Does anyone have suggestions to help us get my Dad to sit down on the toilet? I know it sounds crazy!
My Dad seems to have an aversion to the toilet. He will let my Mom know that he has to pee, etc. and will go into the bathroom, but it takes forever to get him to sit on the toilet! He will stand there, shuffling his feet, looking at his fingers, anything other than sitting down. We got him a 3-in-1 toilet seat with hands so he'd be able to push himself up if that was his problem, but the few times he used it he just squirted onto the floor or complained that the hole was too small! Any of you have suggestions that you've used with your loved ones? I've suggested his use the walk-in shower when peeing but sometimes he has a "phobia" about that, too. I know someone once suggested using a colored seat; we've tried putting the blue cleaning tablets in to make the water blue; nothing seems to work. Help!
Maybe your mom can have a frank discussion with him about why he has this aversion...is it physical (he's afraid he won't be able to get back up); mental (he's afraid he'll get sucked in; fall through the seat, dirty himself?); afraid if he calls out no one will hear his cry for help?. If you can figure out the fear then maybe you can find a solution.
Good luck.
If he won't sit to defecate as well; then you've got greater hurdle. My father had such difficulty squatting down and getting back up with weakening legs. We installed the raised toilet seat with handles and additionally installed grab bars on the wall so he could "pull" himself up and forward off the toilet seat. You could also give him a plastic curved shield (similar to whats on kids potty chairs) for him to use as a splash guard once he sits down.
These things may give him the security he needs to toilet himself.
I'm not fond of peeing in the shower or tub...unless there is going to be disinfection in between.