Changing Places Toilets (UK)

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Hey,

Thought I'd create a standalone thread for this as it'll be useful for any UK folks.

There's an organisation called Changing Places which campaign for better disabled toilets - their toilets are more spacious than regular disabled ones and feature adult changing benches and nappy bins as standard.

Since my mobility issues started, I struggle to change standing up and so have to put a mat on the floor in regular disabled toilets so I'm glad there's a group who are campaigning for better facilities for incontinence folks.

Went out for the first time in an age today and they had one in the local shopping centre I went to. It was an absolute godsend, no more having to stand up against a wall or lying on the floor and proper space. Plus, no angsting about whether there will be a big enough bin (indeed, I've been in disabled toilets without any bins). Even before my issues worsened, I wish there had been some when I needed to change. Made me feel a lot better about going out. Unfortunately, they're not everywhere but there seem to be quite a few about.

Here's a link to a map of all of them in the UK:
https://changingplaces.uktoiletmap.org/

On a related note, if there are any UK based sports fans here, there's an organisation called Level Playing Field who push for better facilities in sports venues (mainly football stadiums):
clickable text

 

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Wow! Good for the UK. I wish we had them in the US.

 

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Thats an incredible boon! Setting a new standard for decent conditions

 

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Yep, definitely wish we had this in the US. We have a problem here that the handicap toilets are always the furthest away from the door in bathrooms. They should be first, the closest stalls.

 

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there is a campaign in the US

تسجيل الدخول إلى فيسبوك

قم بتسجيل الدخول إلى فيسبوك لبدء المشاركة والتواصل مع أصدقائك وعائلتك والأشخاص الذين تعرفهم.

www.facebook.com

 

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I’m following now; thanks

 

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Have to say using the facilities today it really hammered home how inadequate regular disabled bathrooms are for people with both physical disabilities and incontinence issues. So many times I've found them to not have a bin big enough for products and/or to be too small to change on the floor easily. I've also had issues where there wasn't a clear wall to lean against to change easily either making it impossible to change comfortably.

Glad that it's an issue that's being sorted in the US as well! I wonder if part of the issue is visibility. It seems people are confident now to talk about their disabilities but there's still a big stigma around it. I don't have an issue telling people I'm autistic when I'm accessing services but always feel awkward mentioning my bladder and bowel issues.

 

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Good luck getting the U.S. Senate to agree to change any regs.
Unless it enriches their campaign donors....

 

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Hi @Sci_Fi_Fan, I really sympathize with your issues about finding adequate restroom and changing places out on the local economy. It is a challenge for sure! But here's something for you to consider. The only thing is I don't know if they have them in the U.K. or not. But I'm thinking of family restrooms. They are in the general neighborhood of the more conventional men's and women's restrooms. We have them over here and are found in malls or department stores, maybe airports, train stations, (what are trains??? Seems we don't have too many of them here anymore!) and maybe the newer auditoriums and stadiums. From what I've seen so far, they aren't a huge thing over here yet. But from what I understand they can offer you more adequate space for changing as well as a larger measure of privacy. So they may be worth checking around to see if you can find any. But you're not with a family???? Well, hey! I won't tell if you won't tell!!!
And @AlasSouth, I think more than just good luck is needed to get the U.S. Senate to agree to anything that will change things in a positive way!!! Maybe we'd have better luck finding a pot of gold at the end of the next rainbow we'll see!!!

 

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@billliveshere Stay safe there in FL with the huge uptick in COVID cases.

 

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I'll try to stay safe but I really wish the authorities would get their act together, make up their minds for once and for all what they're going to do and have everyone get their vaccine!!

 

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@billliveshere Agree re the vaccine! Over here everyone over 18 can get it and there are quite a few mass vaccination centres but a lot of young people aren't getting it. Actually booked to go to a Nick Cave concert in September (decided I'll find a way to make music one handed if it kills me and get back into going to shows!) and I think proof of vaccination will be required for entry. Amazed to see the venue also has a Changing Places bathroom as well so hooray! Think it'll be the norm at events going forward. Not required at the football matches I'm going to in August though.

Haven't seen many (if any) family bathrooms here. To be fair most disabled toilets are larger so there is space to change on the floor if you bring a mat but it's not great to have to do that and also not all disabled toilets are created equal so you can't take it for granted the facilities will be adequate.

Feeling exhausted after yesterday but glad I got out!

 

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@billliveshere I’m 100% with you. The willfully unvaxxed are murderers, when they live in countries like the UK or US where the vaccine is easily available.

I know there are people on this forum who are antivaxxers and who think COVID is just the cold or flu, or doesn’t even exist!

My mom works at a hospital where everyone is required to get a flu shot annually, yet they’re not required to get the COVID vax?!!! Excuse me, which is more dangerous? COVID, by far!!!!!!! So why aren’t they mandating that their staff have the ‘Rona vax? Because this is ultra-red/conservative Utah. It’s such a travesty that this particularly lethal and virulent illness has been politicized above all others.

