The Caregiver’s Voice Review – Earth Throne

Reviews about most bathroom-related subjects such as toilets and even showers, are difficult; yet, necessary. Most of us, as we grow older, will need, for example, a shower modification or product, such as a toilet riser to help us with our ADLs—activities of daily living.

Earth Throne—the toilet riser

Earth Throne is a portable sturdy toilet riser for people with dementia who struggle with balance and spatial orientation. At some point, they grow fearful of lowering themselves enough to sit on a toilet seat. Toilet risers can help people with dementia and those who are recovering from knee or hip surgery.

Linda Olsen, founder of Earth Throne reached out to The Caregiver’s Voice for a possible review of her toilet riser.

Questions

After considering the pros and cons of such a device based on Earth Throne’s website, I sent Ms. Olsen several questions (revised for publication).

1. Your site notes that Earth Throne fits different sizes of toilets—elongated and regular. How so?
2. Cleaning… how often? It appears to be a raised soft item that a person with digestive issues may soil on first use.
3. The design means the lid of the toilet seat cannot be lowered. Am I seeing this correctly?
4. Finally, the material… how well will it stick to the seat without sliding off? I fear a person with Alzheimer’s may slip off while struggling to sit.

Answers

Linda Olsen replied quickly:

Hi Brenda, Thanks for responding. Great questions.

Earth Throne is made from 100% EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) closed-cell foam. So, the insert into the toilet bowl is somewhat flexible, that’s why it fits most toilets.

Cleaning… whenever the client wants. Our customers have used all kinds of cleaning products on Earth Throne. The nice thing, if it’s kept clean regularly (once a week), it doesn’t stain or smell.

The regular toilet lid is [lifted] (not removed) when Earth Throne (ET) is placed on the toilet rim. You’re correct, the lid doesn’t close when ET is on the toilet. We are working on a separate lid, as some of our customers have requested it.

The Earth Throne Story

It was her late father-in-law, Dale, featured in this 37-second information-packed video, Earth Throne Our Story (featuring 90-year-old Dale), who inspired her to come up with an idea that others could develop. But soon, she was engaged and with the help of others, developed the product herself. View the video below (same as the URL above).

4 Pros

1. The Caregiver’s Voice found Earth Throne to be sturdy and to remain in place. There was no fear of it slipping on the toilet bowl. Linda Olsen explains, “When a client sits on the seat, because it’s a closed-cell foam, the EVA foam compresses and seals to the toilet, making it stable. When the client stands up, it releases and makes the seat removable and portable for vacation or company visiting. The other great thing about Earth Throne is… it reflects body heat and it’s never cold.”
2. It was easy to “install.” Simply lift the toilet lid and seat and position the toilet riser in place.
3. Easy to clean. Place in the shower or tub and spray or wash with soap and water. For extra cleaning, after washing and letting air dry, you can sanitize the product.
4. It definitely helped ease pressure on the knees and hips because it doesn’t require lowering oneself all the way down to the level of a traditional toilet seat.

2 Cons

1. No lid. While I’ve been a caregiver since the 1990s for my late father with Alzheimer’s, the one thing I grew tired of was the smell of urine. Most toilet risers have no lids. Whether in my home or someone else’s or in a public place, if the toilet has a lid, I will close it before flushing. (Yep, I’m the one!) Besides, a closed lid prevents something from dropping inside the toilet. Also, when flushing, there’s a lot more splashing than most people observe. Depending on the toilet model and water pressure, water droplets spray and even mist from flushing without a closed lid. These droplets are in the air, fall around the toilet, and onto the floor. Imagine; particularly, in public restrooms.
2. Earth Throne packaging needs to be less obvious. Keeping the graphic to only one side, gives us the opportunity to discreetly carry it out of a busy post office. Imagine if we were also reviewing a carton of Depends! Oh joy! Ms. Olsen adds: We are also working on a carry bag, so clients can take it with them; discreetly, wherever they go.

Kudos to Ms. Olsen for taking the initiative to create this product. Most of us do not have the mind to invent something useful. Yet, we know it when we see it. Consider the toaster, microwave, or air fryer. How did we survive without these appliances? 

There are numerous products competing for our attention. There’s even the Toilevator Raised Toilet base (pictured here). This requires some work to install and may not work for bathrooms with a counter above the tank. For suggestions on how to choose a raised toilet seat and their different features, read this Forbes article reviewing different toilet risers.

I know my father would have been comforted by a raised toilet seat such as Earth Throne. He hesitated most times when he needed to sit down on a toilet.

For more information about Earth Throne read: Linda Olsen 2021 Casper (Wyoming) Start-Up Challenge Winner—Earth Throne

Currently, insurance nor Medicare will cover the cost of a raised toilet seat. Fortunately, they are relatively affordable.

Bottom Line:

After reviewing various options, Earth Throne is an easy and cost-effective immediate solution for families needing a raised toilet seat.