Raised toilet seats protect seniors from falls in the bathroom by making it easier to sit on and rise from the toilet. Because the seat is higher, they have less distance to travel!
So, they don’t need to expend as much energy and can use leverage to help. Plus, they help steady their balance too.
And, when it comes to choosing the best raised toilet seat for seniors and the elderly, I haven’t found one better than the Bemis Clean Shield, based on my experience in the medical equipment industry. Keep reading this Bemis Clean Shield Review to learn why!
I was sent a Clean Shield to use for free for this review. However, I received no other compensation for this review, and the opinions are my own – based on my expertise and personal experience.
Summary: Bemis Clean Shield Review
Here is a quick summary of my detailed review of the Bemis Clean Shield Raised Toilet Seat. Keep reading for more details and an in-depth discussion of how it helps people with mobility problems improve their toileting safety.
The Clean Shield is the best raised toilet seat for seniors and the elderly because it is easy to install, a breeze to clean, and even easier to use. Plus, it has every feature and accessory an older adult might need. It raises the toilet seat height by 3 inches and includes a funnel design to make sure everything goes where it should!
In addition to a high-quality raised toilet seat, you have the option of purchasing arms to go with it. I always recommend this accessory because it helps with leverage by giving you a nice, stable place to push up from.
Another great accessory is the Personal Wash Bidet for people who are used to using bidets and want to continue doing so. It installs onto and is designed to work with this raised toilet seat.
Video Review
If you prefer watching videos over reading, here is my quick video review of the Bemis Clean Shield. Keep reading for more details.
How Does It Help Seniors and the Elderly
It is common knowledge that the bathroom can be a dangerous place for seniors and the elderly. Bathroom surfaces are cold and hard – especially the ones surrounding the toilet.
Falls while getting up and down from the toilet are part of that danger. Poor mobility, leg weakness, and loss of balance are all contributing factors.
But the Bemis Clean Shield elevated toilet seat helps older adults deal with the issues by raising the height of the current toilet seat by 3 inches. So, they have less distance to travel when sitting on or standing on the toilet.
Plus, if you choose the optional Support Arms, you’ll have a stable base where you can use your arms to support yourself and push up to a standing position. You can also use the arms to help guide and soften the landing.
Feature Review for Users and Caregivers
Here are some of the important features and how you can use them to improve your bathroom safety or of someone you care for.
Simple Installation
It all starts with installation because if you can’t get the elevated seat on your toilet in the first place, it doesn’t matter. You also need to make sure it is installed securely to reduce the chance of a fall.
Bemis gets a gold star in both of these aspects.
First, it is simple to install in just a few steps:
- Remove your old seat by loosening and removing the current bolts and brackets.
- Align the hinges of the Clean Shield toilet seat and push the bolts through the holes in your current toilet.
- Thread the nuts onto the bolts from underneath the toilet bowl deck, and hand tighten.
- Use the included wrench to tighten the Snap2Secure hardware until you feel and hear the “snap.”
This Snap2Secure hardware addresses my second point. A common problem with raised toilet seats is improper installation, which may rock or wobble. Not good! I have also heard of people cracking their toilets by tightening them too much.
By using this special hardware and the wrench that comes with it, you just tighten it until the end of the bolt literally snaps off. This means you have it tightened the correct amount: not loose and not too tight. Plus, it stays tight too!
And, yes, it’s just the tip, so you can still remove it later if needed – just keep the wrench in a safe place.
Here’s a quick video showing you how that works:
Secure and Stable
The next concern with raised toilet seats, after installation, is to make sure they are secure and stable when being used. The Bemis Clean Shield excels at this also.
While much of the stability comes from the hinges and proper installation, it also has rubber bumpers underneath the seat to stabilize it onto the toilet bowl. These bumpers also cushion “hard landings.”
Also, for stability, I recommend the optional support arms. These arms rise up from the seat itself and provide built-in hand holds for stabilizing your body when sitting and standing. They, too, are easy for you to install. They just pop into the built-in receivers on the seat using push pins.
Clean Shield Funnel Design
Under the seat is a shield that helps funnel waste into the toilet bowl – where it should go! Many raised toilet seats are open underneath, which creates quite a mess.
Not a fun one to clean up either. But, this funnel design directs waste with less splashing on the toilet bowl rim.
Some current users have mentioned that men who need to sit to urinate have had leakage from the front of the seat. It isn’t a common occurrence but is frequent enough to mention.
There is a small gap of 3/8 inch in the front of the one that I have installed. So, depending on the angle of the urine stream, it is possible but not likely.
