INTRODUCTION

Bedside commodes provide a good way for patients or loved ones to relieve themselves should they have mobility issues that make going to the bathroom impossible.  We have reviewed a few bedside commodes that are designed for people of different weights – there is something for everyone’s needs.  The more popular models include commodes from brands like Medline, Drive medical and Nova.  Of the three, we’ve been most impressed by the Drive Medical Bedside Commode. It is easy to assemble while impressively solid. It’s a perfect option as a backup commode for some seniors. It’s also foldable which makes it a good portable option should an elderly or infirmed patient need to travel.

Bedside Commode Guide

The commodes we have reviewed below are basically portable toilets that are designed to be easily accessible for anyone with mobility issues. This is especially useful for people who suffer from acute arthritis or people recovering from severe injury. Typically, these bedside commodes feature a sturdy metal or aluminum frame with a tub in the middle that holds the waste – these are usually easily removable and cleaned.

 

What Customers Are Saying About Bedside Commode Chairs

• Most users require portability and ease of stowage. Most prefer tool-less disassembly.
• A removable waste receptacle is important, users found that it is equally important for them to stay securely in place to avoid unfortunate spills and accidents.
• Because the waste receptacle is removable, they can position the chair above a toilet. This makes it useful for patients with limited flexibility and unable to sit on toilet seat
• It is important to take note of the weight capacity of the commode. Especially for larger or overweight users this detail is very important. It is important to note the sitting area of the commode to ensure maximum comfort.

 

How Realistic Is Aging At Home For Senior Citizens?

Seniors often want to continue living in their own homes as they grow older. Their homes obviously hold sentimental value and they only wish to live out their lives there. A survey demonstrated that people who prefer to continue living in their current residence is at 90%. Unfortunately most seniors have very specific medical needs, and it may not be a viable option for most of them.

 

A government survey has found that 70% of people who are aged 65 and above need a comprehensive long term care plan. While most of these seniors may have family not all of them are financially capable of shouldering the cost of a personal nurse. These expenses can reach into the thousands and is not covered by medicare. Most of them also have serious ailments that necessitates expensive equipment that are beyond the reach of common folk. This means most of them have to move out to a much cheaper assisted living facility.

 

Ailments like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson or strokes require a lot of personalized medical care. A lot of these are hospital grade equipment that families and other homecare providers are unable to provide.

Falls are the leading causes of visits to the ER by senior citizens. They also constitute the majority of accidental deaths of seniors over the age of 65. Making sure that you minimize the fall risk in a seniors home can be an effective long term preventative strategy for ensuring the health of your senior. You need to plan ahead if you want to ensure that they can age in place comfortably.

 

Drive Medical bedside Commode

This commode is made out of welded steel. Tester characterized it as tough and durable. Portability is and storage is not an issue since the structure can be folded flat in a few seconds. To add more comfort and some grip points, they added plastic arms on both sides of the commode. Also included with the commode is a 7.5 quart capacity commode bucket. The commode bucket has a cover and a built in carry handle. You need to take care with attaching the commode bucket as we found that if improperly placed, the bucket can easily fall through. It is designed to carry loads of up to 350 pounds and posteriors as wide as 13.5 inchs across.

Nova Medical Folding commode

The Nova Medical folding commode is similar to the Drive Medical Commode. They’re equally as versatile and both can fold and unfold in seconds without any other complication. With its removable commode bucket, it can easily be used as a bedside commode or as an elevated seat for low toilets. It can accept loads of up to 300 lbs. The seat height can easily be adjusted from 16 inches up to 23 inches. The width from arm to arm is around 18 inches. The removable commode bucket also includes a lid and a splashguard. As always, everything is tool-less.

The Medline Steel Commode

This is a feature packed commode. The top part built out of steel too which makes it tough and sturdy. Ergonomics were taken into consideration when designing the seat – putting importance on comfort and ease of use. The arm rest and the back is pretty comfortable. The legs are made out of aluminum which helps keep down weight and keeps rust away. It also features non-skid rubber feet to make sure it doesn’t move out of place. The height is also adjustable from 16 to 22.5 inches. The removable commode bucket has a capacity of 10 quarts and also has a splash shield and a lid.

Invacare Steel Commode

The Invacare steel commode shares the same features as the other commodes we have reviewed. It too is extremely versatile. You can use this as a bedside commode or an alternative toilet seat. It has one of the larger seats among the commodes tested (16 inches wide) It also has a lid, arm rests and an ergonomically designed back rest. The height can be adjusted from 23 to 20 inches from a base that is 25 inches wide. The great thing about this commode is that it has a 5 year limited warranty. Overall it is a good choice if you want good value for your money.

The Drive Medical Drop Arm Bedside Commode

The Drive medical drop arm bedside commode is the most versatile commode we have on hand. It can double as a toilet seat or a safety toilet frame. It is easily assembled in 4 steps and can be stowed away pretty quickly. It features padded back and armrests. The removable commode bucket has a 12 quart capacity, a splash shield and a built in easy carry handle. Leg height is adjusted via a toggle button. The seat is 23.75 inches wide and the height from floor to top of the seat back is 35” the width from arm to arm is 19 inches. The Drop arm bedside commode can easily handle  a person up to 300 pounds