The toilet seat redesigned for people with arthritis
Everyday there are things we do such as getting in and out of the bath, or putting on your duvet cover can be a monumental task. Having arthritis means encountering an invisible fight associated with these tasks that others are either not aware of or able to appreciate.
One of the simple things in life and a fundamental necessity, is the act of going to the toilet. It’s not something we often openly talk about because it is a deeply private experience however it is an area of difficulty for some of us with arthritis that we feel should be spoken about and addressed.
At Arthr we design, develop and champion brilliant innovations to help people with arthritis live to the full. We are a social venture powered by the charity Versus Arthritis. We invest all our profits back into care, support, research, and developing new and better products.
“It’s just a matter of getting down there and trying to get up again. I’m finding it quite painful, and I actually rely upon the wall to support me, if that wall wasn’t there it would be more challenging…Some of the products I have been looking at such as grab rails etc, they seem to be really old fashioned and they seem to be like an old persons home or you would probably find in a hospital.”
Nimesh
Watch the video below to understand the challenges faced by a person with arthritis:
There aren’t many products out there that have been created with the particular challenge of arthritis in mind. Or many that solve a problem but do so with dignity of well designed products. We have found with those we spoke to that if they had guests in their home they didn’t want their problem to be known or be embarrassed by the aides they were using.
Going to the toilet was one of the challenges Arthr identified by people with arthritis that is underserved and drastically requires a new solution. Finding a way that makes it easier to get on and off the toilet, that is both subtle in a modern toilet but also able to support the body’s natural movements. We had input from healthcare professionals and specialists in ergonomics such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists in developing the right product for making going to the toilet easier.
During the products conceptual stages of the process we developed a wide range of ideas and approaches. Because of pain or pressure in the knees, hips and lower back it means that bending down and getting up again with arthritis can be difficult. One of the most suitable designs we came up with is the toilet cover, which is a universal solution that fits most toilets and looks good in people’s bathrooms.
See how our teams approached redesigning a solution to make getting on and off the toilet easier with arthritis
We are always looking into the different challenges people with arthritis face to feed into our product research and development and help as many people as possible with arthritis in the most ways we can.
To keep up to date with the latest products visit arthr.com and sign up to our mailing list. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram too and watch out for other products we are developing to make everyday easier for people with arthritis.
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