/p>>By Ana Arbones MainarBachelor of Pharmacy and Orthopedic Technician
Over the years or with the appearance of some pathology or injury, the mobility of people may be limited. When this happens, difficulties appear when carrying out activities of daily living (ADL).
We stress the importance of maintenance of personal autonomy: grooming should be done with as much independence as possible and above all safely. Since bathrooms are humid and slippery environments, we must prevent falls even more than anywhere else in the house.
Technical aids for shower
By diminishing the ability to execute the different movements that up to now could be carried out, the person feels worried about the new situation. On many occasions the help of a third person is necessary.
When help is needed to carry out an avd, it is necessary to know that there are supporting products (also known as technical aids) that will make it easier for us to carry it out. They are instruments, devices that give external help to overcome the limitations that prevent the avd from being carried out. There are for all kinds of activities and for each individual situation. You can come to us with information on the person’s mobility capacity, cognitive level and the space that will be available to carry them out and we will inform you of the products that best suit your needs.
If we talk directly about technical aids for the shower, we all know the benefits of a good corporal hygiene. It keeps us clean and disinfected from bacteria, it stimulates us sensorially making us feel much more comfortable, it wakes us up in the morning or relaxes us at night, a shower with cold water activates blood circulation… I could go on listing the multiple beneficial effects that Contains daily cleaning. If we promote carrying out this activity autonomously, we also promote a good emotional state. If it cannot be done independently and the help of another person is needed, the more comfortable and secure the dependent person feels, the less we will break into that privacy.
For achieve the greatest possible degree of autonomy in the shower and the greater securitythe best thing to do is to have the adapted bathroom, there does not have to be a shower tray. There are anti-slip tiles that are optimal for this use, they are placed with a 2% slope towards the drain so that the water goes away without difficulty and does not run all over the bathroom floor. Do not put a screen or if it is placed it does not have a guide rail through which the shower is accessed. With this type of shower we facilitate the entrance and exit of it without any risk of tripping and falls and also access with any type of shower chair with wheels that I will name later.
For more safety and help in carrying out the avdb of the shower, there are multiple models of shower stools and chairs. To choose the most appropriate to the needs of the person, what we must take into account is the person’s mobility capacity and degree of stability in sitting position (if they remain seated stably), in addition, it is very important to take into account the space that is available in the shower to place one that fits and in turn leaves enough room to move without adding risk of falls.
When the person has good trunk postural control and fairly preserved mobility, a shower bench to carry out the action seated, thus preventing the possible appearance of fatigue and slipping or falling. There are different models of stools, with their non-slip tips so that you do not slip.
When the person has some postural instability of the trunk and/or breathing problems or fatigue, a shower chair In order to have greater stability and support while allowing you to rest more comfortably if needed, there are also a multitude of models to be able to choose the one that best suits your needs.
If the space available in the shower is very tight, there are many models of wall seats for shower. These are screwed to the wall and can be foldable, with a backrest, with armrests…
When the person cannot walk autonomously, there are shower chairs with wheels. These will facilitate the transfer to the bathroom and access to the shower and as these models have an opening in the seat to access the WC directly with them or put a toilet bowl on them, they open up a very wide range of possibilities to facilitate the realization of the avdb of shower and use of toilet both independently or with the help of third parties.
There are the shower chairs with wheels not self-propelled (the four wheels are small in diameter so they have to be pushed by someone else) and shower chairs with self-propelled wheels (the wheels at the back are large in diameter with an outer rim that the person can propel and move around freely). independent).
When the user cannot remain seated, due to his pathology, injury or his state of health requires it and hygiene must be carried out while lying down, there are shower stretchers.
Ortoweb has a wide range of technical help for the maintenance of personal autonomy that can be consulted here:
About the author:
Ana Arbones Mainar
Ana Arbones Mainar She has a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Navarra, an Orthopedic Technician from the University of Barcelona, a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Care and a university expert in personalized drug dosing systems (SPD).
He is currently the owner of Farmacia Arbones Mainar where, in addition to direct patient care, SPDs are prepared and pharmacotherapeutic follow-up is carried out in residences and polymedicated patients who request it.
She also owns the company , the first online orthopedics in Spain, which for more than 10 years has been dedicated to improving the quality of life of all people with special needs. Specialists in mobility, wheelchairs, technical aids and anti-decubitus material. .
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