Care home bathrooms
l Incorporate a raised height toilet – for easier transfer from wheelchair to toilet.
l Ensure toilet accessibility on both sides if possible – this is best-practice advice , facilitating transfers, personal assistant support and potential changes in need for the wheelchair user.
l Ensure that there is no external plumbing and pipe work – to promote ease of movement around the space.4
l Think about the placement of radiators or towel rails – as they can hinder wheelchair movement.
l Use slip-resistant flooring – to maximise the traction of the wheelchair and minimise falls.
l Use a wall-hung sink – consider one with handles or a concave design.
l Think about shower placement – as this will impact movement around the space.
l Tailor the placement of grab rails – depending on the bathroom’s layout, fold-up rails may benefit some users and any care assistants.
l Use smart technology to promote independence – e.g. AKW’s SmartCare Plus remote-controlled shower enables the wheelchair user to control everything with no additional assistance.
Ensuring dignity in care There are many aspects to ensuring dignity in care, however, as can be seen here, a well-designed bathroom can help promote independence for residents in care homes. From easing the challenges faced by some when it comes to toileting, to making the bathroom a safer place to move around in, there are many simple design elements that can be incorporated into the space.
For those care home providers looking
for more advice on how to implement these changes, AKW has developed a range of guides available on our website that are useful signposts to show care home providers how to begin the process. Prepared in conjunction with occupational therapists and other experts in their field, they include tips on what is needed to improve the safety of the bathroom space and how to achieve this as affordably as possible. Good design need not be expensive.
In fact, the majority of the suggestions in AKW’s guides are focused on using cost-effective adaptation equipment in ways that make sense to the space and to wheelchair and non-wheelchair users alike.
Although 2020 was a year of challenges
for us all, why not take some of these care home bathroom design hints to heart and apply them in your care home in 2021 to make life that little bit more independent for residents and easier for your staff? TCHE
References 1. Age UK, Measuring Dignity in Care for Older People, 2008
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/ documents/en-gb/for-professionals/ research/measuringdignityincare(2008)_ pro.pdf?dtrk=true.
2. UK Department of Health, Falls and Fractures - Effective interventions in health and social care, 2009
http://www.laterlifetraining.co.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FF_Effective-
42 Stuart Reynolds
Stuart Reynolds is head of product and marketing at AKW. Stuart has many years of experience in developing and bringing care bathroom equipment to market and has been instrumental in the creation of many AKW flagship products. With an in-depth knowledge of the care market and the mobility issues faced by customers, he is well placed to help deliver market-leading inclusive solutions.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • April 2021 Interventions-in-health-and-social-care.pdf.
3. Christie & Co., 2017 4. Habinteg, Wheelchair Housing Design Guide,
www.habinteg.org.uk.
5. Habinteg, Wheelchair Housing Design Guide,
www.habinteg.org.uk.
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