bathroom remodel

DorisEmma

Hello,  I am planning on having our bathroom remodeled later this year.  It just needs to be done.  Right now it is a standard bathroom with a shower/tub. Currently, no special devices are needed for my DH to take his nightly shower.  All I have thought of so far are grab bars.  I read the comments regarding female hygiene and got some ideas, including a hand held shower head.  Any thoughts and ideas from the group are greatly appreciated.  Best to install them now rather than later.

loveskitties

How about replacing the shower/tub combo with just a larger walk in shower?  

You might also want to consider having the shower with no lip like they have for wheelchair patients.  The slope of the bottom keeps the water from running out onto the floor.

If going for just a shower, make the opening extra large so that if LO needs help neither of you is running into a enclosure wall.

Another wish list item I would love to have for myself is the shower regulator which allows you to set the temperature...not just the guess and by golly of a regular one.  That way you can be assured that it is good before stepping in.  

Some folks also put the regulator outside the shower so that you can turn it on without getting your arm wet.

The floor of the shower should be slip resistant but not too textured if you need to use a seat or stool in the shower.

Just some thoughts.  Best of luck with the remodel

Cherjer

Hi DorisEmma,

I just had our bathroom totally remodeled for my husband. Every time my husband takes a shower with my help I rejoice as it is so wonderful. I can send you some pictures and give  you some ideas. I also had a bidet which has been wonderful. I control the remote as my husband does not even know what it is used for. I kept  putting  this remodel off until finally last October 2020 I decided it had to be done. I have no doors from our bedroom to the bathroom and DH gets up at night to use the toilet and even though his aim is not good all the time, I can easily clean up. Best investment ever!

Doityourselfer

Our master bathroom was remodeled/updated in 2018.  We had the standard shower/tub unit removed because I knew my husband would eventually have trouble lifting his legs to get into the shower/tub unit.  We have a walk in tiled shower with two grab bars, a regular showerhead as well as a hand held shower unit.  It was well worth the expense, much easier to get him into the shower and cleaning it is simple.

Crushed

I have attached 3 photos of the bathroom remodel I did for DW.   Only change was I took out the extra long hose.  It was designed for a person in a wheelchair.

Shower is roll in and 6 x 3 feet

sink has no cabinet and toilet is "comfort height with grab bars

Soap dishes in shower are also grab bars

Excuse the mess just took the pictures

ElaineD

highest possible toilet with toilet lid that closes slowly, without a bang

grab bars on both sides of the toilet 

heated water device next to toilet for personal hygiene

storage cabinet above toilet to store extra toilet paper

tile floor that is non-slip, bathroom floor with drain for easy cleaning

roll-in shower with grab bars

flexible shower head for hair washing, personal hygiene

ceiling light above shower, as much as light as possible in bathroom overall

door to bathroom wheelchair accessible.

These will all add to the value of your home on resale.

elained

Ed1937

You have some excellent suggestions above. The shower floor should be a light color. A dark color could be perceived as a hole by the PWD, and they might be reluctant to step in the shower.

 From another site: "Lower the temperature on your hot water heater. Many are set to 140 degrees fahrenheit, which can scald skin in five or six seconds. By lowering the temperature by 20 degrees, you can prevent scalding. (It takes five to 10 minutes for 120-degree water to scald.)". 

Grab bars are a must. One of our sons removed our tub, and put in a shower in it's place. The built in seat is a plus. She can sit while being washed, or when washing her hair. I didn't know if a shower this size would be big enough if I got in with her. It is not too small. Of course you can't get one too big.

While this shower does require you to step over a curb to get in, it has not been a problem. But it is possible I would need a ramp in the future, if she gets worse. I expect this will be a while before it happens, and a ramp should be easy enough for me to make, if needed.

A hand held shower head should also be considered a must, in my opinion. The one we have has a shut off of the head itself, allowing you to shut it off in needed. This particular model does not actually shut completely off, but drips in the off position. Itis designed this way.

Ed1937

<img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6037576/uploads/attachments/images/image_68.png"

Crushed

in the photo  you can see the hexagonal white tiles in the shower and black  squares outside. 
 

Always on  night light above the toilet floor is fully drained Toilet roll bar is a grab bar

harshedbuzz

Were I doing one, I'd want a roll-in shower and maybe even a "wet room" set up. 

I would also install a one piece toilet/bidet.

TOTO MW7463084CEMFG#01 Drake Washlet Two-Piece | Build.com

LadyTexan

We added on a master bathroom with DH's needs in mind. Key points we included:

Contrasting colors between the floor, walls, fixtures, e.g., toilet, shower and sink and the hardware. Specifically, 

• the walls are khaki,
• the floor is brown wood looking laminate,
• the toilet and sink are white and the shower tile is generally white,
• the shower walls are a different pattern than the shower floor,
• the safety bars and hardware are black.

