This is a seminar about how to increase the safety to and from and within the bathroom, for both client and carer.

When the society wants to save money by reducing the costs for assistive devices, they are actually increasing the costs for medical and personal care. By using functional assistive devices you can improve the client’s mobility and ensure a safer environment.

Contents • The Bathroom • Elderly expansion • Falling accidents and prevention • User groups • Carer in a home environment • Assitive devices for the toilet/for the shower/for the bath tub • With assistance wheeled shower chairs/transfer aid • Active product development

Abstract

Most users of home care products are elderly people. With age the body will loose both physical and mental abilities. Falling accidents are common in the home environment, and the society costs for medical and personal care are increasing.

A carer working in a client’s home has a heavy job in an environment that may not be so functional, and the number of work related injuries is also increasing.

The use of functional assistive devices is one effective preventive method for both carer and client. What features make an assistive device safe and functional? We analyse the needs for different activities such as using the toilet, showering, bathing and transfers independently or with assistance. For each activity we look at different products and suggest how they should be used to increase the safety and independence.

Work shop

The participants will be able to test the products.