Install These Devices To Make Your Bathroom Arthritis-Friendly
If either you or someone you know well suffers from arthritis, you'll know that using the bathroom can become increasingly uncomfortable due to the amount of strain it puts on the hands. This can create pain during every visit to the bathroom, but there are some fixtures and devices you can add to help alleviate the problem.
A Hand Dryer
It cannot be denied that installing a hand dryer is more expensive than using a towel, but the benefits for anyone suffering from arthritis are well worth the cost. Drying your hands is one of the final things typically done in the bathroom, meaning that they're already likely to be sore. That pain is only compounded by having to use a rough towel to rub them dry. With a hand dryer, you barely need to move your hands, and the warm air will have a soothing effect on tired joints.
A Bidet
Bidets aren't as popular in Australia as they are in other parts of the world. In fact, they're typically seen as something of a novelty. However, bidets are extremely beneficial for anyone suffering from arthritis. Cleaning oneself with toilet roll involves plenty of hand movement. This is enough to cause significant discomfort, and that can lead to doing the job improperly, something which might come with further health risks. A bidet cleans gently with just the touch of a button.
Toothpaste and Shampoo Dispensers
When you have arthritis, even the smallest stress upon the hands can be uncomfortable. Squeezing products from their containers represents one such strain, but you can avoid it by installing liquid dispensers in the bathroom. These can be found online for inexpensive prices, and stick easily to bathroom walls. All you need to do is insert the chosen product, and the press of a button will dispense it.
Lever-Operated Taps
Taps often need to be stuck fast if they're to completely stop a flow of water. This can make both turning the water on and off painful for anyone with arthritis. By installing a lever-operated tap, you can eliminate that problem. Easily moved up and down to increase or decrease the flow, or left and right to change the temperature, these taps require very little effort to use. They'll also help save on the excess use of water which often occurs when a tap is not properly switched off.
Living with arthritis can make even everyday activities a chore, but you can help out by making these changes to the bathroom as soon as possible. For more information, contact a senior care specialist, such as Care Givers Pty Ltd.