Idea for accessible shower

[Riven]

I need ideas for an easy accessible shower.

A close friend of the family is in the hospital, and will need a power chair when she gets out and finally gets to go home. She will spend some time in a nursing home first to heal.

We are needing to re-do her bathroom so she can get into the shower easily from her chair, possibly with the help of her assistant.

I was thinking maybe an open style tile shower? A seat will be required too.

We've considered one of those "walk in tubs" but they are quite expensive.

 

[addictedtochins]

Home health care is what I do, but for the best ideas I need to know a little more about what disabilities she has, and are they permanent? Is she very heavy? What else do you think will need to be adapted, bed, etc? PM me if you like. Theresa

 

[Riven]

She is TINY, I'd guess 5' 2" at the most tall and probably about 100 lbs. I'm sure I could easily lift her if needed. She's a tiny little bit of nothing.

We ordered her a "hover round" (?) chair, and she will probably be in it the rest of her life. She had a hip replaced several years back, and had infection in it again, then she had surgery for a hernia because her intestines were "popping out" of it and they were afraid of cutting off movement.

They do have a gal who comes and helps them, and doing something "custom" with tile, etc, is a definite possibility as between my dad and I we could easily do that.

We have to re-do some of the kitchen, take out some cabinets, etc. so she can fit her chair through there.

Any thoughts for other ideas that we might need to consider are welcome as well.

I personally feel bad for her, because her mind is sharp as anything, her and her husband are retired college professors, with no blood family to speak of, but her body... unfortunately can't keep up with her mind.

 

[ChilliBean]

When I was house shopping, there is one house that comes to mind as a possibility.
The tub had been removed and the whole room was tiled from floor to halfway up the wall except for the entire shower was tiled. They just had a shower curtain up. So there was nothing to climb over, they could just wheel in a chair or whatever. Since the whole floor was tile, any water splatter was easy to wipe up. Basically, it is just a walk in shower stall.
I hope that makes sense, lol.

 

[addictedtochins]

Can she weight bear at all, or partialy, take one or two steps? Has she been evaluated for the correct type of electric chair, Hovercraft has the steering wheel in front right? Maybe not. Maybe you can show a pic of the right one. She will need a manual chair for backup as well. Oh, make sure that the chairs arms, feet and chair width fit her small size. A transfer board will help her slide from her bed to W/C or onto the couch or whatever, a nurse or cna can tell you about them. A walk-in shower with a floor drain is great, get a flip-up and down sit-down shower seat for her. That way it won't be in the way and take up space like a portable shower bench does. And ask HER where the safety bars should go, do a clothed practice run and mark the wall. It's a personal preference IMO, some go horozontal, some vertical. In the meanwhile if you do get a shower bench, get the one that sticks out over the side of the tub, it's much safer/easier to transfer. Not the tiny seat that just sits in the bath/shower. No plain socks without grips unless she has shoes on, or her legs can just slip out from under her and cause a fall, grippy slippers too. Pants with elastic waistbands are easiest when getting dressed. Well enough for now, Theresa
It is a shame, but it's better to have a sharp mind and a weak body than to have a weak mind and a strong body

 

[Riven]

Wonderful information Theresa,

She has been wearing like skirts, and "house dresses" a lot because they are easy to get in and out of.

Good idea on the shower bars, to ask her. Right now she is still in the hospital so we're hoping to get the majority done before she gets to come home so it's basically about ready for her.

Before she fell ( which is how we found out about the infection in the hip, etc ) she was getting around with a walker, and seemed to be doing okay with that. She's been on pretty much bed rest since her surgery, but should be able to move around again when she's healed.

The chair has the steering in the front like you said.

Cortney, that is kind of what I was thinking, maybe even just do a slight lift to help the water drain back down. Her husband is older and also uses a walker, he dotes and worries about her non-stop.

 

[Dolyphinm]

I can't really give you much help Riven, but I commend you for what you are doing for this couple. Just make sure the shower won't cause any falls even though there are 2 of them living there. I lost my Great Uncle the day I graduated to a fall in shower. The water company said the water was running for at least 6 hours straight.

 

[Riven]

That is one thing that I'm cautious about on tile. I know that you can get those "quarry tile" as we call them, they are rougher in texture and not as smooth. Of course we can always add some of those "no slip strips" too.

Both my mom and I really enjoy their company, they are both wonderful people. They absolutely love my children, this year for Christmas Mary Lou gave them both some of her favorite ornaments, which I promptly put up, lol. She always gives them gifts for the holidays, and their birthdays, and sometimes they are very unique or special gifts that she had as a child or collected. She gave Hailey her locket, it still has the photos of HER parents in it, I really feel bad that they don't have any family and grand children of their own to really appreciate them. They are wonderful, wonderful people.