Need to pee at night? The Handi-P offers the ultimate convenience.
Nocturia is increasingly being recognised as a major health problem, particularly for older people although it affects 1 in 3 over 30 years of age. It is the medical term for sleep being interrupted more than once a night by the need to get up and urinate – and nocturia can lead to a wide range of other health issues. Over 50 per cent of men and women aged 55-plus suffer from nocturia; and the problem is significantly worse for the over-80s. Night-time trips to the toilet increase the risk of falls; and difficulty in getting back to sleep can be injurious to physical, mental and emotional health.
A simple answer to nocturia is not a drug, but what its inventor calls a 21st-century reinvention of the chamber pot. It’s called the Handi-P – which may sound slightly comical but this is a seriously well thought out piece of kit.
The idea is that you use it sitting or standing by the bed – and possibly without having to fully wake up. It is a spill-proof, odour-proof, noise-reducing, visible-in-the-dark device that's permanently open so no fiddling and saves you having to make that tricky trip to the toilet.
The device looks something like a stylish vase, with a neck that narrows and then widens into an aesthetically pleasing flat-bottomed bottle shape. It is opaque rather than see-through. Urine enters the device down a narrow internal tube; near the bottom of the unit it meets a dome referred to as a “diffuser” which disperses it to start filling the void that surrounds the tube.
The normal adult bladder can discharge 300ml of urine. The design of the Handi-P allows it to safely contain 650ml (over two bladderfuls); with this amount inside it, even if the unit is knocked over, there is no risk of spillage. If necessary, the Handi-P can hold a total of up to 1,400ml (which is over four bladderfuls) and remain incredibly stable.
The inventor of the Handi-P is Robin Shepherd, an eminent medical osteopath and musculoskeletal expert, who has also worked as a pain clinician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Cambridge.
He says: “Getting up for a pee during the night can seriously impact on your sleep and health. Sadly, as we get older, the need to do this will generally increase. Anything that will help you (and your partner) reduce the impact of this – and get a better night’s sleep – has to be a good thing. Sleep disturbances can have many associated costs such as loss of work productivity, emotional distress, poor mood and feelings of loss of control. Add to this the real potential for physical injury, fractures, bruises, and bumps from getting up to go to the loo and you can see the sense, safety and convenience of using the Handi-P.”
Shepherd has included a number of design factors which he feels are vital:
Any smell from the Handi-P is captured to the side of and above the opening where urine enters the unit. The “diffuser” that the urine meets when it reaches the bottom of the entrance tube effectively muffles most sound which otherwise could disturb someone sleeping nearby. The design and materials for the Handi-P have been chosen for being conducive to cleanliness and ease of dismantling. A daily regime of emptying and rinsing, plus a weekly dishwasher clean or sterilisation (with bleach or sterilising tablets), are said to give the device a long and hygienic life. On top of all this, the Handi-P comes with a glow-in-the-dark silicon band which can be placed around the neck of the unit for ease of location at night. There is even an option to fit a tea light into the base of the unit if additional illumination is required. The Handi-P has been deliberately designed to be aesthetically pleasing to look at – the idea is that it can be left on display in the bedroom with no necessity to hide it away.
Robin Shepherd says: “It will obviously suit the elderly, infirm and disabled, and reduce their vulnerability to risky falls etc. But I also want the Handi-P to be seen as an acceptable addition to every home, overcoming the ‘yuk’ factor, thanks to the thoughtful features which try to ameliorate any concerns. I guess I`m trying to bring the chamber pot back in a modern, hygienic and improved way. The convenience is huge”
He also sees the Handi-P as a lifesaver in more ways than one. Apart from the issue of potentially fatal nocturnal falls, Shepherd (also an experienced in the field of resuscitation) became aware that the dehydration that can increase risk of heart attacks and strokes is often due to old people’s reluctance to drink before going to bed – in case it forces them to get up in the night. The Handi-P helps reduce this anxiety and encourages people to drink.
Nocturia can have many other consequences. Uninterrupted sleep is necessary for the maintenance of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Insomnia and sleep deprivation can cause exhaustion, mood swings, daytime sleepiness, impaired productivity, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and increased risk of accidents. In the US it has been estimated that the economic cost of nocturia is $60bn a year, as a result of lost productivity. It has also been suggested that sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on the function of the immune system.
The initial Handi-P unit is more easily used by men than women, but an extra “funnel” attachment which will make the device user-friendly to women is in production and will be available shortly..
Ultimately, Shepherd envisions a range of Handi-Ps to suit different environments, such as camping, travel, children's needs and boating – and emergency situations where there’s no easy access to a toilet.
The Handi-P costs £19.99 including UK P&P available from www.handi-p.com.