RAZ AT Shower Chair
‘We’ve tried 20 shower chairs and none have worked’
That’s what a frustrated OT said recently when contacting us about our RAZ shower chair.
“A client of mine who needs a shower chair has complex behavioural and postural management. As such, we have exhausted all stock items from our equipment stores, have used 5 different local companies and over 20 shower chairs!”
In desperate need of a solution for the patient, the OT went on to invite us to do an assessment and demonstrate the RAZ tilt in space shower chair.
Posterior pelvic tilt and blood pooling were ongoing challenges for this patient’s care
Wealden Product Advisor Matthew Anderson quickly arranged an assessment. The care staff started by hoisting the client into her existing shower chair to view how the difficulties presented.
She immediately slid down the seat into a posterior tilted position and moved her arm behind her back, which the OT indicated was her preferred way to sit.
Adjustability maximises postural support and pressure distribution.
Matthew then hoisted the client into the RAZ AT shower chair, which has tilt-in-space. One of the RAZ’s big benefits is its adjustability, so Matthew set up the chair in order to deliver the postural support she needed while ensuring she was comfortable.
He moved the seat cushion forwards by 50mm to align with the seat aperture with the client’s pelvic position. He also adjusted the armrest position so she could rest her arms comfortably instead of putting one behind her back.
A new record with RAZ
The client stayed in the RAZ chair for 30 minutes in a 5-degree tilted position.
She didn’t move forward in the seat because her pelvis was supported. The OT commented that she often gets agitated and vocal when she’s anxious or uncomfortable, but she was calm and quiet the entire time she was in the chair. The other amazing thing that happened, was her arm was using the armrest as a support rather than putting it behind her back. This had never happened before but she was very relaxed with the support.
When it came time to hoist her out of the RAZ, carers checked for redness and pooling – issues that had been experienced with previous chairs. The RAZ rated best of all the other shower chairs in this regard, due to the vast pressure relief mapping and research incorporated into the design.
Pressure mapping from other shower/toileting chair.
Pressure mapping from RAZ chair.
New hope for complex needs
This experience isn’t unique – every day, we speak to OTs, clients and carers who are struggling to find shower chairs that tick the right boxes.
Because the RAZ has a range of seat heights, depths, armrest heights and backrest angle adjustments as standard, it’s an easy way to get the right support without the need for expensive accessories.