Most seniors have weak joints, making it painful and uncomfortable for them whenever they use a toilet. To deal with the situation, there are longer toilets in the market that are specially designed for the elderly who have joint pains. For older adults, the toilet’s height becomes an important factor in determining how comfortable it is to use it. Ignoring the toilet’s height is one of the most common mistakes people make when buying a toilet for their homes. It is an important factor to consider while buying a toilet when you have a handicapped, disabled, or an older adult in your home. With tall toilets, you can easily sit or stand up. You can rest your feet on the floor comfortably. If you are looking for good tall toilets for seniors, you have come to the right place. We have rounded up a list of some of the best toilets for seniors along with a buying guide so that you can easily choose the right one for yourself or your loved ones.
Various Key Features to Consider While Buying a Comfort Height Toilet for Seniors.
Finding the right height toilet that makes your sitting down and standing up easy and perfectly fit into your washroom can be a bit challenging. Here are some of the features that will help you narrow down the list for you and make picking the right one easier.
Height is one of the most crucial features in the toilets for the seniors. The height of the toilet should be according to ADA standards which is about 17 to 19 inches from the seat to the floor. So, if you are purchasing a toilet for the disabled, handicapped, or elderly, make sure to check that the height of the toilet meets ADA requirements.
Your toilet should not put extra stress on your joints. Toilets that need multiple flushes can make things difficult for seniors and handicapped. To avoid this, look for a toilet that features an efficient flushing action and doesn’t cause stress.
This feature is a crucial element for all toilets. Water is precious, and you should try to save it as much as possible. The amount of water use in your toilet can have an impact on your water bill. Pick a water-saving toilet that has an EPA WaterSense certification to save water.
If you are a senior, a hard to wash toilet or a toilet that collects dirt easily is the last thing you want. Look for the toilet that resists catching mold and stays sparkling even after 30 years. The best easy to wash toilets are the ones made from vitreous china. These toilets are super easy to tidy, and their color doesn’t fade off either.
Why Do Seniors Need A Higher/Tall Toilet
Seniors and older adults need a higher toilet because they have weaker legs and waist joints, making it uncomfortable to sit down on the lower toilets. Here are some of the key reasons why seniors need a higher toilet.
Older adults usually have deteriorated physical condition. With weaker joints and muscles, they are prone to accidents, especially where lower toilets are installed, and the floor is slippery. For the lower height toilets, the elderly will have to squat and bend down very low, which is tricky for many older people. Also, seniors have trouble standing up after using the toilet. For some seniors, bending down and then standing up can make them dizzy and lose visual orientation. The risk of falling in the washroom can be significantly lowered by installing tall toilets.
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Less Stressful for Seniors with Muscle Cramps and Acute Joint Pain
Elderlies and seniors have numerous challenges in everyday life, and they wish that the people around them would understand better. One of those challenges is occasional muscle cramps and acute joint pain, and sometimes, even rheumatism. Joint pain makes it very uncomfortable and painful to bend on the very low seats.
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General Numbness of Limbs Due to Poor Blood Flow
Improper body alignment and poor blood circulation can make you feel numb in certain parts of the body. For seniors, as they have weather hearts, their legs are prone to get numb due to poor blood flow. For them, using the toilet and then getting up is a big challenge. A higher toilet allows them to keep their legs rather straight and place their feet comfortably on the floor, which reduces the risk of getting the limbs numb.
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The General Uncomfortable Nature of Lower Toilets
A toilet seat that rises high enough to be at normal chair-level is generally more comfortable. Most of the toilets are lower than that, which makes squatting on them uncomfortable for many older adults. The tall toilets have a more ergonomic design, have a more solid base, and a large skirted design, which makes them more comfortable for the seniors to use. These tall toilets also look better in the washrooms than the shorter toilets.