Barrier-free WC

The toilet plays a decisive role in barrier-free living. Privacy is paramount, so it is all the more understandable that it is precisely here that it is possible for the resident to use it alone.  

It is used several times a day and should therefore be converted so that the person concerned can ideally use it alone for a long time. An age-appropriate bathroom as well as a barrier-free WC are therefore indispensable when a certain immobility or health restrictions arise in old age.

How can a bathroom conversion be realised? What needs to be considered when installing a barrier-free WC? What aspects need to be considered, what subsidies are available? What is behind the DIN 18040-2 standard?

Both people who depend on a wheelchair and people who depend on the use of a rollator or a walking aid must be able to use the toilet - either independently or with the help of a carer. That is why barrier-free sanitary facilities are essential for a self-determined life within one's own four walls. A move to a home or assisted living can often be avoided or delayed if the flat is appropriately converted.

If you are planning to convert a toilet to make it suitable for the disabled or elderly, a look at DIN standard 18040-2 will tell you exactly what to look out for. Barrier-free WCs are precisely defined here, both for the physically impaired and for wheelchair users. Often it is not possible to realise 1:1 what the standard specifies, but you can at least orientate yourself on these specifications.  

In summary, the following requirements apply:

• The washbasin must be accessible from below
• Movement area in front of the WC 120 x 120 cm, for wheelchair users 150 x 150 cm
• Lateral distance to other objects 20 cm, for wheelchair users 90 cm on one side, 30 cm on the other side
• 55 cm behind the front edge of the WC bowl, a back support is to be installed
• Toilet paper holder and flush must be accessible with one hand.

In order to receive funding for barrier-free living - for example from KfW or from long-term care insurance funds - there are specifications. With KfW, this is even quite strictly regulated: All conversion measures must comply with the above-mentioned standard 18040-2. For the subsidies paid by the long-term care insurance fund - provided the resident has a care degree - this standard is of secondary importance. Here it is more about the individual impairment of the person in need of care. So if an elderly person with a care level can no longer visit the toilet independently after a fracture of the neck of the femur, a WC suitable for the disabled is subsidised with up to 4000 euros. A KfW grant of up to 6250 euros is currently available in the context of barrier-free housing.

So what does it look like, the barrier-free WC? A movement area of 90 cm should be maintained next to the WC. However, this is often hardly feasible or, if it is, it is associated with high costs. A remedy might be a side-adjustable WC, which creates additional space.

If you are dependent on a wheelchair, you will need a WC that is suitable for the disabled. By the way, the requirements here are much higher than for a barrier-free WC! Depending on the seat height of the wheelchair, which varies, the height of the WC must be adapted to that of the wheelchair. Wheelchair users with a low body height often have problems climbing onto WC bowls that are too high.

There must be an additional back support behind the bowl, 55 cm behind the front edge of the WC bowl. In case of physical impairment without a wheelchair, the lid must be easy to operate.

Both the toilet paper holder and the flush must be within reach with one hand. It is even easier with a touchless flush.

The space around the WC is also relevant: the DIN standard specifies 90 cm of free space. This is important not only if the person is in a wheelchair, but also if a carer assists with going to the toilet.

The toilet bowl should be wall-hung. The advantage of this is that it is easier to adjust the height to the height of the user. In addition, cleaning the floor becomes much easier, which in turn benefits the caring relatives.

Standard models are sufficient for people with limited mobility, but those who sit in a wheelchair must pay attention to the prescribed depth of 70 cm.

Shower toilets, which are becoming more and more fashionable, provide an excellent option for intimate hygiene for people who are still independent.

But it can be even better. If you are looking for a particularly comfortable toilet: there are already models where the lid opens automatically when a person approaches, an LED light comes on and the grab rails swing forward. In the meantime, there are even toilets available that flush exclusively by voice control.

The DIN standard also prescribes grab rails that should be attached to a wall with sufficient load-bearing capacity. Those with limited mobility can usually manage with an angled handle on the wall, while those in wheelchairs need two grab rails to the right and left of the toilet bowl according to the DIN standard.

In addition to the structural measures to achieve a barrier-free WC, an emergency call system can also be installed in the room directly next to the toilet. One or two call buttons located directly next to the toilet seat and next to the wash hand basin are ideal. Furthermore, a pull-cord button can be installed near the floor. This can be life-saving for people who are lying on the floor and can no longer get up.

If the WC is to be used by a wheelchair user, the washbasin must be accessible from below. It must be ensured that the legroom is 55 cm deep. The distance between the front edge of the washbasin and the tap must not exceed 40 cm.

Swivelling washbasins are practical. These enable wheelchair users to wash their hands first and only then sit on the wheelchair. A height-adjustable washbasin, on the other hand, allows wheelchair users to sit under it. Soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and waste bins should be located in the immediate vicinity of the washbasin. The towel rail should take over the function of the grab bar.

When people become dependent on care, their requirements and needs change - also when it comes to going to the toilet. Since this is often a sensitive topic and most people would like to manage this intimate moment on their own, a toilet suitable for the disabled or the elderly is an important part of living in old age.