Reduce the Toilet Assistance Burden

Assistance at Toilet

L-type grab bar and movable handrails are installed at hospital or nursing facility toilet which is used by wheelchair users. These are installed to support stand-up/ sitting motion, support body when transferring from wheelchair, stabilize sitting posture, etc. and it is the same combination with the handrail installed at general multipurpose toilet. However, we understand that helpers who doing toilet assistance having some problems, such as “Have to care about user not to fall down when stand him up from wheelchair and put on or take off pants, and burden on helper’s waist is big (Drawing 1)”

Drawing 1: Motion Using L-Type Handrail
(Left: Stand-up from Wheelchair, Right: Put on Pants)

Start Joint Research Team

For developing assisting tool to resolve problems on toilet assistance, started joint research team with specialists. And also, get people who work at hospitals and nursing facilities to participate in team, start progressing research of the shape which users can use easier and helpers can assist easier.

The existing handrail has a strong impression of “grip”, although “RS-1” can make bigger the area to support by two handrails(anti-bacterial・anti-viral specification), and can support stand-up/sitting motion, turning and put on or take off pants.

Verification by
Using

To verify the efficiency of RS-1, install it at long-term care health facility’s toilet and to users and helpers to use for 4 months. Be rated as “good to support the body”, “can grip both hands and feel easy”, “become to use only this toilet”, etc.

Reduce the Burden of Helpers

Did numerical verification by using electromyograph. (drawing 3) Can see the helper’s muscle load of waist (gets decrease quadratus lumborum) reduced. Furthermore, the time to support is gets shorter, thought that be related with smooth support. (drawing 4)

Drawing 3, Example of Measuring Results of the Muscle Load of Helpers
(Quadratus Lumborum)

Drawing 4, Putting on Motion with Using RS-1

Reduce the Risk of Falling Down of User

It is an appearance of that hemiplegia puts on/takes off pants. Using existing L-type grab bar as drawing 5-right with leaning body on, hardly to stabilize and the falling down risk gets higher. Against that, RS-1 can be leaned body on in stable and reduce the falling down risk. (Drawing 5-Reft)

Drawing 5, Stand-up Supporting Motion of Right-Hemiplegia
(Left: RS-1, Right: L-Type Handrail)

Installation

RS-1 can not only to fix on wall, but also can after installing with floor fixing. So that, can use at facilities which could not secure the strength of wall. And also, the design is easy to use wherever to grip, at recommended installation height, about 140cm~180cm tall people can use it

Sitting Posture Support

There are some cases that handicapped people are hardly to keep sitting posture on stool when excretion and fall off or down. In this case, helpers have to support user’s body while series of actions from defecation till washing buttocks, may cause user’s mental strain or helper’s physical burden. So that, NAKA Corporation developed toilet assistance “ZS-1” for people who are hardly to keep posture alone on stool and need help to support keeping sitting posture.
ZS-1 has features such as prevent falling down by cushion arrangement, can bend angle forward suite for user by variable angle frame.
*It is not to restrict body and hold completely, so that it does not subject to for bedridden or dementia people. Also please helpers to keep an eye on the user.