Bathing aids palliative cancer care & aging-in-place

描述（由申请人提供）：我们建议开发在设备水平上密切相关的洗浴辅助技术，用于2个非常不同但重要且服务不足的潜在用户群体：1）为接受晚期癌症姑息治疗的皮肤脆弱的人提供卧室洗浴，以及2）为行动不便的老年人提供底层洗浴，他们无法负担昂贵的楼梯升降机或无障碍浴室安装的家庭改造费用。对于姑息治疗的卧室，我们建议比较的成本和功效的设计在床上或椅子上洗澡系统，便携式，可能是电池辅助与那些直接水动力。对于那些在底层没有浴室并且没有足够的行动能力上下楼梯的多层老年住宅的行动不便的居民，我们建议评估设计，允许坐在任何水槽旁洗澡。目前，这些老年人面临着几个没有吸引力的选择，促进机构化，而不是大多数人希望自己在原地养老。我们的基本创新是增加低用水量的雾浴设备与水动力气流或抽吸技术，以允许更高的洗涤水量，而不需要浴缸或淋浴地漏。之前的低用水量雾浴系统因使用困难或不令人满意而受到批评。我们的基本设计将从一个双可移动的柔性管道连接到水槽供电。它们的内在安全性和可负担性将得到提高，因为它们的使用将不需要电力。如果成功的话，这项研究将促进适当的卫生在家中设置敏感皮肤和行动不便的老年人在旧的多层住房癌症临终关怀患者。它将把先进的洗浴概念融入到一个负担得起的、本质上安全的洗浴系统中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose developing bathing assistance technologies that are closely related at the device level for 2 very distinct, but important and underserved populations of potential users: 1) bedroom bathing for people with fragile skin receiving palliative care for advanced cancers and 2) ground floor bathing for elderly mobility impaired people who cannot afford the expensive home modifications of stair lifts or accessible bathroom installation. For palliative care in bedrooms, we propose to compare the costs and efficacy of designs for in-bed or in-chair bathing systems that are portable and may be battery assisted versus those that are directly water powered. For use by mobility impaired residents of multi-story older homes who do not have a bathroom on the ground floor and do not have sufficient mobility to go up and down stairs, we propose evaluating designs to allow bathing while sitting by any sink. Currently, these seniors are faced with several unattractive alternatives that promote institutionalization rather than the aging-in-place that most desire for themselves. Our basic innovation is to augment low water usage mist bathing devices with water powered airflow or aspiration technologies to permit higher wash water volumes without the need for a tub or shower floor drain. Previous low water usage mist bathing systems have been criticized as difficult or unsatisfying to use. Our basic designs will be powered from a dual removable flexible tubing connection to a sink. Their inherent safety and affordability will be enhanced because no electricity will be required for their use. If successful, this research will facilitate adequate hygiene for in-home settings for cancer hospice patients with sensitive skin and mobility impaired frail elderly in older multi-story housing. It will integrate advanced bathing concepts into an affordable and inherently safe bathing system.