Health restrictions such as stiff ligaments, broken bones or joint issues alter the normal routine of performing daily tasks, making a patient’s life extremely uncomfortable. The areas that become the most challenging are bathing and dressing. Several innovative solutions were displayed at ISH, a water and air product fair held in Cologne, Germany, improving the bathroom and making it a more accessible and enjoyable experience.
Comfortable Showering
Among the many existing bathroom setups hospitals reveal, one still seen today is a shower drain in the middle of the bathroom floor, not too far from the toilet. The shower faucet isn’t fixed to the wall, meaning the patient has to hold the faucet to rinse. So not only does the patient have to walk in their weakened state to the bathroom, but also have to remain standing during the entire process.
One solution that could inspire medical professionals is Dornbracht’s bathroom products Comfort Shower and Leg Shower. These products allow people to stay seated while showering. The Comfort Shower is comprised of a simple button system to alter between various outlets and flow modes, while the seated posture allows the patient to benefit from hydro-applications such as Kneipp showers. These hydro-applications send revitalizing bursts of water on the patient’s legs. The Leg Shower can accompany the Comfort Shower.
Another seat option for the shower is Thermomat’s Tuck released in 2014. The collection consists of three technological seats: Tray, Tall and Type. This could be a great option for hospitals and clinics that don’t have much space to work with because the seats fold quite easily. They’re made of steel and polyurethane. Tuck-Type could be considered the easiest to maneuver. It extends as a panel and a special mechanism is used to lift the lower end of the panel and set the seat. –
Walking Into The Green Bathtub
A clinic or health center privileged to have actual showers or bathtubs can pursue other avenues. However, physical restrictions make getting into the bathtub rather tiresome, if not completely unfeasible. Walk-in baths would be the only answer, such as the Pret à Porter by Teuco. Thanks to its innovative design, Pret à Porter earned the prestigious DesignPlus powered by ISH. Its Moonlight option offers a relaxing ambiance, where the bathtub is surrounded by a LED white perimeter to create a cozy lighting.
This solution differentiates from competition not only by being patient-friendly but also Earth-friendly. It has been designed in such a way that hospitals using it can earn LEED points in the “materials and resources” and “water efficiency” categories. An important factor to consider for water-hungry hospitals.