An Adaptive Toileting Aid

Transcript

[00:00:00.00] Caption: Support Station

Administrator’s and Caregiver’s comments:

[00:00:05.14] We are just very happy with the change, the difference for our clients.

[00:00:08.28] Their whole life has been changed.

[00:00:10.15] They are feeling confident and they are feeling secure while being changed.

[00:00:15.05] There’s so much difference in their alertness, their level of alertness. Their level of involvement has improved. It’s just been amazing to see the difference. There are such monumental changes in people’s lives.

[00:00:27.00] We’re being able to change kids more efficiently and have them participate in the process and it becomes a learning experience. But then they are also getting more classroom time.

[00:00:37.03] After the first few times when we used it, it was like-Wow! Let’s start using this for more people.

[00:00:37.07] Narrator: What are all these administrators and caregivers so excited about? It’s the Support Station an innovative, wall-mounted device that enables clients to support themselves upright during diapering or personal care. Even clients with limited weight-bearing ability can assist in bringing themselves to a vertical position. Upright, the user is in a safe, accessible, and dignified position for hygiene and personal care, or for safely transferring to a commode.

[00:01:20.02] Narrator: The Support Station is designed to be easy to use and flexible in a wide range of environments. It is secured to the wall, but its weight is carried by the floor, making it strong and safe for individuals up to 250 pounds. Compact and easy to install, the Support Station requires just eight inches of space when folded away. Its trunk board can be adjusted vertically and horizontally, to accommodate a variety of users, from elementary age children to adults. With its combination of slots, elbow curves, hand holds and a support strap, patients with limited hand control can safely use the Support Station and assist in the transfer process.

[00:02:14.26] Narrator: The Support Station can be installed in two configurations? fixed and pivoting. Mounted in the fixed position, it enables safe transfers to and from wheelchairs and rolling commodes. It also provides secure support during upright diaper changes and personal care. In this position, a kneeboard provides support and leverage as the user transfers to an upright position. The Support Station can also be installed in a pivoting configuration for use with a toilet. The kneeboard is eliminated creating space below the Support Station for free movement. Installed to pivot, it provides a way for patients with some leg mobility to transfer to an upright position, and then safely move to a fixed commode for toileting.

[00:03:12:00] Narrator: In all configurations, the entire Support Station is easy to clean. All padded areas are covered with an anti-viral, anti-bacterial coated cloth, for complete peace of mind. Ninety degrees is all it takes. From horizontal, labor intensive, and dependent, to vertical, convenient and full of possibilities. Like anything new, change is difficult, but caregivers and administrators soon discovered that change is better.

[00:03:48.00] Caption: Millissa Markess, Asst. Dir, Day Program and Brandy Bieles Chesapeake Care Resources, Inc., North East MD

[00:03:48.26] Millissa Markess: My first reaction when we were told that we were going to start using the Support Station was: Oh my goodness, how hard is this going to be for us?

[00:03:56.00] Caption: Janet Kelly, CEO, Chesapeake Care resources, Inc., North East MD

[00:03:56.03] Janet Kelly: I think with anything new brought into a program, change is difficult for most people, some more than others. And I think initially everyone looked at it as,? Oh my gosh, here’s just one more thing we have to do

.[00:04:11.00] Caption: Cindi Spink, Director, Day Program Chesapeake Care Resources, Inc., North East MD

[00:04:11.17] Cindi Spink: To say, ‘We are going to institute a toileting program,’ the staff was in an uproar!

[00:04:16.00] Caption: Marcee Senker, SE Classroom Teacher, Maiden Choice School, Baltimore, MD

[00:04:16.07] Marcee Senker: I was feeling a little intimidated by it at first, just because it’s new.

[00:04:21.19] Millissa Markess: And it turns out it’s so much easier for us, and for them.

[00:04:27.13] Janet Kelly: Staff quickly got to the point where they realized that, hey, this isn’t as difficult as we thought it might be.

[00:04:34.27] Cindi Spink: Within a week, they were sold.

[00:04:38.26] Marcee Senker: Once we practiced and then got those students in there, it was real?it became very user friendly.

