A bed step stool for elderly or disabled people can help your parent or other relative stay independent in the bedroom. There are far too many old people who sleep in their arm chair as they are scared to get upstairs, or scared to fall out of bed. Some people simply won’t use their bed as it is too difficult to sit up and to get out of.
When we were young, getting in and out of bed was no problem. But as we get older, the bed that once looked comfortable and inviting suddenly becomes a mountain that we don’t want to climb. Getting into bed can be a daunting task if the bed is high off the ground. The solution to this problem is to invest in a bed step stool for your relative. In this article we will look at how it will help in the bedroom as well as in other areas of the home.
Bed Step Stool for Elderly : Step Stools with Handles
When choosing a bed step stool it is important that you pay attention to the design. First and foremost, always choose a model that has a handle or handles with it. This will ensure that your parent has something to grab hold of when they want to get up to bed, or when they are already in bed and need to sit up. Step stools with handles may have one or two handles, rather like grab rails.
It is also essential to buy a stool that is weighted. This will stop it from toppling over, even if weight is only added to one side of it. A weighted bed step stool for disabled people is sold only by DDA compliant suppliers; never choose a cheap step stool that is unbranded.
When choosing the step stool your relative will use you will also need to look at the width of the base of the stool; if your parent uses a walker you will need to make sure the step is wide enough to accommodate it. Wide step stools can be used with a walker, and this can allow your relative to step up and down in the kitchen to reach things that are at the back of the counter.
In the Kitchen
Your bed step stool for elderly is not only useful in the bedroom. It can also be very useful in the kitchen and other areas of the home. As we get older we shrink. What this means is that items that were in reach before are now too high up or too far away. In the kitchen a step stool can be used to reach things at the back of the counter or on shelves or in cupboards.
In the bathroom, a step stool can be used by the sink, or to help your relative get in and out of the bath. Where at all possible, a shower or wet room are the best option for disabled users, but if you do not have one, a step stool can help your relative get in and out of the tub.