It was prior to my mom’s hip replacement surgery that I had my introduction to commode chairs, or as they are more frequently called bedside commodes, these rather unstylish chairs that double as toilets, and some transport chairs, shower chairs and safety frames.
Commode chairs look like a chair frame with a toilet seat and lid, and a bucket or pale suspended under that toilet seat. There are static models, and rolling models with wheels used as transport and shower chairs in addition to being a commode.
There are lots of types of commode chairs, and they have quite a few different names.
Static bedside commodes (without wheels)
- folding bedside commode
- static bedside commode
- portable bedside commode
- 3-in-1 bedside commode
- All-in-One bedside commode
- drop arm bedside commode
- bariatric bedside commode
- heavy duty bedside commode
- shower chair bedside commode
- transfer bench bedside commode
Rolling bedside commodes (with wheels)
- attendant transport bedside commode
- self-propelling transport bedside commode
- attendant shower chair transport bedside commode
- self-propelling shower chair transport bedside commode
Portable bedside commodes (static)
Of the static bedside commodes, the main types are –
- folding bedside commode
- stacking bedside commode
- 3-in-1 bedside commode (or All-in-One bedside commode)
- drop arm bedside commode
- shower chair bedside commode
- armchair bedside commodes
These bedside commodes can have versions which are –
- folding
- heavy duty, or bariatric, for heavier individuals these can take much higher loads
- padded – as opposed to the more common hard plastic seats, armrests and back rests
- extra wide – for easier access for those individuals with larger thighs and hips
- elongated seats – these are commodes with a seat which is deeper from front to back to help with cleaning
- open front seats – this is another seat type which is designed to help with self-cleaning
Here are the main types of static commode chairs, or bedside commodes, with a short description of their function.
Simple lightweight folding bedside commode
This is the most basic type of bedside commode, which folds and opens like an ordinary folding chair.
Once the frame is unfolded and standing, the seat is lifted, and the commode bucket is placed in the bucket platform and the commode is ready for use.
Some examples are –
220 lb – Lattice folding bedside commode, Prod. No. Unavailable
260 lb – Elite Care lightweight folding commode, Prod. No. ECCOM1
Static folding bedside commode
Stacking bedside commodes
Stacking bedside commodes are rather more solid than the simple folding type, ad can take a far greater weight.
These commodes can work as a bedside commode and as a raised toilet seat, so long as they have adjustable leg height allowing the user to raise the seat above the rim of their toilet rim.
400 lb – Drive Stacking commode Prod. No. 182
375 lb – Aidapt Kent stacking bedside commode Prod. No VR160
Static stacking bedside commode
3-in-1 or All-in-One bedside commodes
3-in-1 bedside commode are probably the most common type of commode and as their name implies have been designed for three specific tasks –
- as a bedside commode
- as a raised toilet seat
- as a toilet safety frame
Some examples are –
400 lb – Lumex imperial collection 3-in-1 bedside commode, Prod. No. 7446A-2
400 lb – TFI Healthcare wide 3-in-1 commode w/ elongated seat, Prod. No. 3224G
400 lb – TFI Healthcare 3-in-1 commode w/ elongated seat, Prod. No. 3223G
3 in 1 bedside commode
Drop arm bedside commodes
Drop arm commodes allow for side access, as the armrests can be raised or lowered, and are predominantly intended for use by people in wheelchairs and bedridden patients.
Drop arms are also a feature which appear on most other types of bedside commode.
The drop arm bedside commodes can be used –
- a bedside commode
- a toilet safety frame
- a raised toilet seat over your toilet
Some examples are –
250 lb – Medline steel drop arm commode, Prod. No. MDS89668
250 lb – Nova drop arm 3-in-1 commode, Prod. No. 8900W
300 lb – Drive Medical deluxe steel drop arm commode, Prod. No. 11125KD-1
300 lb – Drive Medical drop arm commode, Prod. No. 11125KD-1A
Static drop arm bedside commode
Shower chair bedside commode
This is a combination of a shower chair and a bedside commode.
These commodes are totally waterproof and can be set in the shower as a chair, or used as a commode wherever required.
Unfortunately, some people try to use ordinary bedside commodes in the shower without realizing that they can rust, which can lead to accidents when parts break. Although your bedside commode may have an aluminum frame, the inner workings of the legs etc. may be steel, and should not be exposed to water.
Some examples are –
300 lb – Lumex padded bedside commode chair, Prod. No. 7947KD
300 lb – Platinum Health UltraCommode bedside commode and folding shower chair, Prod. No. —
Static shower bedside commode
Armchairs with built-in commodes
A less often seen kind of bedside commode is an armchair bedside commode.
