[RoseRodent]

How do people manage to balance themselves on the disabled toilets which are raised to alpine heights? I cannot "go" if I can't put my feet down, and carrying around a portable step isn't really practical. Sometimes I can get my feet back on the wheelchair footplate, but not always, depends on the layout. Wonder if anyone has tips for me!

[SashaQ]

I share your struggle with that one - the average person may be getting taller, but I'm not so it can be quite a challenge to ascend to the alpine heights... 

My tactic is the same as yours, using the wheelchair footplates. 

Sometimes but not often there might be a small waste paper bin that may help.

[Fiz]

Gosh actually that's awful. The people I know greatly helped by them are men and I'd not thought about the struggle if you're not only female but shorter than the average female. I can no longer stand without leverage and at home I have the perfect height window ledge and in public loos not being a wheelchair user don't use loos for the disabled and use the large circular toilet roll dispenser to help me up, thankfully so far they seem to be firmly fixed to the wal!  Most local loos for the disabled around here would be large enough to accommodate two loos so they could be different heights.

I was at a venue today that have loos (gender free) with two loo cubicles but I noticed on the door of the toilet for the disabled it said Not all disabilities are visible and that's the first time I've ever seen that sign on a loo anywhere.

Today I was desperate for the toilet in London and the nearest public toilet was half a mile away, as if I could walked that, so I went into a little mini supermarket/newsagent and whipped out my registered disabled card and asked to use their staff loo. Thankfully though the lady looked wary and unsure told me where it was (through the stock room and in the back yard with no inside light switch so I had to leave the door ajar so I could see where the loo was) and when I went back through the shop and thanked the lady she asked me whether the loo was clean. I wasn't sure if she meant when I went to use it or how I had left it but the answer was yes anyway thank goodness. So glad I don't live in London. Very thankful for the kind lady, had I had a mind to I had the opportunity to steal a fair amount of stock as I had my rucksack with me. I'm always touched and grateful when someone helps me.

[ATurtle]

Hmm, an addition, perhaps for the disabled toilets around the country, a swing out step that can be used if needed?

[KizzyKazaer]

That sounds like a really sensible solution, ATurtle - but I'm not a wheelchair user, so no doubt others would know better than me...  Though I'd imagine that the swing-out/retract button or lever would have to be clearly labelled and, of course, easily accessible.  Especially if the next toiler user finds the step left sticking out when they'd rather it was not!

[SashaQ]

The best loo I ever used had adjustable height toilet and basin, with easy to use buttons for each.  Sadly, the extra technology meant the toilet broke after a couple of years, and they replaced it with a standard raised one because a replacement adjustable one was too expensive 

[Norrin Radd]

This is one reason I use a conveen. Maybe there's a version of that for women?

[Sunshine Meadows]

Norrin,

There is a device called a Shewee (other brands are available) link , but much as Rose describes not being able to go when her feet are not on something I found my body would not accept weeing with my jeans still on. 

Rose,

You posted when I was not around so you might not see my reply nevertheless I will answer. I think the solution might be to have a folding box that you can carry with you. There are allsorts of new technologies out there and so it should be possible to create something, the hardest detail to overcome would be that it did not skid or tip away when you put your feet on it.