[00:04:47.11] Narrator: Using the Support Station, clients participate in their own transfer. They begin using and building their own strength and skills. Even a client with limited hand function can assist in the transfer process. Client and caregiver can now work as a team. For caregivers, activities like diapering and related hygiene are made more convenient, comfortable, and efficient. There’s no dangerous lifting, there’s no wrestling with clothing. There’s no struggle to get large patients on and off the horizontal changing surface. Care can be conducted in a way that’s safer, more dignified and more comfortable for everyone. And those practical benefits are just part of the picture. The Support Station also creates possibilities; it opens doors to client independence and skill building, improved health, injury prevention, and financial efficiency.

[00:05:59.07] Caption: Nancy Briganti, Principal Maiden Choice School, Baltimore, MD

[00:05:59.21] Nancy Briganti: We are now at the point where we’re being able to change kids more efficiently and they participate in the process. It is a learning experience. But then they’re also getting more classroom time, because they are not sitting waiting to be changed on a changing table somewhere.

[00:06:14.29] Narrator: Emotionally, the Support Station provides new dignity, autonomy and opportunities for users.

[00:06:23.06] Caption: Joan Sacchetti, PT Maiden Choice School, Baltimore, MD

[00:06:23.13] Joan Sacchetti: The biggest benefit the Support Station provides to the students is the many opportunities to move from sit to stand, and to feel good about themselves.

[00:06:33.25] Caption: Andrea Sarmousakis, PT Chesapeake Care Resources, Inc., North East MD

[00:06:34.28] Andrea Sarmousakis: Some of our people who could bear very minimal weight, cognitively seemed more aware from the beginning, and were motivated to want to help themselves. Even though they could bear very little weight, we were seeing huge improvements.

[00:06:49.16] Janet Kelly: We had a young lady who’s very aware of her surroundings and in fact now has lost some weight because she is more mobile. But I remember the first time she used the Support Station and the toilet, she was so gleeful; ? I used the toilet! Cheers tears, it was wonderful!

[00:07:13.23] Narrator: Physically, patients of all ages and abilities can build strength and improve weight-bearing. Skin health can improve. And for clients now using diapers, the Support Station provides opportunities for developing toileting skills and bodily control, with all the emotional and health benefits that go with them.

[00:07:37.07] Janet Kelly: You have less skin breakdowns. We have folks that aren’t using Attends anymore because they are able to use the toilet on a regular basis. So they are using regular underwear. They are more regular and we’re having less bowel issues.

[00:07:54.01] Joan Sacchetti: It’s more natural to be standing than lying on your back. The students are more stimulated when they are standing.

[00:08:02.12] Narrator: For the institution the Support Station not only provides patient health and well-being, it can also reduce lifting injuries, improve staff morale, and reduce costs.

[00:08:13:03] Caption: Shannon Reed, DSP and Carol Hall Chesapeake Care Resources, Inc., North East MD

[00:08:13.28] Shannon Reed: It is so much nicer to use the Support Station instead of a table or a mat to change. The reason being, my back doesn’t hurt. I’m not awkward in lift positions with other people.

[00:08:27.17] Andrea Sarmousakis: It makes a big difference because for the person standing, their garments can easily be taken down and up without twisting and rolling the person side to side.

[00:08:37.10] Cindi Spink: We started seeing a buildup of the unused Attends in our storage facility that we couldn’t get over. Was somebody ordering too many? What was happening was, we were using less and less Attends.

[00:08:51.06] Narrator: New opportunities, better health, better efficiently. The Support Station creates possibilities everyone can smile about.

[00:09:02.16] Marcee Senke: and if there’s something that I can do for them, which would make them and their life better, it is to keep them safe and happy and clean. And when you are clean, you are happy.

[00:09:17:0] Caption: Rifton 800.571.8198 Rifton.com/supportstation

Watch A Move Success Story and learn how One adult regained mobility and toileting skills with all health benefits that go with them, © 2000 Rifton Equipment

[00:09:17:01] Narrator: You can read more about how to order at Rifton.com/supportstation or call our toll free number at any time for more information. We can answer questions, provide quotes and product specs. Or maybe you know someone who would like to receive a copy of this DVD.