Abstract:
A method of facilitating the establishment of a home care facility for the physically impaired by establishing a single source for a body lift assembly, portable shower and portable commode all suitable for installation in a bedroom and wherein the lift assembly is capable of transporting the impaired person between the bed, shower and commode.

Description:
[0001]    This application is filed claiming the benefit of Applicant&#39;s U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/227,165, filed Jul. 21, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Field of Invention 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a method of facilitating the establishment of a home care facility for the physically impaired and more particularly comprises establishing a single source for a body lift assembly, shower, commode, ramp and stair assembly that may be installed in the home to accommodate the needs of the impaired. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    As people age they frequently express a strong preference to spend their time at home in familiar surroundings and avoid being moved to a nursing home or other long term care facility. Independently funded facilities unsubsidized by local, state or federal government are extremely expensive, costing several thousands of dollars monthly. On the other hand, government owned facilities require residents to turn over all their assets and social security future income, because eligibility to move into such facilities requires that an applicant be indigent. Furthermore, such facilities are frequently overcrowded with 2, 3, 4, or even more individuals assigned to a single room frequently resulting in a total loss of privacy and the inability to listen to radio or television or receive private phone calls and may further create an intolerable noise level. Yet another distasteful if not unbearable condition is created by the incontinent residents that generate an odor that is both unhealthy and very distasteful for all residents of the institution. All of the foregoing factors create a strong preference on the part of the impaired to remain at home, hopefully with family, in familiar surroundings. 
         [0004]    The present invention makes it relatively easy, convenient, and economically affordable for the family or other caregivers of the physically impaired to establish suitable quarters in the home. The different types of equipment required to do so are known, but heretofore have not been available from a single source. 
         [0005]    A home facility for the physically impaired should include in a convenient and familiar location, typically a bedroom, with not only a suitable bed or other sleeping facility that is comfortable for the patient, but a commode, shower, and lift system to to transport the person from each station including the bed to each of the others. In accordance with the present invention, the lift, shower and commode, along with the possible addition of a ramp to provide access to the living area of the home and stairs to bypass the ramp if the permanent stairs are blocked by the ramp, are provided by a single source. 
         [0006]    This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial illustration of a bedroom with a lift system, shower and commode supplied by a single source in accordance with the present invention and suggests the manner in which the various components function together; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the lift system employed in the room of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 3 . illustrates an array of different shower stalls, any of which may be used in the combination of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates the combination of equipment to be supplied, either by sale or lease, by a sole source, to the physically impaired party in need of the equipment. In the drawing the lift system  10 , shower  12 , and commode  14  are shown. These various components are directly supplied by a single source to the impaired or his/her caregiver for home use. Each of the several components may be produced in a variety of different styles but their basic functions are well known. This application therefore, is not specifically confined to a particular style of any of the components, but rather the essence of the invention is the creation of a single source that supplies the lift, shower and commode for use by the impaired individual and his/her caregiver. Therefore, specific details described in the specification of the components are not intended to be limiting, but rather are given merely as examples of the individual components that are supplied. 
         [0011]    The lift system  10  is the most complex of the various components. In  FIG. 2 , one example of a suitable lift system is shown in detail. The lift system includes a free-standing frame  20  that preferably does not require attachment to the walls, ceiling or floor of the room in which it is assembled, but rather is supported by corner posts  22  connected by horizontal beams  24 ,  26 ,  28 , and  30  at the top four sides of the frame. The top beams  24  and  26  serve as stabilizers for the frame while the beams  28  and  30  serve as side tracks for a transverse beam  32  that is movable in the frame between the beams  24  and  26 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , angle braces  36  interconnect the stabilizing beam  26  with the side beams  28  and  30  to stiffen the assembly. The side beams  28  and  30  enable the transverse beam  32  to move from front to back in the frame as viewed in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and as suggested by arrow  33  in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  suggests two of the infinite number of positions that the transverse beam may assume to transport the individual about the room to the several components. 
         [0012]    The sliding transverse beam  32  carries a motor lift assembly  40  that is movable on the transverse beam between the side beams  28  and  30  as suggested by arrow  35  in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the motor and lift assembly  40  carries a remote control and on/off switch  41  (shown in the hands of a caregiver) to enable the impaired person or caregiver to move the motor and lift assembly  40  on the transverse beam and also to move the transverse beam  32  back to front on the beams  28  and  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the lift assembly  40  carries a shackle  42  that in turn supports a sling  44  or other type of carrier for the person requiring use of the system to be moved about the room. While a sling is shown as the carrier, it should be appreciated that it may take the form of a seat, stretcher, or other support capable of transporting a person. 
         [0013]    The shower  12  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a frame  60  having four vertical legs  62  connected by upper horizontal bars  64  and lower horizontal bars  66 . The shower is enclosed by a curtain  68  carried on hooks that engage the upper horizontal bars, and similar hooks may also connect the curtain to the vertical bars  62  to retain the curtain in place. The shower shown also includes a floor mat  74  that at its sides  75  extend upwardly to the lower horizontal bars  66  of the frame  60  to retain water within the confines of the shower. The shower shown is open at the front side, and the lower horizontal bar on that side  66   a  may be pivoted upwardly out of the way to afford access to a wheelchair and occupant to the shower interior. The shower may include a showerhead and hose connected to a water source such as faucet or tank, as well as a vacuum system for gathering water that collects on the floor mat and carry it to an appropriate collection device such as a tub or tank. These features are shown in the to several shower embodiments in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0014]    If the user is transported to the shower by means of the lift system  10 , it may be necessary to remove one of the horizontal bars  64  to provide access through the open front  81 . It is also desirable that the frame of the shower be collapsible so that it may be stored out of the way when not in use. Several typical embodiments of shower stalls intended for use at home by the impaired and suitable for use in this system are shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0015]    The commode  14  may be a simple structure having a frame  80  that includes legs  82 , arm rests  84 , back brace  86 , removable receptacle  88  and backrest  90 . The receptacle should be readily removable so as to be emptied and cleaned. As with the other components of the home care system, other styles and designs of the various components supplied by a single source may be incorporated. The frame  80  may be made of metal or plastic. The model shown is only exemplary, and many other styles may be substituted. 
         [0016]    The single source, in accordance with the present invention, may also supply ramp systems such as depicted in Applicant&#39;s earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,575 granted Apr. 21, 1998, that is incorporated herein by reference. The ramp shown in Applicant&#39;s earlier patent may provide access to the home of an impaired person to facilitate the home care of the physically impaired person. Another structure that may further assist the caregiver in maintaining the impaired at home is an assembled stair structure such as shown in Applicant&#39;s copending application Ser. No. 12/469,781 filed May 21, 2009 incorporated herein by reference that may be temporarily erected to provide additional access to a home, particularly where a ramp system such as shown in Applicant&#39;s earlier to U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,575 covers or blocks permanent and convenient stair access to the home. 
         [0017]    Having described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.