Essential aged care equipment & products to make life easier for mum or dad

Over the last 10 years, the number of people in home aged care has tripled and according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there were 142,436 elderly people receiving care at home. 

This is becoming more of a trend in New South Wales specifically, as many families choose to take care of their elderly parents/grandparents at home (or access services so their relatives can stay at home). 

Taking on home aged care can be a real challenge. It’s important to have the right tools and training to make life safer and easier for your parents, and aged care equipment products are a major part of the process. 

If your mum or dad is about to move into your home for permanent care, or you need to install aged care equipment products in the home to ensure their safety and mobility, we have the perfect guide to help with shopping. Here are our top recommended aged care equipment products to make living at home easier.

#1. Aged care equipment products for the bathroom

As we age, reduced strength, balance and joint mobility can make using the bathroom a difficult, strenuous or dangerous exercise. Bending down to use the toilet shouldn’t be a chore, and getting into the bath or shower shouldn’t be dangerous. With the right aged care equipment products, your elderly parents can use the bathroom more safely. 

In terms of toilet use, we recommend adding toilet surrounds to help your parents lower themselves down onto the seat with more stability. Our 3 in 1 Rail, for example, is rigidly fixed to the toilet bowl and can hold up to 130 kilograms (bariatric options available). Your parents can easily grab onto the handles and make their own way down to the seat.

Toilet surrounds can also be helpful for those who use a wheelchair. 

Alternatively, you might choose a raised toilet seat to minimise the distance your parents need to bend to sit down, or if they have more mobility but still need a hand getting up, a simple bathroom rail can be attached to the wall next to the toilet. Your parents can grab the rail and pull themselves up when they’re ready.

For showering and bathing, a shower stool will help minimise the amount of time your elderly parents need to stand in the shower. Instead, your parents can sit down and wash, making the risk of falling or collapsing almost impossible. Our shower stools with padded seats are bestsellers, featuring a comfortable seat, grab rails for standing and sitting, and rubber feet to eliminate sliding on the shower floor. 

If your parents prefer a relaxing bath but struggle to get in and out of the tub, we recommend investing in a bath board. The Kingfisher Bath Board, for example, has suction cup feet that swivel 360 degrees to help your parents get out of the tub. With removable grab rails and a soap dish, your parents can lean against the board comfortably in the bath.

Keep in mind that your parents might need a tutorial on how to use a bath board — if you need some help, let our team know when you purchase your new bath board. We can provide instructions and tutorials to make bathing safer.

#2. Aged care equipment products for the bedroom

Like getting in and out of the bath, getting in and out of bed can be a challenge for elderly parents with reduced mobility. To prevent falling out of bed (as well as the related injuries), we recommend a bed sensor. 

A bed sensor is placed on top of the mattress and connects to an alarm that alerts carers when the sensor detects that there is no pressure on the bed. Our bed sensors connect to Posey branded alarms like the Sitter Elite Alarm and the Keepsafe Deluxe Alarm, some of the most reliable on the market.

You will be alerted if your parent falls out of bed in the middle of the night.

If your parents can’t make it to the bathroom safely in the middle of the night, a bedside commode will eliminate the distance they need to walk. They can simply get out of bed and go to the toilet (commode liners are recommended).

If your parents are unsure about this, there are bedside commodes that look like regular padded or cane chairs — lift the seat like a toilet and close it to maintain the aesthetic of a regular sitting chair.

#3. Aged care equipment products for the kitchen

Whether your parents are living at home with you or living in their own home, cooking is still a fun and essential exercise in everyday life. However, if your parents are struggling with joint pain or arthritis, they may need some help with opening chairs, cutting up ingredients and more. 

With this in mind, some food preparation equipment might be needed to make cooking easier. There are a huge range of food preparation tools available including:

• Electric can openers
• Cordless kettle tippers
• Jar and bottle openers
• Peelers with clamps
• Food preparation systems
• Knives with accessible handles
• Breadboards for stability.

These aged care equipment products will give your parents more independence and control in the kitchen, allowing them to cook and prepare food like normal. 

3. Aged care equipment products for extra safety

If your parents are still quite independent and able to live at home, you still want peace of mind knowing they’re safe and have access to help if they need it. With this in mind, we recommend purchasing a medical alarm for your elderly parents. 

A medical alarm hangs around your parent’s neck on a lanyard and if they have a fall, they can simply press the button on the device to alert the number on the device. We recommend our Personal Medical Alarm 4G with GPS Positioning — one of the most advanced medical alarms on the market. 

When your parent presses the SOS button, the device will send an SMS message to up to 10 pre-programmed phone numbers including carers and your own. You can locate your parents using Google Maps and speak to them through the pendant — incoming calls are automatically answered without pushing any buttons so you can check in on your family member instantly. 

Just add a SIM card to the device and you can check on your parents wherever they are.

This is also an excellent device for those with dementia and don’t remember where they were going or where they are.  

Shop aged care equipment products for mum and dad online with Active Mobility Systems

Want to make home care safer for your parents? All of the products we’ve mentioned in this article are available for purchase online! Shop the range online for fast and affordable shipping throughout Australia via reliable couriers like TNT. 

Alternatively, if you’re not sure what you need, visit us in-store in Silverwater, Sydney. Our team can help find the right products to make home care simple and safe.