What is 'Bathing made easy'?
Bathing made easy is a search and comparison website developed by the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF), a national charity that provides advice about equipment for older and disabled people. It aims to includes every personal care product that is available nationally for older and disabled people in the UK. The development of the service was funded by The GUS Charitable Trust.
The information contained in the website is completely impartial and has been checked by the DLF's team of therapists. Any product that can be supplied on a national basis can be included in the website. If you are a manufacturer or supplier in the UK and your product is not listed, please contact our Data Services team to find out how to get your product listed.
How do I find a product?
You can find a product by searching (simply enter a keyword to find a product, e.g. bath seat) or browsing through our directory.
What if I would like to speak to someone before I make a decision or want to try a product out?
You can call the DLF Helpline and speak to an advisor if you would like to talk to someone before you make a decision. They will also be able to refer you to a local Demonstration Centre, where you can try products out for yourself. The Helpline number is 0845 130 9177 (textphone 020 7432 8009), email advice@dlf.org.uk and it is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. from Monday-Friday.
Can I buy products from this website?
You cannot buy products directly from the DLF, although we do provide contact details for national suppliers of the products you might be interested in.
Why does the website only include personal care products?
The DLF has a database of over 14,000 products in 24 different categories, including beds, chairs, wheelchairs, household products and products for walking and moving and handling. This database is currently sold on subscription to Social Services, the NHS and charities, which generates significant income for the DLF. This enables us to keep the database up-to-date and run our other services for the public, such as our Helpline and our Equipment Demonstration Centre.
Our long-term aim is to make this data freely available over the internet for public use. However, before we can do so. we need to ensure that we can generate sufficient income to sustain a free service in the future and make up for any potential loss of subscription income from making the information freely available. By piloting one section of the database initially, we hope to be able to determine how much income it generates from suppliers, individual donations and other organisations interested in supporting this initiative.
In the meantime, if you need advice about other types of product that might be able to help you, please call our Helpline on 0845 130 9177 (textphone 020 7432 8009).
How can I help the DLF in its long-term aim to make their whole database available free-of-charge for public use?
If you are an organisation (such as a charitable trust or a manufacturer or supplier), please contact our Marketing department to discuss ways in which you can help.
If you are an individual you can make a donation to help sustain the service in the future.
In 'Bathing made easy' you refer to BHTA members. What does this mean?
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) is the UK's oldest and largest healthcare association (founded in 1917). Its membership consists of some 350 companies (both large and small) from across the many non-pharmaceutical sectors of the healthcare industry. The products they make and supply are as varied as wheelchairs and scooters, stairlifts, seating and positioning products, patient support surfaces, rehabilitation products, stoma and continence products, aids and services for visually impaired people, and even prosthetics and orthotics.
The BHTA is closely involved with developing industry and product standards, maintaining and improving on product choice, quality and, above all, safety. Of particular note is the BHTA's Code of Practice, which sets out the standards its members must meet and the work alongside this to identify best practice, eliminate "cowboy" behaviour and to ensure that member businesses are ones that members of the public can trust to give good service. The spotlight at the moment is on the increase in Internet selling and the pitfalls involved for unwary members of the public. BHTA is preparing guidance on this.