There are several reasons why commode chairs are an important piece of equipment in a care home, and often they are something a patient will be using for the rest of their lives. Other times commode chairs are temporary due to an injury or illness that prevents a patient from getting in and out of chairs easily to use a toilet. A commode chair is, in fact, a portable toilet that goes with the patient if it is made on wheels. Portable or stationary, a commode chair is for all intents and purposes a toilet.
Is There Really More Than One Kind?
Actually, there are several different options in commode chairs which you can find on the Northern Healthcare website. After a re-branding strategy, you may find the site listed as NHC Group, but it is the same company that offers medical devices to care homes, hospitals, and even private homes throughout the UK. They also provide a great deal of information about products they carry so that consumers can make the right choice when purchasing from their online medical supplies store. The following information is largely taken from descriptions of commode chairs they have available on their site.
The Ultimate Purposes for Commode Chairs
While mobility is often a factor necessitating a commode chair in home care settings, incontinence may also be an underlying reason. Key examples of why they are needed may be:
- Seniors who need toileting at bedside
- Patients with injuries who cannot make it to and from the toilet
- Post-surgical patients not yet mobile
- Aging patients with limited mobility
And then there are multi-purpose commode chairs that can double as a shower chair. If a patient needs both a shower chair and a commode chair, the multi-purpose commode chair would be the best option because it can serve two purposes whereas a simple shower chair is only made for that purpose alone.
Variations in Construction
One of the best aspects of today’s commode chairs is the fact that they can be constructed from a variety of materials and an even larger number of options. Some are made from metal while others are crafted from wood. A wood commode chair would not be good for use in a shower, however, but it can be a bit less institutional in appearance since it isn’t made with a metal frame. For heavy to obese patients, bariatric commode chairs are designed to carry heavier weights and then there are the wheeled commode options mentioned above as the ideal option for dual use.
Some commode chairs have removable arms while others are more comfortable with padded backs and armrests. Others yet are foldable which makes them portable and then you also might have the ability to order one in various colours. No matter how uncomfortable it is to address the need for a commode chair with a patient, especially a patient who has only a temporary need for this type of medical equipment, it is something that must be done if necessary. Given the various options such as a wood chair that blends nicely with most décor, it is possible to find the right type and style for any given patient.