Alison Rowe had been living with multiple joint and bone conditions for years before she was introduced to a revolutionary bathroom solution that would go on to transform her life.
Alison’s Story
Alison, was diagnosed with multiple conditions including Bile Acid Malabsorption, Osteoarthritis, Spinal Stenosis, and Degenerative Disk Disease which affected her joints, spine and bowel, leaving her in constant pain, with limited movement and struggling to manage her own personal hygiene.
Constantly worrying about cleanliness and struggling to use toilet paper because of the agony it caused was extremely tiring and put a huge strain on Alison both physically and mentally.
Embarrassed by her conditions and constantly relying on the help of others, Alison had suffered in silence for many years before finally feeling as though she could open up to her Occupational Therapist about her concerns and the challenges she was facing with her own hygiene.
The Solution
Alison’s OT recognised how incredibly important it was to give Alison not only her confidence but her freedom and independence back. She went on to introduce Alison to the concept of washing with water, recommending the Geberit AquaClean shower toilet as an effective solution to replace the toilet in the downstairs cloakroom of Alison’s home.
Following referral from her council OT, the Coastline Housing Association installed the AquaClean Mera Care shower toilet, and the new addition has completely overhauled Alison’s life.
Initially Alison was a little dubious of the technology, however once she’d got used to it she’s never looked back. The ease of operating the AquaClean Mera Care and changing the settings as required to suit has been a breeze and Alison couldn’t imagine life without it now. Alison urges people in the same position not to be afraid of the technology, encouraging them to speak out and seek help.
She said: “This hasn’t just made a physical difference for me, it’s massively improved my mental health. I feel more confident, dignified and I’m happy now to leave the house safe in the knowledge that I’m clean.
“I only wish I’d had the bravery to take that first step sooner as I could have been living life with this sense of freedom for many more years if I’d spoken out sooner. I’d urge anybody who may be in the same position I was to speak out, reach out to your OT and ask for help, this solution is wonderful and anybody in the same boat as me should have one. You get one life and you’ve got to make the best of it, don’t delay taking that step.
Geberit AquaClean Mera Care
Geberit’s AquaClean Mera Care is specially developed for independent living, and includes a host of features to aid personal hygiene, including individually adjustable water spray settings, an oscillating spray that cleans you at the touch of a button with a jet of warm water, an automatic flush function via user detection, remote control, warm air dryer, programmable user profiles – for multiple users – and a continuous flow heater for constant warm water.
Geberit has taken every ounce of its 150 years of experience, in helping to understand the wants and needs of its customers and put that into creating a product that can make a guaranteed difference to the way customers live day in day out.
Everything is designed with comfort and convenience in mind and the Geberit development team are constantly evolving and enhancing every aspect of the product to ensure it meets the needs of the customer.
Richard Wheeler, Area Sales Manager – AquaClean Care, commented: “The difference the Geberit AquaClean Mera Care has made to Alison shouldn’t be underestimated.
“The difference it’s made, both physically and mentally is outstanding and we are delighted we were able to facilitate the installation and make the difference.
“During these exceptional times, Geberit has continued to do everything we can to support the OT services and the clients within, working with individuals on a case-by-case basis. The team has and continues to actively carry out home assessments following guidance from the government and social services.”
The Future
Since the Geberit AquaClean Mera Care has been installed Alison has had a new lease of life and the future is certainly looking much brighter.
She said: “I can’t believe how much the AquaClean has revolutionised my day-to-day life. I was always worried, self-conscious and anxious before, but now I have the AquaClean installed I don’t worry any more. It’s brilliant.
“I love to get outdoors and I feel confident doing so, even heading out to the shops was once a real ordeal but now I can happily mooch around the shops, safe in the knowledge that I’m completely clean.
“My grandchildren were already having a field day when they came to my house before, taking it in turns to travel up and down the stair lift. I know have them wanting to have a go on my fancy shower toilet too. I think they think they’re at the fairground!
Alison added: “If I can help one person get their freedom and confidence back by sharing my story, then it’s totally worth it!”
