Before you buy toilet equipment, consider these points:
- For effective bladder and bowel function when seated on a toilet your hip and knee position should be a maximum of 90° with feet flat on floor. If toilet seat is higher than this there is a risk of retained urine or constipation
- When adding equipment to a toilet, can other people using the toilet safely move and replace the equipment?
- Check weight limit on the equipment is adequate
- Always follow manufacturers fitting instructions.
Raised toilet seats: 2″ or 4″ removable toilet seats fitted to the ceramic toilet bowl to increase seated height with or without a lid.
- Check toilet seat height is not too high for bladder and bowel function
- Check the aperture is big enough to wipe yourself and for men who sit
- Some raised toilet seats have rails attached, some rails can fold out of the way
Floor standing toilet frame with toilet seat: these frames with seats are placed around the toilet. The seat increases the height of the toilet.
- Check rail with seat will fit in the space around the toilet
- Seat is often too high for effective bladder/bowel function
- Seat aperture is usually not big enough for men who sit and for wiping self
- Check rails give space for splayed leg seated position
Floor standing toilet frames: these frames without a seat are placed around the toilet to give support when getting on/off the toilet while maintaining good seated position for function.
- Check rail will fit in space around the toilet
- Check rails give space for splayed leg seated position
- Person must be able to push up on both sides: if not they can be floor fixed
- Wall or floor fitted rails may be more suitable SEE ‘Before You Buy Grab Rails’
Sprung or powered toilet risers: These frames fit over the toilet, have a tilt or vertical lift to facilitate standing from the toilet and a lever or powered handset.
- Check the riser will fit in the space around the toilet
- Check seat height does not affect bladder/bowel function