Product Solutions

Bath Safety

A look at some of the latest bath safety offerings on the market.

The bathroom has been deemed the “most dangerous room” in a home for a reason. Approximately 80 percent of home accidents occur in the bathroom, but most of those accidents can be prevented with the right safety products. That statistic demonstrates that there is plenty of opportunity for a provider to grow its business by stocking bathroom safety products.

The key is to offer a wide array of solutions that can fit clients’ unique needs. One person’s struggles in the shower might not be the same struggle of another, so a savvy provider must ensure it is keeping in mind the different needs of the various patient segments it serves.

A key strategy for understanding the needs of a patient is to interact with them and perhaps perform a home assessment to examine what products they are currently using and how they are using them.

For example, if a patient is using a bath stool that is placed within reaching distance of the water faucet but not under the stream of water, it’s likely that they patient is trying to stay close to the water knobs so that it’s easy to turn the water on or off or adjust the temperature. But they’re also likely having a hard time actually bathing. So, the provider could offer is a handheld showerhead to give the client optimal control, ease, and above all safety.

That just one example of how providing the right range of bath safety items can dramatically improve a patient’s safety and quality of life. Here are some product offerings on the market that HMEs can offer their customers to help accomplish those objectives:

Commode chairs makes any toilet, stall accessible

WheelAble Folding Commode ChairWheelAble Folding Commode Chair

  • The front casters are opposite from the large rear wheels to provide better maneuverability and independent use.
  • Unique location of the wheels makes it possible to back in toward a regular toilet without the need for spacious areas.
  • Area under the seat is especially narrow, providing a significant advantage in narrow passages.

Clarke Health Care Products Inc.
(888) 347-4537
www.clarkehealthcare.com

Grab bar is easy to install, reposition, relocate

MHI Safe-er-Grip Chrome finishChrome Balance Assist Bar

  • Bar is 11.5 in. and has a hybrid design feature that includes a chrome finish with grey accents.
  • Suction cup technology design of the bar includes easy to use tabs which engage the suction cups.
  • With thick and durable suction cups, the bar can be installed both horizontally and vertically, as well as removed or relocated easily.

MHI Safe-er-Grip
(800) 371-3509
www.safe-er-grip.com

Toilet/bathing chair comes in four sizes

FlamingoFlamingo

  • Accommodates clients from childhood through young adulthood.
  • Seat tilts, allowing for idea seating and posture.
  • Accessories include head support, push brace and swing-away side.

Convaid | R82
(844) US MOBILITY
www.convaid.com

Travel friendly, portable bath seat

Splashy Bath SeatSplashy Bath Seat

  • Five-point harness for three-point pelvic support.
  • Four detachable bumpers to lend extra support.
  • Warm-touch foam, reclining seat and portable.

National Seating & Mobility/AccessNSM
(615) 595-1115
nsm-seating.com

Raised toilet seat designed for accessibility

Locking Raised ToiletBariatric 5 in. Locking Raised Toilet Seat

  • Designed for individuals that have difficulty bending and getting up from and down onto the toilet.
  • Capable of supporting up to 600 pounds.
  • Equipped with an improved heavy-duty worm screw and locking plate to ensure a safe, secure fit onto standard and most elongated seats.

Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare
(844) 876-6245
www.drivemedical.com

Perform transfers without crowding the bathroom

Tub Transfer BaseTub Transfer Base

  • Patients and caregivers can perform healthy transfers — either manually or with a mechanical lift — without crowding the bathroom with permanently mounted equipment.
  • Once finished bathing, the base collapses and hangs compactly on the wall with hook provided.
  • The tub transfer base is designed for use with Rifton’s Wave bath chair, accommodating clients up to 250 lbs.

Rifton
(800) 571-8198
www.rifton.com

This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of HME Business.

About the Author

David Kopf is the Publisher HME Business, DME Pharmacy and Mobility Management magazines. He was Executive Editor of HME Business and DME Pharmacy from 2008 to 2023. Follow him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dkopf/ and on Twitter at @postacutenews.

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