Fear of public squat toilets confines elderly to homes
Answering the call of nature is easy for most of us, but for the elderly in Central and Western District using public toilets can be so frightening they dare not leave home.
Lee Sun is one of many elderly residents who shared his terrible public toilet experience at a press conference yesterday.
The 95-year-old fell when he had just finished using a squat toilet in Gutzlaff Street, Central, two months ago. 'I had to crouch when using the squat toilet. My legs felt very weak and painful after sitting on my heels for a while. When I tried to get up, I slipped and my back landed on the dirty floor.
'I now avoid going out, as I do not want to use public toilets again. I felt terrified. I kept knocking the door, but no one helped me till after half an hour,' Mr Lee recalled.
The Youth and Community Service of the Caritas Community Centre conducted a study on 40 public toilets in Central and Western after Mr Lee's fall.
The findings showed there were 36 squat toilets for men in Gutzlaff Street but no western toilets available.
After an inspection of the public toilets between February and March, the survey found 76 per cent of the 418 toilet cubicles in 40 public toilets had squat toilets. Only 100, or 25 per cent, were installed with western toilets.
All 40 public toilets inspected in the study are managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
Shek Kui, 84, who also spoke about her toilet terror, said she had to press her hands on a filthy floor to be able to get up after using a squat toilet.
'I felt very dizzy after using a squat toilet, as I had to sit on my heels. I tried to use my hands for support in order to get up. But then after I managed to stand up, I couldn't put on my pants, as my hands were too dirty,' she said.
The Caritas Community Centre urged the government to improve public toilet facilities in the district.
'Every public toilet should have toilet seats and handrails so that the elderly can sit down when they pop to the loo,' the centre's social worker, Sunny Tsoi Sau-sang, said.
'Many old people feel dizzy after they have crouched down [for a while]. It is very dangerous for them to use squat toilets, as they can easily fall.'
He said many elderly preferred staying at home rather than going out to have tea with friends to avoid using public toilets.
'Their fear of public toilets hinders their social life, as they tend to go out less. Their circle of friends therefore becomes smaller. I hope the government will also improve toilet facilities in other districts after hearing our concerns.'
Central and Western District councillor Kam Nai-wai said the results of the findings would be discussed at a council meeting, adding he hoped better facilities would be installed at public toilets.