Easy Cleaning and Maintenance
The discussion above leads us to cleaning. Elevated toilet seats are notoriously difficult to clean because the cheaper models tend to create quite a mess.
The Clean Shield funnel that I described above is a big help. But, the high hinges on the back are important for cleanability too.
These hinges are raised up off of the toilet bowl rim surface, and you can easily get your hand and a cleaning brush or rag under them for a quick wipe down. There are no tight, closed surfaces to try to clean.
Plus, the entire seat is glossy and just requires a simple wiping down to keep it clean and sanitary.
Eye Pleasing Aesthetics
There are generally two camps of medical equipment users: those who don’t care what it looks like and those who are self-conscious about how it looks.
Both camps will be very pleased with the Bemis product. It doesn’t look like one of those cheap blow-molded plastic bubbles sitting on your toilet.
Because Bemis manufactures high-end standard toilet seats, the design was a consideration from the start. So, it looks like an expensive after-market toilet seat.
It even has a contoured lid that covers the seat and bowl when not in use but flips back out of the way when the toilet is needed.
The overall appearance has a glossy sheen and a sleek appearance. Even if you add the optional arms, they too have an ergonomic look and feel that doesn’t detract from the seat at all.
Options and Accessories
There are a few options and accessories available you should be aware of before deciding:
1. Round or Elongated Toilet Bowl Options
You can get the Bemis Clean Shield in either the round bowl or elongated bowl configuration.
What’s the difference? Round bowls are usually just that: circular when you look at them from above. Elongated bowls are longer front to back than they are side to side when you look down from the front.
The round bowl usually measures about 16 inches from to back, while elongated ones are closer to 18-1/2 inches.
Just choose the right shape to fit your current bowl, and you are good to go!
2. Optional Support Arms
If you have read this review up to this point, then you already know I am a big fan of these arms. They increase the support and safety of the seat by providing stable handholds for further assistance.
They are easy to install to the seat as well. You just remove the plastic covers on the sides of the seat and pop the support arms in. They snap and lock in using metal push pins and are even labeled right and left to make sure you get the right ones on the right side.
The ergonomic handles are cushioned while also being non-slid with a knurled finish underneath. All of these features mean a safe and secure grip that is comfortable for you to hold onto as well.
Here is a quick video showing how these arms help you get up and down from the toilet:
3. Personal Wash Bidet Attachment
Bidets are becoming more and more popular among seniors and elderly people. There are many reasons why bidets are good for seniors and the elderly.
So, people who are used to using a bidet won’t have to change that with this product. You just order it with the Personal Wash bidet as a package and install it all together.
Installation requires a quick hook up to the toilet bowl supply line (hardware is included for most setups), and the bidet mounts underneath the toilet seat hinges.
Just line it up before inserting the seat hardware through the toilet bowl. If you have even basic plumbing knowledge, you won’t need a plumber.
This bidet is easy to use as well, with a very simple control mechanism. You simply twist it to adjust the pressure, similar to an old-fashioned faucet knob. It is very intuitive.
Weight Capacity
While there isn’t a stated weight capacity on the product, Bemis states they have safety tested it up to 1000 pounds. The arms have also been tested to 350 pounds on each side. So, it is going to be safe to use for most every senior (up to those weights at least!)
Review and Recommendations
So, do I recommend the Bemis Clean Shield raised toilet seat?
Well, you probably know the answer to that question by now: I do! For all of the reasons I detailed above.
But, here is a quick summary:
- Raises toilet seat height by 3 inches
- Fits both round and elongated toilets
- Easy installation that is safe and secure and stays tight
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Optional support arms provide additional stability and balance assistance
- Optional bidet attachment for those who prefer it
- Support a lot of weight so it can be used by larger seniors
Do I think it’s perfect? It is close, but there are a few drawbacks that could be improved:
- It only comes in a 3-inch height option. This may not be enough for taller people specifically or those with a really low toilet. While this size will fit the majority of people, I’d love to see an additional size option of 5 inches or so for those at the ends of the height range.
- There have been complaints of urine leakage from men. Several reviews mention that elderly men who sit while urinating have had urine leak out of the front around the Clean Shield. There is a small gap between the shield and the top of the rim on the one I installed. So, I can see where this is possible depending on the angle and anatomy.
- It is a more expensive option. You will pay more for this raised toilet seat, but there are reasons why which I have detailed in this review. It is more expensive than a blow-molded clamp-on raised toilet seat, but it is safer to use as well. Plus, it will last for years. It really is a situation of getting what you pay for!
Tell me what you think about the Bemis Clean Shield Raised Toilet Seat. If you have personal experience with it, please share that too!
