Choosing a Bidet for ALS

Bidets for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease that causes major degeneration of motor neurons. This can lead to muscle weakness, loss of muscle control, and atrophy. For an ALS patient, even the simplest everyday tasks can become quite difficult. It’s hard enough to deal with this disease without having to worry about embarrassing but necessary needs such as personal hygiene in the bathroom. While an ALS patient may need assistance with a lot of everyday tasks, the restroom is one area that he or she can retain a great deal of independence in. With the right equipment, an ALS patient can use the restroom very efficiently.

A bidet is an important tool for patients with ALS. This simple fixture fits onto the toilet. It’s very easy today to find and install an attachable bidet that will fit almost any toilet seat. These bidets come with a wide variety of features that can make the experience more comfortable for the patient. When selecting a bidet for a patient with ALS, the most important feature is a wireless controller. This allows the remote for the bidet to sit anywhere in the restroom. The exact location may vary from one patient to the next. The remote should be placed somewhere that it’s easy to reach from the toilet.

For a patient with ALS, it may also help for the remote to be very simple with large buttons. When muscle control is an issue, navigating through a great deal of small sensitive buttons can be a problem. A basic bidet with simple functions will suffice. The most important part of having a bidet for someone with ALS is simply the fact that it will do the job of cleaning up after going to the bathroom. Maneuvering toilet paper in delicate areas can be very difficult with deteriorating muscle control. Pushing a button, however, is much easier. A bidet is actually more sanitary than toilet paper to begin with.

If desired, the bidet toilet seat can be purchased with additional features. It’s best to talk to the patient in these cases to determine what type of bidet he or she will be most comfortable with. Patients who are uncomfortable with the idea of having a bidet installed in their home may feel better with a very simple model. Those who are more open to the idea may want one with additional features. A massage function can help to relieve constipation. A heated toilet seat makes going to the bathroom more comfortable for some. There are many great features to choose from.