Commode With Wheels: A Caregiver’s Introduction To This Helpful Tool

As a caregiver, you know the value of finding strategies and tools that make helping with care tasks easier. Helping with daily care tasks in the bathroom is notoriously one of the most challenging. It’s personal, it’s one of the most high-risk places for falls, and there can be a lot of steps and preparation. 

There are many equipment options available to help. This article will introduce the commode chair with wheels and discuss how it can make bathing or toileting easier and safer. 

Looking for more information like this? Check if you have free access to Trualta.

What Is A Commode With Wheels?

A commode with wheels, or a “wheeled-commode” is a piece of equipment used for showering and toileting. It’s a seat that features a hole in the center. A container or bin can be secured to sit under the hole if using the commode for toileting. A lid may sometimes accompany the container, so it may be easily covered. Usually, the commode will also have a backrest, arm rests, and foot rests. The commode can be made of a variety of different waterproof materials like plastic or aluminum.

Typically, a person uses a commode if they’re experiencing mobility or incontinence challenges. If a person spends much of their day in bed or finds it hard to move around during the night, a commode can be placed directly in their bedroom or at their bedside for ease of toileting. 

Similarly, a commode with wheels can facilitate and ensure safety during showers. A person can sit on the commode and be pushed directly into a shower for bathing. This way, they can easily transfer to the shower and remain seated while taking a shower.

A commode with wheels allows you to move it more easily around a room or between the bedroom and bathroom. It is best wheeled around flat, hard surfaces rather than carpet. 

Why Use A Commode With Wheels? 

There are many benefits to using a commode with wheels:

  • Transfers. A commode with wheels allows you to easily transfer a person from a room, into the bathroom, and directly into a shower or over the toilet. This reduces the amount of transfers required, meaning the task can be done more efficiently, with less effort, and more safely. You should note that if you’re planning to use the commode by pushing a person directly into a shower, the shower should be “roll-in”; meaning, there is no edge or barrier that would prevent the commode from being gently pushed in.
  • Ease and safety during showering. Because the commode is waterproof, a person can remain seated on it for the entire duration of their shower. This reduces the risk of falls and the amount of assistance required from another person to remain stable in the shower. 
  • Flexibility for toileting. A wheeled commode can be placed at the bedside for quick access to toileting needs. It can also be placed directly over a toilet, with the container underneath the commode removed. This can be a favorable option for those who would still like to toilet in the bathroom but benefit from fewer transfers and a raised toilet height, arm rests, and back rests, as no installation or changes to the bathroom are required.
  • Multi-use. Because the commode has wheels, it can serve multiple purposes. It can be used bedside or over the toilet for toileting and in the shower when it’s time. 
  • Portability. Rather than having to lift and carry the commode from place to place, wheels allow for easy installation and removal as frequently as needed. 
A wheeled commode in a walk-in orange tile shower. There are long handled sponges, a grab bar, and a handheld shower head nearby.

Where Can I Get A Commode With Wheels?

A commode with wheels can be purchased from many different companies. Medical suppliers recommended by your care recipient’s healthcare team usually have a large selection. Their features and prices vary to suit budgetary needs. 

Other retail or drug stores typically offer many options as well. It can be helpful to shop around and look at the websites of multiple suppliers and stores so you can find the commode that best suits your care recipient’s needs, at the price they need. You should always consult with your care recipient’s healthcare team, as they may have specific recommendations on features to look for. 

If your care recipient is on a tight budget or if a commode is only needed temporarily, you can try renting one from a medical supplier instead of purchasing it altogether. Alternatively, you can try finding one that someone is donating or reselling for a low price.  

Other Equipment To Make Care Tasks Easier

There are many other equipment options available to make care tasks in the bathroom easier and safer. Some of these products include:

Healthcare professionals like occupational therapists can help assess your care recipient’s needs to make specific recommendations. 

Looking for more information like this? Check if you have free access to Trualta.

References

  1. Kamiya, M., Osawa, A., Shinoda, Y., Nishii, H., & Kondo, I. (2023). The current state of family caregiver burden and support of toilet problems for elderly with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Urology, 30(6), 539-546.
  2. https://homequipstore.ca/products/aluminum-wheeled-shower-commode?variant=40870915571746 
  3. https://mobilitybasics.ca/bath-safety/wheeled-commodes#google_vignette 

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