Best Padded Toilet Seats after Hip Replacement
We often take simple tasks like going to the bathroom for granted. I used to take them for granted, too, until I started in the world of care and realized that these moments could present nightmares for hip replacement patients.
As a caregiver,it is difficult to watch your patient dread a natural undertaking, such as visiting the bathroom.This is what happens daily, especially after a hip operation, since the patient has restricted agility. In the quest for a solution early on in my job, I discovered padded toilet seats. These toilet seats have changed the dreaded task among hip replacement patients into something that they do not think twice about. Their daily lives have taken a 360-degree turn compared to the earlier on patients who had little intervention. The coolest thing about these padded toilet seats is that most of them are simple and budget-friendly.
So, why should you consider purchasing a padded toilet seat for a hip replacement patient? One of the obvious reasons is to counter the challenges that hip replacement patients face while sitting. This especially applies to the women who have to sit every time they visit the toilet. Padded toilet seats raise the toilet heights so that the hip replacement patient will have an easy time sitting and standing. The patient can position the hip and the back at the right angle to prevent any risk of dislocation, which would sabotage the entire operation. They are also crucial in that they provide much-needed comfort. The patient does not have to sit on the hard toilet material that may increase the chances of pain in their recovery period. The padded seat offers the soft and sometimes velvety feel enhancing comfortability.
I know that after these reasons, you are already considering buying a padded toilet seat. However, before that, it is vital to understand the considerations to make before purchase. The below-listed concerns are all in light of my experience in the world of care.
The first consideration is the shape of your toilet seat. You do not want to purchase a padded toilet seat that does not match the shape of the existing toilet seat. It would be a waste of resources. It would also not provide the comfort and the ease of toileting activities that people who purchase it seek. This is because it would keep slipping or moving, which could be detrimental, especially during the moment of personal hygiene, causing the patient to twist themselves-something that our physiotherapist advises against. The hinges of the toilet seat are also another essential consideration when purchasing. If you want a toilet seat that will last long, look for hinges that will not easily break, as is the case with most toilets that have plastic hinges. Hinges of padded toilet seats tend to break due to the constant back and forth during use.
There should also be consideration of the height of the hip replacement patient. I have had cases where the padded toilet seat was too high for the patient, and they ended up feeling uncomfortable. It is important to check manufacturer details on the inches of thickness so that the patient will not be too high up on the toilet or too low, which may be adversarial for the recovery process. The weight is also an important consideration. There are instances when I have heard people complain about the quick thinning of the toilet pad. However, this is sometimes a matter of the weight of the patient. It is essential to have a thickness appropriate for the pressure the patient exerts to ensure its longevity.
Imagine a padded toilet seat that is not easy to clean? Well, the ease of cleaning is another essential consideration during purchase. A toilet is a place that requires high levels of hygiene. You do not want your patient nursing other sicknesses alongside their hip recovery. It would easily take a toll on them and prolong their healing period. Therefore, the best toilet seats should be those that are easy to clean and dry.
Let us review some of the available toilet seats in the market that would be appropriate for hip replacement patients.
Ginsey Standard Soft Toilet Seat
A beautifully colored toilet seat would quickly lighten the mood of a patient getting into the toilet. After all, it’s the little things that count. The Ginsey standard soft toilet seat has an eye-catching and refined chocolate color perfect for balancing lighter colors and accentuating darker ones. This toilet seat also comes with adjustable hinges and is easy to install. However, there have been some complaints from users that the hinges tend to flex and move a lot, which is not exactly what people with hip replacement may need. They need some stability when sitting on the toilet seat. On padded comfort, people who have used it indicate that it is thin and lightweight. This means that it does not last that long before the patient can start to feel the toilet bowl’s hardness once again. On the brighter side, though, it fits all standard toilets and should not be a worry for people with the typical standard-sized toilets. The padded toilet seat is also quite easy to clean as it only requires some soap, water, and a few minutes of your time.
Mayfair 113cp 000 Soft Toilet Seat with Chrome Hinges, Elongated, Padded with Wood Core, White
Hinges are, by far, the elements that have given me the hardest time when selecting toilet seats. I have bought toilet seats with hinges that broke within the first week. The worst thing is that the toilet seat becomes useless for a hip replacement patient when these hinges break. The seat will start wobbling and pose a danger to the patient. Well, if you have had this problem, then your search for the perfect solution will be over as you read on. The Mayfair 113cp 000 soft toilet seat has actual metal hinges, which means that they can take the constant lifting and lowering without breakage. This guarantees the durability of the product. However, it is so unfortunate that this toilet seat comes with plastic nuts that do not go well when it comes to fixing. They gave me quite a hard time and had to go to the hardware to get some stainless steel nuts. After that, the toilet seats worked perfectly!
The toilet seat also has material that is easy to clean, wipe, and dry, guaranteeing that the patient will live in hygienic conditions. Please note that this toilet seat fits all the elongated toilets. When analyzing a toilet seat, it would be unfair to fail to mention the issue of comfort. The pads of this toilet seat are soft and cushioned, which makes them a bit thicker than the others I have had to use. They also gave a wood core which assures the user durability.
Hard toilet seats are, no doubt, a nightmare for most hip replacement recovering patients. This luxuriously cushioned toilet seat provides the comfort that these patients need. It comes in either a two or 4-inch foam that ensures minimization of all pressure points on the toilet seat. Therefore, there is no contact of the patient’s bones with the hard part of the toilet seat. However, some people who have used it have stated that it is too firm for their needs, especially if they are right out of surgery. This means that you would want to use it for a hip replacement patient who has spent almost two weeks from surgery. Its tear-resistant material makes sure that you do not have to worry about its longevity and ease of cleaning. This toilet seat is appropriate for most standard size toilets. Some customers who have used this product state that after sitting on it, the cushion tends to close the hole making the peeing area quite small. This causes people to soil the cushion and sometimes on themselves, which is quite irritating. The small space also makes it hard for wiping, which means that the hip replacement patient may have to struggle and twist against the medical recommendations.
Dorigan Home Service Premium Bone Soft Padded Elongated Toilet Seat
Finding a toilet seat that achieves a balance between thickness and softness is never an easy fete. Well, with the Dorigan Home Service toilet seat, you just found yourself one! This toilet seat is thick enough to ensure the user sits in the right and recommended positions yet soft enough for maximization of comfort. It does not take a lot of time to install and therefore falls under the easy to use toilet seats. The toilet seat is also easy to clean, meaning that you do not have to worry about your patient’s hygiene. However, users complain about the plastic screws that break, often forcing them to purchase others to ensure the toilet seat sticks in place. You may want to buy some additional screws from the hardware on the purchase to be ready for a rainy day!
