Do they make portable seats for use on Asian squat toilets?
January 31, 2011 1:31 PM Subscribe
Do they make portable seats for use on Asian/Indian squat toilets? Can you recommend one? I have an older relative that wants to travel to India but he's got bad knees and that makes it difficult or impossible for him to use the squat toilets found throughout the subcontinent. More details inside...
So before he cancels his trip, I though I'd ask you folks if you can suggest some kind of portable seat to convert a squat toilet into a sitting toilet that the average Westerner would have no trouble using. I don't even know where to start a Google search so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
So before he cancels his trip, I though I'd ask you folks if you can suggest some kind of portable seat to convert a squat toilet into a sitting toilet that the average Westerner would have no trouble using. I don't even know where to start a Google search so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
My experience is with China, but they also use squat toilets, although I would imagine they are generally cleaner.
The area around squat toilets are generally going to be pretty gross unless the place is obsessive about cleaning, and even then it will still be pretty gross. Would your relative want to put down a chair or stool in that then take it with them after the deed is done?
Also there are a wide variety of squat toilets, how would a stool work if the toilet is an open narrow trench? or a larger hole in the ground?
Also this is anecdotal, but pretty much any business aimed at western tourists is going to have a western toilet available. If you relative is not straying to far from the beaten path, then this should be a workable solution.
posted by BobbyDigital at 1:41 PM on January 31, 2011
The area around squat toilets are generally going to be pretty gross unless the place is obsessive about cleaning, and even then it will still be pretty gross. Would your relative want to put down a chair or stool in that then take it with them after the deed is done?
Also there are a wide variety of squat toilets, how would a stool work if the toilet is an open narrow trench? or a larger hole in the ground?
Also this is anecdotal, but pretty much any business aimed at western tourists is going to have a western toilet available. If you relative is not straying to far from the beaten path, then this should be a workable solution.
posted by BobbyDigital at 1:41 PM on January 31, 2011
What sort of travel is planning on doing in India? Many internationally-known tourist attractions and other places in major cities have western-style toilets. As do most trains and some hotels (this is more likely to be true for hotels in the major cities or which cater to western tourists).
It's entirely possible for him to travel to India without ever being forced to squat if he isn't able to.
That said, India is not a great destination for people with disabilities, especially mobility issues. There are few even-grade sidewalks and even fewer elevators. A lot of tourist attractions are going to involve climbing flights of stairs. There's typically a lot of walking involved (and in older/weirder cities like Varanasi, there will be entire zones where rickshaws can't go).
Has he really thought this through?
posted by Sara C. at 1:54 PM on January 31, 2011 [5 favorites]
It's entirely possible for him to travel to India without ever being forced to squat if he isn't able to.
That said, India is not a great destination for people with disabilities, especially mobility issues. There are few even-grade sidewalks and even fewer elevators. A lot of tourist attractions are going to involve climbing flights of stairs. There's typically a lot of walking involved (and in older/weirder cities like Varanasi, there will be entire zones where rickshaws can't go).
Has he really thought this through?
posted by Sara C. at 1:54 PM on January 31, 2011 [5 favorites]
His hotel will most definitely have a Western toilet, would he carry a seat around with him every day? I traveled pretty low-cost in India and rarely saw squat toilets. I don't think it's going to be as big of an issue as your relative thinks.
posted by Bunglegirl at 1:58 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Bunglegirl at 1:58 PM on January 31, 2011
The train I was on in China had a squat toilet that was gross, and a western toilet that the conductor had the key for that you'd have to ask for.
posted by garlic at 3:00 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by garlic at 3:00 PM on January 31, 2011
Unless your older relative is doing some hardcore rural tourism (like actually living in a real village), this is not an issue in India for tourists these days. I have stayed in many small hotels in small town India. While the hygiene leaves a lot to be desired, absence of western toilets has not been an issue so far.
