At Reval, challenges are not mere obstacles,
but opportunities to innovate and excel.
Renowned for their assisted bathing range, Reval’s expertise usually shines in commercial healthcare settings, gracing care homes and hospitals throughout the UK. Yet, in Swansea, an unconventional scenario emerged. A request to specify for a domestic property.
This unique call to action, was one that Reval were more than ready to answer stepping up and working with healthcare services, a construction tram and architect.
While most of Reval’s installations are centred around commercial healthcare environments, every once in a while, a unique project arises. A domestic homeowner needed a solution that would not only meet clinical needs but would also fit seamlessly into a residential setting.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was the spatial adaptation of the domestic property. It wasn’t just about installing the bath; the house itself had to be remodelled to accommodate the practical needs of the patient. This required the integration of the expertise of construction professionals, architects, and occupational therapists, to ensure the environment was both functional and safe.
Solution
Reval’s Transcare Bath stood out as the most suitable clinical and safe option. The assisted bathing product is designed not only to aid in posture management but also to address the clinical condition of the householder. It’s a highly versatile bathing system, perfectly designed for patients with compromised posture control. One of its standout features is the vertical-raise side door, facilitating effortless patient access. This feature not only enhances the patient’s comfort but ensures caregivers can assist without undue strain, thanks to its high-low function. Furthermore, the Transcare system boasts a unique tilting mechanism. This function allows patients, even those with the most challenging conditions, to semi-recline, ensuring they can be fully immersed up to their necks in water, promoting relaxation and therapeutic benefits.
A thorough site survey was conducted, which emphasised the need for significant house modification to ensure a flawless installation. In partnership with the construction team and architect, Reval conceptualised a plan which allowed for the Transcare Bath to be safely hoisted through an upstairs window. The entire installation process was completed within a day, which included a thorough training session for the family and caregivers.
What does maintaining the ability to have a bath mean to you?
Newlands, part of Warwickshire-based charity WCS Care, believes your life doesn’t have to change when you move into a care home.
Enabling people to continue enjoying what they’ve always done and having the opportunity to try new things is an overriding philosophy of care where freedom, choice and dignity are paramount.
Being able to bathe is an essential part of maintaining a routine of normality – for many with reducing functional decline and change, bathing can be one of the first areas of an individual’s routine that become affected.
We spoke to Bonnie Burbury, Home Manager at Newlands in Kenilworth, about the importance of enabling a ‘normal’ routine, especially when it comes to bathing. “It is really important to us that we create a homely, inviting atmosphere and promote WCS Care’s values along the way. Our ambition is to make every day well lived for each and every person in our care. Personal care can sometimes seem daunting for residents, so to be able to offer a comfortable, relaxing environment with facilities such as the Reval Cocoon Ergo bath is great – it increases the length of time a person may spend in the bath; beneficial for both personal hygiene and wellbeing. There are a lot of physical benefits too – with Multiple Sclerosis for example, or conditions that affect muscles, being able to soak in the bath may relax or stimulate muscles and have a positive impact.
Most of us will agree that the psychological and physiological benefits of bathing are enormous yet the majority of us with the capacity to bath independently take this for granted.
Imagine being bedbound and never experiencing the relaxation and rejuvenation of tip to toe cleanliness, being immersed in a warm bath, or just standing in the shower aware of every comforting drop touching your body.
For many receiving care in an acute or community setting just imagining that experience is all they can hope. Bathing for them is Assisted Bathing, which means carer intervention is required to perform the basics of a personal hygiene routine rather than that of a much more personal experience.
But thanks to the expert team of assisted bathing designers and manufacturers at Reval, personal hygiene wellbeing has become a reality for the customers of Bury based community care provider Persona Care & Support.
We interviewed Eddie Cheung – Head of Operations (Short Stay) at Persona Care & Support, about the transformative effects Reval’s mobile shower unit, the Ruby, has had for customers and staff.
