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WOODBRIDGE, Conn. — Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spells out the serious and costly reality facing older Americans: More than one out of four people 65 and older fall annually.
Most of those falls happen in the bathroom, where standing or sitting on the toilet can be challenging.
Enter a new toilet lift assist from Woodbridge-based mobility products company SedMed.
“Not being able to go to the bathroom independently or being worried you’re going to fall back, it’s a huge issue in terms of pride, independence, and dignity," said SedMed Founder and CEO Jeremy Bronen.
The lift fits nearly all toilets, mounted on with two bolts replacing the existing seat. It’s self-powered by a gas spring.
"To use it, you just sit back against it. It actually slowly lowers you down, locks for safety, and when you’re ready to get up, you unlock it. It lifts up to 80% of your weight, no electricity, no motor," said Bronen.
Bronen started the company in 2020 as his senior design project at UConn.
Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters: Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines “I did not think I was going to refer to myself as the toilet entrepreneur," said Bronen.
Bronen was inspired by a friend whose older loved one suffered a stroke and struggled with daily activities like using the bathroom.
“Three years later, nine iterations of the product, talking to over 1,000 people in healthcare, users, everything and over a million dollars raised in funding, we bring the SedMed toilet lift to market," said Bronen.
When asked what sets the SedMed toilet lift assist apart from competitors on the market, Bronen said the product is the only self-powered toilet lifter that mounts onto any toilet.
Several hospitals and elder care facilities are piloting the toilet lift assist, including one in St. Louis.
“It's the simplistic approach of this. One of the residents was like, 'This is life-changing for me,'" said Rachel Little, Director of Clinical Compliance at Lutheran Senior Services.
Bronen calls the toilet lift assist just the beginning, with more products in the pipeline.
“Not everybody likes to touch toilets, but we’re happy to get our hands dirty and make sure people are taken care of," said Bronen.
SedMed is now accepting preorders for $900, 25% off the retail price of $1,200.Find out more information about the SedMed toilet lift assist on their website.
Angelo Bavaro is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
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