Bathroom – The Informed Senior

As a senior, picking the correct toilet height is critical to the prevention or development of joint and back pain in the restroom. If you ever feel pain or discomfort when sitting down at your toilet, you might want to consider selecting a new toilet with a different height. What is the best toilet height for seniors? The best toilet height may differ, depending on individuals and their specific concerns. Generally speaking, toilet heights of 17-19 inches or above, will better suit seniors who may be suffering joint or back pain. These toilets are called “comfort height” or “right height” toilets. If you are struggling with pain when sitting down or getting up from your toilet, you may need to reconsider a new toilet with an appropriate height. There are many options to consider so read more on the options provided to make your selection! Determining the Best Toilet Height for Seniors The best toilet height for seniors is a height close to the height of regular chairs. This helps to alleviate the pain when squatting down and up from the seat which also eliminates some hazards associated with accessing the toilet. Generally, due to these reasons, these toilet bowls are 17 to 19 inches tall from the floor to the seat and referenced as a “comfort” or “right height” toilets and often referenced as an ADA toilet as it is the same height as the ADA-compliant toilets of 17 to 19 inches. ADA Compliant Comfort Toilet According to the American Disability Act (ADA) compliance, ADA-accessible toilets must be between 17 to 19 inches from the floor to the top of the toilet seat allowing for easy transitions from wheelchairs. Disclaimer: Keep in mind that these “comfort” or “right height” toilets are generally two to four inches taller than the standard toilets. It is therefore worth mentioning that while these higher bowls may be good for the specific needs of some seniors or even disabled people, they may not be the best options for other individuals in the household. For children and average-height adults, a higher (taller) bowl may not be beneficial, and may actually be unsafe in some circumstances. Chair-like posture goes against the natural structure of the digestive system and inhibits natural functions. In fact, many suggest using bathroom footstools or squatty potties (affiliate link to Amazon) to improve bowel movements. In other words, these taller toilets are specialized and won’t be a one-size-fits-all like your standard toilet. They should be considered to alleviate higher potential danger with joint pain, back pain, or a fall hazard for seniors and disabled people. Which Toilets Are the Best Height for Seniors? Below is a quick list of best rated toilets for size and comfort. We’ll talk about each one in more detail below. In addition, as you prepare more for yourself or a loved senior, think about other options to safeguard your bathroom. You will find a few helpful tips at the end of the article to simply add features to protect your loved ones. Kohler K-3810-0 Santa Rosa Kohler K-3609-0 Cimarron Comfort20-inch Extra Tall Toilet Woodbridge T-0001 Dual Flush ToiletToto Vespin II Two-Piece High-Efficiency ToiletRaised Toilet SeatsToilevator Kohler K-3810-0 Santa Rosa The Kohler K-3810-0 is a uniquely shaped toilet that comes aesthetically pleasing. This toilet is noted to be comfortable with unique features. It utilizes an AquaPiston flush technology to fully flush and comes with a left hand trip lever. Although this toilet was designed for smaller and compact restrooms, they come with a sleek design with an elongated bowl for comfort and aesthetic. Additionally, it is known to be one of the environmentally friendly toilets that flush only 1.28 gallons per flush. Aesthetics: One-piece toilet that has a seamless design overallMade to work well in small compact areas with a sleek design. Despite the design for a small areas, the toilet comes with an elongated bowl for functionality and comfort. Comes in variety of colors! If you please, there are 7 options to pick from to aesthetically match your restroom! Almond, Biscuit, Black, Dune, Ice Gray, Sandbar, and of course the classic ceramic white. ProsConsComfortable seat height – same as the height of a standard chair Aesthetically different Must be installed by a professional Check the price of the Kohler K-3810-0 Santa Rosa here. Kohler K-3609-0 Cimarron Comfort This toilet, like the sister toilet, K-3810-0 Santa Rosa, comes in 7 different colors but an easy installation for a two-piece toilet. This toilet also comes with a water sense label which means that it follows the EPA guidelines of conserving water. This toilet uses at least 20% less water than the common 1.6 gallon toilets. Despite its less water usage, it comes with a powerful flush that clears waste with a single lever. ProsConsVitreous china Easy to clean Toiletseat and supply line must be purchased separately.Must be installed by professionals. Check