 

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There are many family bathrooms in UT, perhaps almost everywhere, with its highest rate of reproduction in the nation. There are always as many children as adults here because Mormons have four or more kids. It grosses me out but now thanks to you guys, I see a blessing in disguise: the family restroom! I used one for the first time a few weeks ago, and I think it’s a hood way to go. Nobody is going to get in trouble for using it.

 

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I am with you as well I find it thoroughly disgusting when I see idiots posting on social media something like this "NOT VACCINATED BY CHOICE BECAUSE IT'S MY RIGHT" well it's your right to get sick but it's not your right to spread it to others

the other day the local news featured non vaccinated 15 year old who contacted the virus and she believes she got it a party they showed some photos from the party with no masks and no social distancing so basically an open invitation to the virus she had no excuse the vaccine is approved for ages 12 and up

@billliveshere I’m 100% with you. The willfully unvaxxed are murderers, when they live in countries like the UK or US where the vaccine is easily available.

I know there are people on this forum who are antivaxxers and who think COVID is just the cold or flu, or doesn’t even exist!

My mom works at a hospital where everyone is required to get a flu shot annually, yet they’re not required to get the COVID vax?!!! Excuse me, which is more dangerous? COVID, by far!!!!!!! So why aren’t they mandating that their staff have the ‘Rona vax? Because this is ultra-red/conservative Utah. It’s such a travesty that this particularly lethal and virulent illness has been politicized above all others.

 

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Hi @DPCARE, @snow and others, yes, 1000 percent agree here!!! It may be someone's right to not get vaccinated but it's not somebody's right to make someone in the same room get sick!!! I feel I have a responsibility to others to not make them sick as well as to not make me sick!! After all the vax is free although a lot of people here in the States complain that this is like socialism. But the government helping its people is not socialism in the slightest. It's just responsible government ensuring that the population is taken care of. Covid is a disease to be reckoned with and politics has no place manipulating it!!! It's a scientific fact that covid does not discriminate between people, white or black or red or Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, or Catholic or Unitarian or Episcopalian, or rich or poor, young or old, white hair or brown hair or yellow hair, or red hair or no hair. It's a virulent disease no matter who you are or where you live or what language you speak. With the vaccines that are made available it's unconscionable that people use political arguments or yell about socialism or communism to say they won't get vaccinated. So just grow up and roll up your sleeve and do your part and keep yourself and all of those around you safe!
Sure some people may just get a glancing blow from covid but for many countless others, the havoc it wreaks is unpredictable. And who knows who will get which of the many lasting effects that have already been documented. A lot may say, covid won't happen to me, it'll only happen to the other guy!! But what if you become that other guy??? Too late! Then you'll sorely wish you had gotten the vaccine when you had the chance!!!
I know I hate going around in a mask. It's unnatural and I think it looks creepy! But getting vaccines into everybody is the best way to ditch that mask and I have the most trouble trying to figure out why the majority of others don't feel the same way!!! Wearing a mask is not freedom to me but I do it to protect not only myself but others so I can do my part in keeping someone else out of the hospital!

 

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Hi @Sci_Fi_Fan, Over here we had some mass vaccination centers, like an empty old Sears store at the local mall, as well as a lot of non-traditional places such as Publix and Winn-Dixie supermarkets (and I'm sure a lot of other chains in the U.S.) I got my vaxx at the local Publix pharmacy. It didn't make any difference to me that I got my shots right next to the dairy section in view of all of the yogurts and sour cream! I was just happy to have found a place that not only had the vaccine but a space open for me!!! Our director at the nature center where I volunteer and her husband went to the same Publix and I said "I'm going there too!"
I'm glad you're going to the Nick Cave concert in September. I think you'll find it memorable. But I'm even more glad to see that you've decided to find a way to make music one-handed even it if it kills you (which I'm sure it won't!) But you'll find a way! It's a way of saying "Covid be damned! You're not going to stop me!" So go for the gold, as it were!!!
I agree with the policy of showing your proof of vaccination in order to get into the concert. That will put many minds at ease and may be the norm until we can get rid of covid for once and for all!!! Good to know there will be a Changing Places facilities there. So all of us will just keep on keepin' on and we'll get there!!!

 

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I used one on London underground, it had a level access shower, ceiling track hoist, adult changing table and lots of steady grab rails to hold. Superb. All you need is a Radar key to access them and the bathrooms are free to use.

 

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Snow, Billliveshere: I think there was one recent court case where a group of unvaxxed hospital workers (including nurses) won to keep from being forced to get the shots or getting fired. In the SW, maybe.
My hospital has nurses who won't get it - not a big number, though. But too big, if you catch my drift.
Two state legislatures have now said High Schools can't inform students about vaccinations - because too many teens were going out and getting the vaccinations on their own. We certainly wouldn't want teens to live, now would we?
I could cry.

Come to think, what happens to people who survive Covid? Do they have incontinence? I know I have had it worse, when coming off an operation requiring a catheter. Now, doesn't that seem backwards, considering the people on here who self-cath?

No one said the universe has to be fair - or politicians have to make sense.

 

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The classic example of where rights end is: I have the right to swing my fist - until it meets your nose.