Healthcare Spaces in Your Own Garden

24. Oktober 2024

A quick and affordable option for outpatient care: Equipped with TOTO WASHLET, the senior module from WOLF System GmbH helps people close the gap in healthcare.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res

The healthcare gap is growing, affecting all of us in our aging society. Increasing numbers of people require healthcare as they age, but there aren’t enough nurses and healthcare facilities to cover this growing demand. What does this mean for our relatives in need of care – and for us? What solutions are available to close this gap? Prominent construction firm Wolf System GmbH teamed up with Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt from the Applied Health Sciences Department at Deggendorf Institute for Technology and other well-known companies – including Japanese sanitary expert TOTO – to find answers.

Their efforts have paid off. This effective business-industry collaboration developed a practical solution for short-term healthcare that you can put in your garden: a fully accessible modular structure that maximises comfort and care with a minimal footprint.

If families want to care for their loved ones but lack the space at home, this prefabricated and completely accessible senior module offers a quick, practical solution. Available in a variety of different sizes to fit in the garden, each is designed to provide healthcare in the home environment. The expert team behind its development carefully considered every aspect of the Senior Module, incorporating practical features and details to simplify everyday care while greatly promoting the autonomy of the person in need of assistance. This detached space ensures that everyone has their own privacy.

The well-being of care-dependent individuals is at the heart of the concept of “integrated care excellence”. Each Senior Module is adapted to each individual situation to ensure safety and the best-possible care, whether through family or outpatient providers. Practically every element is designed to assist people in their everyday lives. The height-adjustable stove, for example, has a monitor and automatic shut-off feature to provide greater safety while cooking. The innovative ceiling lamps ensure that help arrives quickly in the event of a fall. The supplied hospital bed has a swivel function and anti-bedsore mattress, which helps people get up without stumbling. An overhead lift is available if it’s not possible for the person to stand on their own. This can also be used for training purposes or rehabilitation exercises. The fully accessible shower has a comfortable body air dryer, which promotes people’s personal autonomy while making hand towels unnecessary. The entire structure is digitally connected to care providers, reducing the bureaucracy involved in outpatient care – allowing providers to dedicate more time to people who need it.

The accessible bathroom with the height-adjustable washbasin and shower seat also features TOTO WASHLET. This allows people with limited mobility and those requiring care to use the toilet independently – delivering a pleasant and soothing experience. People can operate every WASHLET feature with the remote control, making it easier to use the toilet on their own. WASHLET also ensures the greatest possible cleanliness and hygiene thanks to the intimate cleansing feature, which uses fresh, warm water. The automatic cleansing and drying features reduce toilet paper use to a minimum. “This is a great benefit to people with limited mobility. It gives them greater autonomy in their everyday lives,” explains TOTO’s Hubertus Brüggemann.

Düsseldorf, October 24

TOTO brings luxury to bathroom culture, creating innovations that deliver the ultimate in design, comfort and hygiene without revealing the sophisticated technology integrated within. Japan’s leading supplier of bathroom products, TOTO develops comprehensive solutions for high-end private and public spaces around the world, including the European market since 2009. The company is shaping bathroom design with innovative sanitary ware, faucets, and, most importantly, WASHLET – selling over 70 million worldwide. TOTO’s Japanese design philosophy reflects a respect for others. It centres on people and their needs, inspiring intuitive, easy-to-use products and elegantly understated designs. TOTO shows this same respect for the environment, developing water-saving technologies that help conserve resources while pursuing its sustainability strategy in internationally recognised initiatives like Climate Group RE100 and the Science Based Targets Initiative.

Office of Communications