the price of the Kohler K-3609-0 Cimarron Comfort on Amazon here. 20 inch Extra Tall Toilet This toilet is one of the tallest options found for an ADA compliant toilet. The seat is 20 inches from the floor to the seat and is still considered a convenient height toilet. A great bonus to this model is the height. The engineers that designed this toilet has utilized the extra height and gravity to use less energy (water) to push and flush the toilet contents. ProsConsExtra heightEnvironmentally friendlySlow-close seatHigher budget Check the prices of some 20 Inch Extra Tall Toilets on Amazon here. Woodbridge T-0001 Dual Flush Toilet This is a single-piece elongated toilet that is for a flawless home that fits well in a luxurious bathroom. This is still a comfortable height toilet that has done the aesthetics right. The great benefit of the design is the easy cleaning and maintenance bonus to the smooth-lined toilet. Additionally, these luxurious models are built for quiet yet powerful flushing, demonstrating outstanding performance. No leaks, clogs, or problems should get in your way with this toilet. In addition to all of this, it is also known to lower your water bill. ProsConsAesthetically pleasing for the luxurious buyerEasy maintenance and cleaning Quiet PerformanceNot good for small spacesProfessional installation required Check the price of the Woodbridge T-0001 Dual Flush Toilet on Amazon here. Toto Vespin II Two-Piece High-Efficiency Toilet Following the high-performing toilet option 6, this toilet is known to be a high-efficient toilet. This toilet features a double cyclone flushing system which provides low consumption of water. With it, it is a skirted toilet that is incapable of clogging. Additionally, this toilet comes with a SanaGloss Ceramic surface glaze that prevents mold and debris from sticking to the surface. ProsConsEasy maintenanceEnvironmentally friendlyClean protective surfaceCostly/high price tag. Check out the price of the Toto Vespin II Two-Piece High-Efficiency Toilet on Amazon here. Raised Toilet Seats If you’re not ready to change an entire toilet or want to find feasible options to easily change back to a standard height toilet, there are options to add an easy-to-install raised toilet seats. It still provides the additional height for seniors to easily sit down and get up from the seat while providing easy and quick installations. This model in particular also comes with side gripping bars with rubber to help seniors get up and into seats with aid and eliminate the risk of falling. ProsConsEasy InstallationBudget FriendlyEasy to removeNot as durable Check the prices of some raised toilet seats on Amazon here. Toilevator Toileveter is another budget-friendly option to elevate your current toilet. Toilevator actually goes under the toilet and is installed under your current toilet like a platform. The platform adds 3.5 inches and is best used with standard toilets of 15 inches and provides up to 500 pounds. It is also safe and more durable than a raised toilet seat. ProsConsEasy InstallationBudget Friendly; Keep your previous toiletEasy to removePlatform dimensions must be compatible with current toilet. Check out the price of the Toilevator on Amazon here. Signs of an Uncomfortable Toilet Seat If you are wondering if it’s time to consider a higher toilet for your household, the following are some signs of an uncomfortable toilet seat and how a higher one may alleviate the problems. Struggling to sit down and Body Weakness As muscles become frailer, there may be less muscle support to help during this mechanism. A higher seat helps seniors by providing less height to squat with their thigh and gluteus muscles. Numbness in legs With poor angling resulting from the generally known, squat position, many blood vessels are under pressure which prevents proper blood flow reaching the extremities. This can happen to anyone in all ages and health. Yet, when your heart is pumping with less force, or your body alignment is at a higher strain, the body has to work harder to push blood past those pressures and to the legs and toes. So, in lower squats and seats, seniors may often suffer numbness in result of this poor blood flow to the lower extremities. Joint Pain and Muscle Cramps Many seniors have joint complications whether it’s at the hip or the knees. These are areas we use very commonly and by time the cartilage in the area wears and tears. This is a natural occurrence but also a very painful, once cartilage is worn. Movements that require putting weight on these joints and especially at an angle can cause shocking pain for seniors. A higher seat lessens this range of motion and also helps more muscles to support the movement before the weight hits the joints directly. Dizziness or Vertigo With achieving lower squats or even getting up from a squatting position, a senior may experience dizziness or even vertigo. Following from the poor blood flow