These are basically armchairs with a commode bucket hidden out of sight under a seat, and they are much more discreet and stylish than the metal framed bedside commodes.
The armchair commode below, the Derby Corner Commode is even more unique, as it is designed specifically to be placed in a corner, which stops it from ever tipping over.
Other examples are –
264 lb – Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare (Drive Medical) Wicker Commode, Prod. No. COO8
350 lb – Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare (Drive Medical) Basket Weave Commode, Prod. No. Z6229
350 lb – Gordon Ellis Derby Basketweave Commode Chair, Prod. No. 5504/OA
Derby Corner Commode
Transfer bench commodes
Transfer bench commodes are a combination bench for transferring into the shower or bathtub, combined with a bedside commode.
Some examples are –
300 lb – Carex transfer bench and commode, Prod. No. 081295278
300 lb – Nova padded transfer bench with commode, Prod. No. 9073
350 lb – Eagle Heath toilet to tub 55″ base sliding transfer bench commode, w/out armrests, Prod. No. 77963
350 lb – Eagle Heath toilet to tub 55″ base sliding transfer bench commode, w/ armrests, Prod. No.77963 (+ armrests Prod No 71002)
Transfer bench bedside commode
While you are looking for bedside commodes, there is lots more that you can do to make your bathroom a safer place for seniors, or anyone else with mobility issues.
To find out all the different things you can do, to have an instant impact on bathroom safety, take a look here, “54 Bathroom Safety Tips For Seniors – A Helpful Guide”.
Attendant transport bedside commode
Rolling bedside commodes (with wheels)
Rolling commodes are divided into two types –
- transport bedside commodes
- shower chair transport bedside commodes
There are then two categories of each of the above types –
- attendant – these are commodes which require a second person to propel the commode
- self-propelling – these are self-propelled chairs for more physically independent users
Attendant transport bedside commodes
The attendant transport bedside commode can be used as –
- a transport chair
- a bedside commode
- or placed over the toilet as a raised toilet seat
Examples of these are –
300 lb – Drive Medical drop arm commode with wheels with padded armrests, Prod. No. 11101W-2
310 lb – Mor Medical New Era PVC rolling commode chair, Prod. No. DNE-118-3TWL
350 lb – AMG Medical MedPro Euro commode with drop down arms, Pro. No. AMG 770365
Self-propelling transport bedside commode
The self-propelling transport bedside commode is for a more physically independent user.
The self-propelling transport bedside commode can be used as –
- a transport chair
- a bedside commode
- or placed over the toilet as a raised toilet seat
Now not all self-propelling can be used over a toilet as they may have horizontal bars which are too low to pass over the toilet seat rim, so you need to check with the retailer when you buy one.
Some examples are –
HBing transport commode wheelchair, Prod. No.-
Yezijaju transport commode wheelchair, Prod. No.-
LHSS transport commode wheelchair, Prod. No.-
Belltower folding transport commode wheelchair, Prod. No.-
Self-propelling transport commode
Attendant shower chair transport bedside commodes
The attendant shower transport commode can be used as –
- a shower chair
- a transport chair
- a commode
- raised toilet seat if the commode has adjustable height legs
Some examples are –
250 lb – Tuffcare transport commode shower chair w/ wheels, front locking casters only, Prod. No. S800
250 lb – Everest & Jennings rehab shower commode 5″ casters, w/ open front seat, Prod. No. 90835175
300 lb – Invacare Mariner rehab shower/ bedside commode w/ 5″ casters, Prod. No. 6981
Attendant shower transport bedside commode with four small wheels
Self-propelling shower chair transport bedside commodes
The self-propelling shower transport bedside commode can be used as –
- a shower chair
- a transport chair
- a commode
- a raised seat if the commode has adjustable height legs, or a fixed height which is higher than a toilet bowl rim
Some examples are –
300 lb – Showerbuddy Roll-inBuddy Solo, shower commode wheelchair, prod. no. SB6w
330 lb – Invacare Aquatec Ocean SP shower/ transport bedside commode w/ wheelchair wheels, Prod. No. INV-OCEANSP
440 lb – Healthline EZee Life heavy duty shower commode wheelchair, Prod. No. 186-24
450 lb – Tuffcare Bariatric shower commode wheelchair, Prod. No. S990
Self-propelling shower transport bedside commode
I’m Gareth, the author and owner of Looking After Mom and Dad.com
I have been a caregiver for over 10 yrs and share all my tips here.
