Total Holistic Approach Enhances Quality of Life

Published by Angela May for Total Hygiene in Health and also in Housing, Local Government

Taking a holistic approach to a child’s needs is improving not only his quality of life, but that of his whole family……..

Sebastian Parkhouse, aged 8, has spastic Quadriplegia, cerebral palsy and learning difficulties with  global development delay. He bottom-shuffles everywhere, and is unable to undertake basic personal hygiene, having to wear pads. But a holistic approach to his needs by Amanda Foy of the North High Peak & Derbyshire Dales Children’s Disability Team is making, she believes, a massive improvement to his- and his family’s- life.

Sebastian’s school already had a Clos-o-Mat ‘wash and dry’ toilet installed, which Sebastian is being rewarded for using, using pivotal transfer to/from his wheelchair. Looking to the long-term future, Amanda has arranged installation of his own Clos-o-Mat Palma, with a Colombia paediatric support, as part of a home adaptation.

The Clos-o-Mat Palma - a WC that incorporates integral douching and drying- sits as low as 410mm as standard, facilitating access and use by children and/or from a wheelchair. Looking just like a conventional toilet, it can be used as such, but has the optional ability, by simple hand or body pressing of the flush lever, to cleanse the user via the douche and drier, without the need for wiping with toilet paper. The additional Colombia body support system with an orthopaedic contoured back further ensures the child or young person is properly seated, positioned and supported when using the toilet.

The adaptation removes the need for Sebastian to share an upstairs bedroom with his brother. Created from the family’s dining room and adjoining workshop, the adaptation gives Sebastian a safe space of his own, complete with low level bed, soft area, wetfloor bathroom and the Clos-o-Mat toilet.

“We have tried hard to take a holistic approach to Sebastian’s needs, now and in the future,” explains Amanda. “Even before it was fully finished, Sebastian was disappearing into his adaptation, enjoying his own space: it is the only place in the home where he can easily look out of the window and see the garden.

“Whilst he needs help onto the toilet, with the Colombia support he can sit there safely whilst he toilets, and understands the reward system school has introduced when he ‘performs’. In the long term will be able to ‘go’ on his own, without Mum, or school, worrying about whether he is properly clean, as the Clos-o-Mat washes and dries him afterwards. Even now, as the Clos-o-Mat washes and dries Sebastian after toileting, it improves hygiene for him and his carers.

“The Clos-o-Mat is just one element, but a vital one, in the long-term vision of helping Sebastian be as independent as possible.  the low level bed he will be able to get in and out of, again without her help, and is more appealing to him than a conventional healthcare height adjustable unit, which would be the ‘norm’.”

The Clos-o-Mat is the only ‘wash and dry’ toilet developed specifically for people with disabilities. Manufactured in the UK, by Total Hygiene, the unit is also the only one of its type to have WRAS approval enabling legal connection to the mains water supply. Total Hygiene  is unique in providing a complete package of comprehensive advice, design, installation, commissioning and after-sales maintenance, through its team of nationwide engineers. In its 50 year history, the company has supplied over 40,000 Clos-o-Mats, installed in locations from people’s homes through shopping centres to leisure attractions, and even on a tall ship!