Safety and home
Raised toilet seat
A raised toilet seat is a seat added on top of a toilet to make it higher. It makes sitting down and standing up easier for people with weak legs, sore hips or knees. Some have handrails and clamp or sit on the bowl.
Why it matters for your family
Standing up from a low toilet is hard for many older adults. The National Institute on Aging suggests a raised toilet seat with handrails, or grab bars beside the toilet, for home safety with Alzheimer's. A raised seat helps but can wobble if it does not fit. Choose a model that locks onto your toilet. Families often buy a seat without a frame or support, then find the person still struggles to stand. Pair it with a grab bar or a frame. A common mistake is to assume Medicare will pay. AARP says Original Medicare typically does not pay for such home safety items. A caregiver can assist with toileting.
Source: nia.nih.gov
Read more: Personal and advanced care
Related terms
- Grab barsGrab bars are sturdy handles fixed to a wall, usually in a bathroom, that give a person something solid to hold when standing, sitting or stepping.
- ToiletingToileting, as an activity of daily living, means getting to and from the toilet, using it, and cleaning up afterward.
- Bedside commodeA bedside commode is a portable chair with a toilet seat and a removable bucket.
- TransferringTransferring, as an activity of daily living, means moving between surfaces, such as bed to chair, chair to standing, or wheelchair to toilet.
- Fall preventionFall prevention is the set of steps that lower the chance an older adult will fall.
- Home modificationsHome modifications are changes to a house that make it safer and easier to use for an older adult or a person with a disability.