explanation, when an individual has numbness in their extremities due to poor blood flow and then stands up, all of that blood that has been pushing to get to the lower body will fill the legs, and for a split moment, the blood flow to the brain may imbalance. Due to the body regulating the blood flow between the body and the head, this is a common experience we can recall. Unfortunately, for seniors, this can happen with simply a lower seat or toilet. Accidental Trips Overall, all of the combined symptoms may result in accidental trips from using a lower toilet. The muscle weakness, numb lower body, and most definitely, vertigo or dizziness, are key ingredients to a terrible fall! Please read the following to best help your senior pick out a new toilet. As mentioned, there are much more options to safeguard the restroom to pair with a new toilet for your loved ones. Products to Improve Bathroom Safety In addition to changing toilets, this may be a great chance to make other improvements to the restroom for enhancing safety for seniors. The restroom has many areas of hard surfaces and corners. The following are selections to help improve the bathroom safety and lower the risk of falls. Toilet safety frames As with the addition of new toilets, a toilet safety frame may be an additional helper for seniors when accessing toilets. These toilet safety frames also come with arms so it can be used to support and grip uneasy legs or a fall. Bonus, these also come with adjustable heights! So, you can purchase this before your new toilet change and use it continuously after. What a great addition for safety! You may find some toilet safety frames on Amazon here. Bathroom Grab Bar A bathroom grab bar is very helpful for seniors in showers, baths, and even near a toilet, if needed. A wall-mounted grab bar can be securely mounted and supported to prevent slips in slippery situations. You may find some bathroom grab bars on Amazon here Floor to Ceiling Pole If a permanent grab bar isn’t what you’re looking for, or you want a bar far off the wall, a floor to ceiling grab bar may be the solution! These are also like grab bars that are attached on a pole and placed anywhere in the restroom without it being permanently installed. These could be a great addition for seniors that need help coming out of a shower. You may find some floor to ceiling poles on Amazon here. Grip tapes In addition to grab bars and supports, a gripping tape can be a cheap addition to help with the gripping of these bars in a split of a second. When we are using the bath or the shower, our hands are generally wet or slippery with oil or lotion. A gripping surface is always a bonus to ensure a firm grip on an anti-slip grab bar. You may find some gripe tape on Amazon here. Gripping bathtub coating In addition to grip tapes, anti-slip bathtub coatings are a great addition to transform a highly dangerous shower tub to a much safer and gripping surface. These coatings come in a clear color, so you won’t need to worry about it changing the aesthetics of the restroom! It’s a great addition to minimize a potential fall during a bath or shower. You may find some gripping bathtub coating on Amazon here. Handheld Shower Heads If showers are getting more difficult while standing or if you’re struggling as tilting the upper back during the showers, a hand-held shower head will be very helpful. In addition to easier control, this could be a bonus for seniors that need to sit while bathing. You may find some hand held shower heads on Amazon here. Bathtub safety grab bars Amongst the variety of grip bars, these bars are specifically designed for bathtubs. As it becomes more difficult to go over the high bathtub sides, this is a great addition to ensure seniors can safely grab a surface when steeping in and out of the tub. Don’t forget to make use of the grip tapes or coatings to help with the watery surface around the tub. It is a thoughtful option and as a bonus, many also come with lined paddings on the inside to prevent damage on the side of your tub surface! You may find some bathtub safety grab bars on Amazon here. Sliding Transfer Bench and Shower Chair If seniors are struggling to lift their hips or knees over the high bath tubs, a sliding transfer bench is a great option. These are heavy duty and designed to help seniors comfortably enter and exit a bathtub simply on a chair. The weight capacity goes up to 400 pounds and easily transferrable. These are great options for limited mobility but also frail seniors. This Duro-Med chair has also thought of it all! They have cutouts which make it easy for washing private parts while seated! LED Night Lights Automatic night lights are helpful for any bathrooms. With the easy plug-in night lights that automatically light up in the dark, it can help seniors see their way and reach out for the light switch or surface when going to the bathroom at night. You may find some LED Night Lights on Amazon here.