people with reduced mobility, those in charge of caregiving must understand the correct technique to perform the transfer from wheelchair to toilet or to a shower chair.

This change may seem complex, but more than effort, it’s about ensuring maximum comfort for both the user and the person assisting them. 

• Lift the user: once the wheelchair is locked in a lateral position to the toilet or shower chair, firmly hold the user behind the waist, placing their weaker knee between the legs of the person lifting them. 
• Rotate towards the toilet or shower chair: with the user’s knee in that position, it will be easier to rotate the rest of the body towards the toilet or shower chair. 
• Sit the user down slowly: always hold the user by the clothes from the back of the waist, keeping them close to the body of the person lifting; never by the arms or armpits.

This is the most basic technique but yields the best results for short transitions to assist people with reduced mobility in the bathroom. 

We offer a great selection of bathroom aids and a team of orthopedic professionals to advise on the best way to adapt the bathroom for people with reduced mobility.