However, the sort of portable seats you want are indeed available in India from medical stores for use by people with disabilities. If your relative is using the services of a travel agent in India, they could be asked to procure one.
posted by vidur at 3:19 PM on January 31, 2011
However, the sort of portable seats you want are indeed available in India from medical stores for use by people with disabilities. If your relative is using the services of a travel agent in India, they could be asked to procure one.
posted by vidur at 3:19 PM on January 31, 2011
How bad are his knees exactly? Because it's not strictly necessary to squat right down on your haunches - if he can get his thighs roughly parallel to the ground (say, like sitting on an invisible toilet) then that should do the trick if there are no western toilets around. Could be a bit messy if he's got the runs, though.
I've been to India a number of times, and it's true that western toilets are becoming a lot more common, especially wherever tourists are to be found. A lot of the time, though, they're missing the seat & even if there is a seat, you'd want to hover above it anyway. Especially on trains.
Other times there will simply be no choice, eg stopping in some little village 6 hours into a 12 hour bus journey.
As far as the design of the squat toilets is concerned, they're almost always the same - don't worry about open narrow trenches or large holes in the ground. 99% of the time it'll be a concrete or tiled floor, with a porcelain thing set into it, roughly 2 feet long by a bit less than a foot wide. They probably all come out of the same factory.
The floor around can be a bit less than hospital-grade clean, so seconding the concern about carrying a stool that's been sitting on that kind of floor. Lots of hand washing and a big strong plastic bag for the stool would be a good idea.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:30 PM on January 31, 2011
I've been to India a number of times, and it's true that western toilets are becoming a lot more common, especially wherever tourists are to be found. A lot of the time, though, they're missing the seat & even if there is a seat, you'd want to hover above it anyway. Especially on trains.
Other times there will simply be no choice, eg stopping in some little village 6 hours into a 12 hour bus journey.
As far as the design of the squat toilets is concerned, they're almost always the same - don't worry about open narrow trenches or large holes in the ground. 99% of the time it'll be a concrete or tiled floor, with a porcelain thing set into it, roughly 2 feet long by a bit less than a foot wide. They probably all come out of the same factory.
The floor around can be a bit less than hospital-grade clean, so seconding the concern about carrying a stool that's been sitting on that kind of floor. Lots of hand washing and a big strong plastic bag for the stool would be a good idea.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:30 PM on January 31, 2011
Note that this traveler spent three weeks in India in 2008, and rarely (if ever) saw a squat toilet there. Certainly not in the hotels, even in those cheap ones which I prefer.
posted by Rash at 4:02 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Rash at 4:02 PM on January 31, 2011
To add another data point, in my experience in India in the last couple of years plenty of hostels and rest stops and train stations, etc. still only have squat toilets even in the major cities. However, it would be possible to avoid these if you really wanted to and planned well.
posted by turkeyphant at 4:06 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by turkeyphant at 4:06 PM on January 31, 2011
I was in India for two months in 2009, and I have to say that I strongly disagree with everyone who's posted about there being Western toilets everywhere; I was in very many places with squat toilets, and many of the Western toilets were quite dirty. If you friend sticks to hotels and restaurants aimed at Western tourists, then yes, maybe, but it is definitely not true otherwise. If he's anywhere modest, or on a long travel, like the above village example -- he will have to squat. Undoubtedly so.
And Sara C. is correct that a person with mobility problems is likely to have problems in India, overall.
posted by demagogue at 9:41 PM on January 31, 2011
And Sara C. is correct that a person with mobility problems is likely to have problems in India, overall.
posted by demagogue at 9:41 PM on January 31, 2011
Okay, the term to google is "commode chair" (examples), and it should be available in medical stores.
posted by vidur at 10:34 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by vidur at 10:34 PM on January 31, 2011
What vidur said. Lots of people in the subcontinent have trouble with squat toilets, so the medical stores, or medical equipment stores, usually can supply them quite easily.
posted by bardophile at 5:18 AM on February 22, 2011
posted by bardophile at 5:18 AM on February 22, 2011
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posted by Sidhedevil at 1:39 PM on January 31, 2011 [2 favorites]