Care home bathrooms
Promoting autonomy and dignity through bathrooms
How do care home providers ensure dignity in care for older people, especially in these challenging times? Here, Stuart Reynolds, head of product and marketing at care home bathroom equipment manufacturer AKW, discusses how good design can help promote autonomy and dignity at vulnerable stages in the life of residents
In Age UK’s report Measuring Dignity in Care for Older People,1
one of the
five assessment criteria for dignity in care is autonomy. Within this area, the balance between independence and interdependence was highlighted as a key indicator of autonomy by both residents and their representatives. One of the ways of measuring this in a
care home setting was shown as being ‘whether the facility has equipment available to maximise independence’.
Promoting toileting independence Accessibility is key to helping those with mobility and other life-limiting conditions to use the bathroom as independently as possible. An area that can be particularly challenging for some to access without help is toileting. Making toileting as straightforward as possible in a care home setting is vital, as although the recommended fluid intake for adults is at least 1.5 litres a day or six to eight glasses, those who find toileting difficult are prone to limit the amount of liquids they consume. This is to reduce the number of times that they need to use the toilet. However, this can be dangerous as it can lead to dehydration and to an increase the frequency of visits to the toilet, due to highly concentrated urea causing bladder irritation, reducing
bladder size and causing constipation. With the NHS’ ‘healthy bladder guide’ suggesting it is normal to go to the toilet between four to eight times per day and no more than once a night, promoting regular resident toileting is essential. Putting toileting strategies in place to help those who struggle with going to the toilet independently can not only prevent hospital admissions and promote dignity and independence, it can also help encourage the safe and effective discharge of those who have been in hospital. However, going to the toilet is actually a complex activity and requires a range
Care home residents are three times more likely to fall than their community dwelling peers and ten times more likely to sustain a significant injury as a result
April 2021 •
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
of physical as well as cognitive skills. These include fine and gross motor skills, balance and muscle control, alongside understanding the need to go to the toilet and how to use it once there, understanding the need for cleanliness and hand washing etc.
Bidets – a helping hand Bidets can play a key role in helping those with disabilities achieve toileting independence for longer. Bidets are seen as healthier than toilet paper as “they provide better personal hygiene,” according to the US urologist Dr. Philip Buffington. Bidets are ideal for use in care settings, but it is advised care home teams seek advice from an occupational therapist or appropriate healthcare professional to ensure a bidet will meet residents’ on-going needs. Although bidets have been available
for quite some time, they have evolved to offer more flexibility to care homes
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