Justifying the RAZ Shower Chair and its Accessories

A quick guide to help with your choices: 

The RAZ is highly adjustable and enjoys an extensive range of parts and accessories which means it can be adapted to its environment and the specific needs of the user.  

The specifications of a RAZ shower chair vary from client to client and are each based on your clinical reasoning to meet your client's needs. Listed below are the common reasons to justify the specification of the RAZ chairs divided into parts, functions and accessories: 

Shower chair frame  

• Required for user safety as he/she is not ambulant  

• Required for user safety as he/she is not able to transfer to a bath or shower bench  

• Required for user safety as he/she is not able to transfer or sit on the toilet  

• To provide a mobile chair between the bedroom and toilet/shower  

• To promote independent toileting and showering  

• To provide support during hygiene/showering/bowel or bladder care programs  

• To reduce the number of transfers required for hygiene/showering/bowel or bladder care programs  

Tilt in Space function  

• 40-degree tilt range for pressure relief  

• Minimise the risk of aspiration 

• Decrease respiratory distress                                                             

• Pain management  

• Increase sitting tolerance  

• Assist or maintain postural alignment               

• Maintain vital organ capacity  

• Increase independence in transfers  

• Facilitate postural control  

Anterior tilt function (forward tilt) 

• Facilitates standing transfers  

Narrow/wider frame options  

• Narrower / wider frame better accommodates clients' size  

Higher/Lower frame options   

• Higher / lower frames facilitate transfers  

• Allows foot propulsion between rooms

Seats  

• IPAS, an exclusive feature on all RAZ seats that utilizes adjustable seat mounting brackets that provide 2” fore/aft adjustment. This allows the aperture to be adjusted and optimally positioned around the ITs, to minimize pressure and increase pelvic stability  

• Improve pressure distribution  

• Appropriately located aperture to help manage sacral sitting  

• Side / rear access seat allows user (or carer) to perform self-care  

• History of pressure ulcers  

• Accommodates hygiene management  

• Bridged seat – allows user to side transfer without leg falling into front opening  

• Allows the user to perform suppository insertion  

• Allows the user to perform manual evacuation of the bowels  

• Rear access seat – eliminates pressure at rear of seat, coccyx / sacral area  

Backrests  

• Tension-adjustable upholstery accommodates the client's back shape and provides moderate lateral postural support  

• Back angle adjustability accommodates hip angle  

• Facilitates safe transfers (flip up arm supports with user-operated locking arm release)  

• Height adjustable armrests can be set at the optimum position  

• Provides support with elbow at 90 degrees  

• Arm support height improves postural control  

• Reclining backrest – Back angle adjustability accommodates the users hip angle  

• Reclining backrest – Increases sitting tolerance  

• Reclining backrest – facilitates catheter insertion  

• Reclining backrest – decreases respiratory distress  

• Reclining backrest – improves pressure redistribution  

Armrests  

• Arm support locks – locks arms to stabilise for transfers  

• Wide arm pad – increases support surface for arms  

• Pivoting arm mount – allows armrests to clear the lateral supports when they flip up, facilitates side transfer  

• Robust arm design if user leans heavily  

Foot and leg support  

• Accommodates the users lower leg length  

• Angle adjustable footplates – accommodates fixed knee or ankle angle  

• Elevating leg rests – blood pressure management  

• Elevating leg rests – accommodates clients fixed knee angle  

• Elevating leg rests – helps manage Edema when combined with recline  

Foot and leg support accessories  

• Calf strap – prevents users' legs from falling rearward into frame/castors  

• Neoprene footrest covers - Cover footplates to protect feet from hard edges / pressure injuries   

• Neoprene footrest covers - provides additional friction to prevent feet from falling off  

• Offset footrest receiver – Accommodates abduction or windswept lower extremities  

Lateral supports  

• Decreases lateral trunk leaning   

• Accommodate asymmetry   

• Control of tone / spasticity   

• Lateral Extension Plate - Allows for lateral thoracic support to be positioned more medially  

Pelvic belts  

• Stabilize pelvis in neutral rotation   

• Prevents sliding out of RAZ chair  

• Required for safety when using a chest belt  

If you’re questioning which accessories are correct for your client needs, we always recommend giving one of our expert product advisors a call. Give us a call today on 01634 813388 to talk through your options.