Toilet seat for a large man
Alan Rayner of the Bristol panel has asked for advice on this problem. Can anyone help him solve the problem or direct him about whom he should approach?
“The client is 5′ 6" tall but otherwise big, weighing in at 17.5 stone. He is 72 years old. He is reasonably mobile but needs a raised toilet seat to help him arise. He has obtained a Mowbray seat and frame, which raises him adequately and helps further by having arm rests, but he is frustrated because the dimension of the opening in the seat is only 10" front to back, which means that when he spends a penny, by no means all of it goes into the pan. It seems a larger seat is not available.
Surely there must be many men as large as, or larger than, my client, who have this problem? If indeed it is common, perhaps we can get Mowbray involved. Otherwise I will have to learn about reshaping plastic toilet seats.
Please let me know if you know of other large men with this problem. “
I f anyone can help please post your replies below or contact Alan direct at alan.rayner@lineone.net.
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For future reference, there is a larger version of the Mowbray seat now available. See https://www.essentialaids.com/toileting/raised-toilet-seats/mowbray-extra-wide-toilet-seat-frame.html
Assist UK (www.assist-uk.org) is an organisation co-ordinating a number of independent demonstration / resource centres around the country where one can obtain advice and information on a wide variety of commercially available products for easier living including personal care items – see their website for details of where the centres are.
The Disabled Living Foundation (www.dlf.org.uk) is one such centre in London and their website has a number of downloadable fact sheets eg Choosing equipment for the heavier person (Bariatric)
http://www.dlf.org.uk/…/Choosing_Equipment_for_the_Heavier_Person.pdf
If a suitable commercially available WC seat is available, an assessment by a Community Occupational Therapist (or Community Nurse) may result in the item being provided although there can be delays as these items are not often held in stock (they can be very expensive).
Quite right! It is not a remap job unless one of the commercial products needs modifying.
You could try looking at bariatric equipment – I did a very quick Google search and found a frame similar to the Mowbray at http://www.mobilitysmart.cc/bariatric-raised-toilet-seat-frame-949.html#info
However it doesn’t give dimensions of the seat. I guess you could contact the company for measurements.
There should be a commercial solution and the client could also refer himself to local Social Services who should help him with the problem
The problem you speak of is not uncommon, and many men refuse the seat because of this. When I first went into OT, some 30 yrs ago, the ‘Mowbray’ was a much cruder affair (and was called a ‘Scandia’). Basically the same frame but with a standard black plastic toilet seat and lid attached to the frame. The seat was the type without a cut out at the front. Underneath was hung a bucket, without a bottom and shortened, which went down into the toilet pan to guide the waste. There were two small metal brackets on the frame, under the seat to hold the bucket in place. This type gave a much larger space ‘front to back’ making it more comfortable for larger gentlemen to use. I would think it possible to adapt a frame from a current Mowbray type in this way.
There are a variety of toilet seats and frames for the fuller figure. A simple google search for larger toilet seat and frame brings up a range including the Big John. My advice is this is a commercially available product and as such does not meet the criteria for Remap to be involved
Have sent an email also, but to summarise my suggestions:
Could try a “Big John” or “Nuvo” seat with separate frame. Would only add about 2″ to seat, which might be adequate as not tall.
http://www.completecareshop.co.uk/categories-disability-aids/17/toileting_aids_raised_toilet_seats.html
Or, try a splash guard with existing or alternate seat/frame:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gordon-Ellis-60341-Derby-P-Guard/dp/B00BN6IEKI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368816594&sr=8-2&keywords=pguard
Hope this helps!
Whilst I haven’t found any larger raised toilet seats the deflector devices in the following websites may be a simpler way to prevent the problem.
http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&ksectionid=19327&top=12631
http://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/personal%20care/urine-deflectors-and-splashguards-1768-p/
I have been twenty stones and am now eighteen. I do not carry it all behind (I hope) but recently had a broken leg that made sitting and rising awkward to say the least. We have two toilets, one being 10.5 inches front to back and the other 11 inches so I do not buy the idea that the problem is the 10 inch aperture. It is more a question of where you position yourself. If he is too far back use a plastic cushion of some sort. If he is too far forward, use a tube if ‘adjustment’ is impracticable. But maybe there is some disability other than obesity that is not included in the description?
Try the Sue Ryder site http://www.sueryderforlife.co.uk/bathroom-and-toilet-aids/raised-toilet-seats/raised-toilet-seat-with-arms.html as this has additional cutouts for hygiene purposes
Maybe an alternative solution would be to use a urine bottle and then pour into the toilet, provided it was kept clean and disinfected it should not be a problem
You could try the Big John toilet seat which is designed for the larger person, I think the aperture is a little bigger than standard toilet seats. Its available from most of the major equipment suppliers such as NRS and OTStores. 1st Call Mobility, who specialize in bariatric equipment, have the Baros Toilet support which has an aperture of 16 inches.