Hello everybody. My darling husbands Parkinson’s is progressing to the point where we need to think about changing things in the house. Fortunately we have options here. We were pondering on the benefits of wash dry toilets. Has anyone any experience of using these? Are they worth it? Any particular brand/feature we should go for?
Any thoughts gratefully received. Big thanks
Hi Castle,
It may be worth contacting our helpline, who can give advice on many aspects of Parkinson’s. They are available on 0808 800 0303 from Monday-Friday 9AM-7PM and Saturday from 10AM-2PM or email [email protected]
Hope this helps,
Elan,
Moderation Team
When I refitted my bathroom several years ago I decided to install a wet/dry WC at the same time on the basis that at some point I would benefit from it and I might as well have all the work done at once. I opted for an electronic toilet seat which could be fitted on to a standard toilet which also came with a control which can be hand held but which I have wall mounted within easy reach. At that time there was only one unit, the bio bidet, approved for use in the uk, there are now several makes and models. If you opt for a full wc/bidet unit you need to be aware there are a number of ways to operate them from floor pedals to push controls using a backward arm movement. Sorry to be blunt here but they do not necessarily mean toilet paper is no longer needed, that depends on the quality of the bowel movement but it does make cleaning oneself easier. Most need simple adjustment to operate at the optimum level for the individual. Although I don’t use mine everyday, I do use it more than I expected to. You don’t have to organise this yourself unless you choose too, most local authorities will assess. Reputable companies should be able to bring you a demonstration model as it often easier to understand if you see one. Don’t forget to think about the height of the toilet whether a complete unit or bidet seat. Standard toilets are often too low compromising safety. I hope this makes sense to you but if you have any questions please ask. The photo is of the one I have with control on the wall. I hope this has been helpful.
Hello tot, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I apologise for the delay in my reply.
There is a huge array of choices out there and prices too. We were thinking of getting an all-in-one toilet so it’s very interesting that your seat does suffice. The advantage of fitting a seat also means that if we need to move downstairs then the seat can go onto the downstairs loo so I will take a longer look at seats and get in touch with some manufacturers too.
Thank you once more for your help.
You are most welcome. I hope you find something suitable for your needs, I have been very happy with my choice since its installation some 7 or 8 years ago. I would be interested to know what you eventually decide. Best wishes.
As has been said, normal toilets are often too low for those that need a bidet toilet. Better to have the bidet toilet seat on top of a normal toilet but also not a low level toilet as that defeats the objective of ease of use. You can get higher level toilets which is what we installed. A bit of a faff to get a toilet bowl that fitted nicely with the bidet part but it’s possible. At one time I had 3 different toilets in our conservatory seeing which was the better fit. I didn’t want the actual toilet bowl to just out below the bidet part, neither did I want a huge toilet that looked out of place. You cannot just move the bidet toilet seat from place to place. To avoid having to top up water it should be plumbed in so you never have to bother with topping up the water. A wall mounted control and a hand held one. Ours is Uspa make and very happy with it.
When hubby was alive it was a godsend but after my almost fatal accident I now use it.
Looks very like the photo that Tot has posted
Hi Benji,
Thank you for replying, that’s good to know. I’ve looked at the uspa website and there’s a few to choose from with a range of prices. Can I ask which model you have please? If yours is similar to Tot’s and it works for both of you then that’s good enough for us.
Thanks again x
Just wanted to add Benji made valid points about the bidet toilet seats re plumbing in etc., I didn’t go into much detail but they can’t just be moved from one wc to another and I too, had mine plumbed in. The control as you saw is fixed to the wall but can be lifted off to be used hand held or by a carer if needs be. I found the settings easy to set to suit my needs and whilst it was a bit disconcerting on first use not knowing quite what to expect, I quickly got used to it. As I said, I don’t use it all the time as a wash/dry just as a normal wc but I wouldn’t be without it now and have never regretted having it installed. As Benji has said be aware of heights these types of toilet seat can add a bit of height so if you are thinking of getting a higher wc make sure the addition of a seat doesn’t make it too high. I hope you find something to suit your needs and are as satisfied as benji and I.
All I know is that the user manual is for UB 7035R/7235/7220/7215/7210/7000.
It has a hand held unit for use by carers and also a control unit that fixes to the wall. The height of our high rise toilet is 19 inches. Add the bidet unit and that makes it around 20 inches. It’s perfect for just sitting down and getting up normally.