The shower is a large roll in with lots of light. The shower bench is not built in. It is a long transfer bench available from Medical Supply stores or Walmart instead of a shower chair. We have a fixed head and a handheld shower head. The shower control is lever-type instead of knobs. The shower floor is slip resistant but I use a bright red shower mat when showering DH to indicate where I need him to stand (when he is not sitting on the bench). We did not use a water temperature regulator in the bathroom plumbing. Instead I rely on the water heater temperature setting.

The sink is an ADA wheelchair suitable sink. Again the hardware is black for contrast. We selected a single handle lever model instead of separate knobs. Be aware that we lost the benefit of under the sink storage. Interestingly, we are getting along fine with a small shelf attached to the wall. Over the sink we have a small mirrored medicine cabinet.

The toilet is a comfort height model. We added a fancy bidet seat with night light and remote control. The bidet required an electrical outlet right next to the toilet.

Lighting and climate - the exhaust fan and light combo includes a heating unit. We used LED lights wherever possible. In addition to the nightlight in the toilet there is a motion activated overhead light that turns on whenever anyone enters the bathroom.

Entry - The entry to the bathroom is extra large. The door is the sliding barn-type door with no lock.

My favorite features are: 

1. the lighting, 
2. the especially large shower and 
3. the ADA sink with lever handle hardware.

What I wish I had thought of during the remodel:

The toilet set up in the master bath described above is perfect for us, except that DH does not like the bidet seat. DH prefers the toilet in the other (guest) bathroom next to his "Man Cave" room. What I wish I had thought of during the remodel is the toilet position in the two bathrooms is reversed. For example, in the master bath, the toilet is on the right. DH can hold on to the safety bar with his right hand. In the guest bath, the toilet is on the left, so the safety bar is on the left. I think this adds to bathroom confusion. I wish I had realized the positioning was reversed and planned the guest bathroom to be the same as the master bath.

Another issue with the guest bath is the toilet is in a "water closet" separated by the rest of the bathroom with a pocket door. It is not conducive to assisting someone on the toilet, unless you are both petite and one on you is a contortionist.

Oh well.  Now I know better. Those are lessons learned that hopefully will benefit someone else.

Stuck in the middle

Our roll-in shower is a "Roman" shower with no door, and with grab bars.  No door means nobody falls into a glass door.  We didn't know about dementia when we built the house, we were just preparing for old age.

NylaBlue

Hi Cherjer, I’d love to see any pictures or descriptions too. My DH pees frequently, often misses. I’d love some ideas on remodeling to make cleaning easier. Another investment in retaining my sanity!

loveskitties

I like the idea of having a drain in the bathroom so it is easy to wash down.  You could also add a water wand near the toilet to help the process.

DorisEmma

Thank you, everyone.   All your ideas and experiences are valuable and I will consider all as I start this project.  And anymore thoughts are greatly appreciated

.   

DorisEmma

to Cherjer - Can you share the photos for all to see?  Other responders have done so.  I do not know how to contact you privately and do not wish to put any personal information on the forum.

Ed1937

DorisEmma wrote:

to Cherjer - Can you share the photos for all to see?  Other responders have done so.  I do not know how to contact you privately and do not wish to put any personal information on the forum.

If you click on her name, her profile will come up. You will see a box "Invite". Click on that box, and she will get an email telling her that you invited her (to be "friends"). She will have the option to accept or reject your invitation. If she accepts, you will then be able to send private messages to each other. Look at the top of this page (or another), click on "Inbox", then find the box "compose". Click on that, then you will see something like "friends". All the people that you have accepted an invitation from, or those who have accepted on invitation from you will show up there. Click on the name of the person(s) you wish to send a PM to. I hope that's clear enough for you. It sounds like it takes a lot to get it done, but it really doesn't. You can actually take a dry run now if you like. Just click on "inbox" above.

 

Ed1937

I should also have noted that if you look at "Inbox" above, you will see a notification when you receive a message.

DorisEmma

To Ed1937 - thank you for the information.  Invitation has been sent.  

John1965

Heated floors.

RihanaB

Be sure to install grab bars in the bathtub and by the toilet. It is not safe for someone to use a towel bar, shower door, or toilet for support. Grab bars are designed to hold a person’s weight according to this article https://bathroomer.org/best-shower-grab-bar/.

jfkoc

This would be your reference;

https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-6-bathing-rooms/ You will get a good return on a handicapped bathroom.

Gig Harbor

This sounds disgusting but…..if you have a hand held shower have your husband pee into the shower. You can easily wash it down. It might be better than peeing all over the toilet, the wall or the floor. At least you wouldn’t have to get down on your hands and knees to wipe it out.

Stuck in the middle

That's a whiz od an idea!