%0 Journal Article
%T Assisting Frail Seniors With Toileting in a Home Bathroom: Approaches Used by Home Care Providers
%A Brett M. Weiss
%A Emily C. King
%A Geoff R. Fernie
%A Jack P. Callaghan
%A Tilak Dutta
%A Veronique M. Boscart
%J Journal of Applied Gerontology
%@ 1552-4523
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0733464817702477
%X Home care providers experience high occupational injury rates. Improving safety is becoming increasingly urgent as this sector expands to support the aging population. Caregivers identify assisting with toileting as a particularly frequent and difficult activity. This mixed-methods observational study identified and analyzed the toileting subactivities that place care providers at the greatest risk of musculoskeletal injury. Eight personal support workers (home care aides) assisted a frail older adult (actor) in a simulated home bathroom. Overall technique and body postures were analyzed. Exposure to musculoskeletal injury risk factors (low back loads and time in extreme trunk postures) was greatest when removing/replacing clothing and providing posterior perineal care; high loads were also possible during transfers. Exposures can be reduced by lowering the pants only to knee level or squatting to raise them. A bidet seat or attachment can perform perineal cleaning, which accounted for 32% of time in severe trunk flexion
%K home health care workers
%K toileting
%K ergonomics
%K musculoskeletal disorder
%K back injury
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0733464817702477