From:Medical DevicesJump to:DefinitionRelatedDiscussPrintPublished: 2012-07-10 (Rev. 2016-09-23) - Contact: Ian Langtree at Disabled WorldSynopsis: Information and definition of bariatric equipment and aids that caters for the larger person and feature increased weight capacities.The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity."Examples of bariatric surgery include gastroplasty surgery, gastric bypass surgery, and jejunoileal bypass surgery."Obesity has become one of the primary medical issues facing our society today. One of the concerns facing people with this condition is the increased effort required for mobility and general lifestyle independence. With childhood obesity levels also rising, the needs of heavier patients and those caring for them, have to be addressed.Simply put it is equipment and supplies that are designed for larger or obese patients. The term bariatric aids, or bariatric equipment, comes from the merging of two Greek words, "baros" which means weight and "iatrics" meaning medical treatment.
Bariatric Equipment designs cater for the larger person and features increased weight capacities, heavy duty supports and wider widths to fit the persons needs. Bariatric wheelchairs are designed to be stronger, sturdy, and larger to suit the needs of an obese person. Most equipment defined as bariatric has a 300 - 900 pound weight limit - though there is not a specific width or designated weight limit that defines bariatric products.The The Ashford and St. Peter's NHS Trust U.K. defines a bariatric patient as:Anyone regardless of age, who has limitations in health and social care due to their weight, physical size, shape, width, health, mobility, tissue viability and environmental access with one or more of the following area's:Today, there are numerous types of bariatric aids available on the market to serve a number of purposes and assist an overweight person perform everyday tasks.Bariatric surgery is a scientifically proven, more successful approach to weight loss compared to a pill.
Examples of bariatric surgery include gastroplasty surgery, gastric bypass surgery, and jejunoileal bypass surgery.According to a recent study, (2012/09/18) from the University of Gothenburg, bariatric surgery reduces the long-term risk of developing diabetes by over 80 % among people with obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published the results of a study conducted at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The study is based on an extensive study entitled Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS), which has given rise to more than 90 scientific articles and demonstrated that bariatric surgery is also highly beneficial when it comes to cancer, cardiovascular disease, total mortality and health-related quality of life.If you are overweight and have decreased dexterity, flexibility, and mobility, bariatric aids can assist you by giving you more independence. Our disability products and bariatric aids shop includes items such as leg lifts, long handled shoe-horns, reachers and other helpful products and aids that can help you overcome these challenges, as well as maintaining more independence, in and around the house.
Share on:TwitterFaceBookGoogle+Email ArticleCitationRSS FeedLearn More:Medical Devices: Information & NewsHashtags:#Obesity #BariatricSurgery #BMILarger showers provide space for more than one person. A typical shower unit is built with just enough room for a single person, such as corner showers or the standard 3-foot wide shower stall or a stand-up shower/tub combo. If you want to design a two person shower you’ll be straying into the realm of custom walk-in showers. There are numerous ways you can choose to design a larger shower for more than one person, but choosing the balance between functionality, design and what your budget can handle is a delicate task. There are two options for building a larger, two-person shower: enclosed or open. Open showers have glass panels or glass block walls, for example, that run up to around the 7-foot mark, and then have the remaining space up to the ceiling open, thus venting steam. Alternatively you can build a completely enclosed shower, with the panels or block wall running all the way to the ceiling.
Another option would be purchasing a pre-manufactured walk-in shower kit with its own pan and panels that will fit into the space you have in mind for the shower. As far as size goes, two of the most common sizes are 3-feet by 5-feet and 4-feet by 6-feet; there are no minimum requirements. It is whatever the couple in question feels comfortable with as far as space goes. Shower Heads A two-person shower means having two shower heads on opposite walls or somewhere spaced apart from each other on the same wall. The other option would be to put an overhead water dispenser that will accommodate two people. You should use at least 3 feet of spacing between shower heads that are on the same wall to give each person room to maneuver freely, but again this is up to personal comfort level of the couple in question. In all cases you are going to have to add more plumbing than for a normal shower, all of which has to be pressure tested and checked by a licensed inspector prior to use. A single drain will still suffice, although you will benefit from running 4-inch pipe rather than the 2-inch minimum required by standard showers, to allow for excess water drainage.
Benches or Seats Some type of bench or seat should be included in two person showers, although you have the option of building two separate items or a long bench. Commonly, these are corner benches that fit into the inside corners with a triangular shape that allows for a flat face along the front as the two angles die into the corner. The bench is framed in with the walls or built out of concrete blocks and then covered with your chosen finish material. Height and size are entirely up to your discretion. Finish Material The standard finish material is ceramic tile or natural stone, but you are not limited by these options. There are a full range of materials to choose from, especially for larger, custom-sized showers. You could opt for cultured marble, or a granite slab or marble slab shower. Alternatively, panels are available, or you could go the sheet metal route and use copper sheeting or a stainless steel covering. The only limiting factor in this regard is your budget. Steam Shower If you are building an enclosed unit, consider adding steam generators to further add a layer of uniqueness to your two person shower.