Grab Bars Around Toilet

Pat6177

I’m trying to be proactive as I see my DH getting frail. And I have crappy bones and will probably break something along the way. So I am looking at putting grab bars in around the toilet. Has anyone done this? If so, what did you get and how did your PWD react to it? Did you get vertical? Horizontal? Slanted? Flip down ones anchored to the wall behind the toilet? Did you PWD use them? Did they get in the way as you tried to help your PWD up and down from the toilet? I’ll the PWD find it easier to push themselves up off the throne or to pull themselves up using a vertical bar anchored on the side wall, slightly up and forward? TIA for your advice!

Kraft44

I had a horizontal bar put in for my elderly father, in a 1/2 bathroom. That bar saves the day, every day and night. We could not managed without it. Had a handyman put it in. Not expensive to buy and install. Another thing that helps big time is a bidet, got a Brondell remote controlled.

M1

Pat our MC facility has the flip-up kind on both side of the toilet, and they are very helpful. My partner only keeps one down currently (it also has a TP holder on both sides), but I've been impressed that they are helpful for a lot of folks.

Katie Roo

My DH had an above knee amputation in 2015. When we moved to our new home (the bathroom was not designed in a way that makes it easy for anybody to get to the toilet, much less an amputee), we had a bar installed inside the door, and then the flip-up kind on both sides of the toilet. They help him on the toilet, and also to get to the bathtub chair. They have been lifesavers for him. We had a contractor put them in, and he also put blocks inside the wall attached to the studs for extra support. I would highly recommend those. And, thankfully, they are already there as DH's dementia gets worse.

gampiano

i have a vertical bar on the wall in each bathroom. This is better for my husband than a horizontal because of his height (tall), and the type of space we have near the toilet. they are a great help, and you are going to be so glad you have them. Had a handy man come and install them, along with a few on the outside of the house where we had no bannister. For those, i wanted something more attractive so i purchased 2 beautiful wrought iron ones on ETSY. They look great, and my DH uses them all the time.

ButterflyWings

Hospice nurse hack:

You know hospice brings all kinds of equipment in when a LO is approved for home hospice. So, I was frequently having trouble getting DH out of the bathroom (the hours we spent in there during Stage 5 omg). In addition to him not being strong and steady enough always. So DH's first hospice nurse positioned the unused bedside commode frame over the toilet (after removing the bucket) and voila. She made some quick adjustments to the leg height, and we were all set. Safe, secure, and we both use it. Why not?

It sits perfectly over the existing seat without any structural modifications or bars needed. Works really well for us. I use it daily to tilt DH forward when it's time to get up. Now that he's not as strong and steady on his feet anyway, it helps him not feel that he's going to fall during the transition up and down since he can hold onto the arm rails. It is a very good solution for us.

harshedbuzz

I would observe his natural tendencies in the bathroom and also getting in/out of chairs to get a sense of what he's likely to grab onto as an assist. Does he use the chair's arms to push up or would he be more inclined to ask you to pull him from seated? Learning doesn't happen in late-stage dementia-- so go with he's more likely to do.

As this gets to be a problem, sometimes putting the commode nearer is easier for them-- bedside or chairside.

MCF aide hack: (cobbling onto @ButterflyWings post) commode chair minus bowl makes a great shower chair and allows one to get to the PWD's "undercarriage" more easily.

toolbeltexpert

My dw is in mc and they have a horizontal one on one side and one behind the toilet. She uses the one with no promoting at all. I have seen the hospice hack and I think my dw would benefit from it.

M1 I like that they have tp on both sides,my dw doesn't always see the one but sees the paper towel dispenser and immediately goes for them argh. Luckily she is used to using a basket so the toilet seems safe for now.

Pat thank you for your post. I know it's gonna help out a lot of folks!

Lorita

Hi Pat, if your husband is a veteran, they will provide what you need. The one we have fits into the stool just behind the lid and has a leg on each side of the stool. It's adjustable. Charles liked it - helped him a lot to get up and down - had no trouble adjusting to using it. He's been gone eight years now and I've never removed it. It's also a big help to me since I have some knee problems. I doubt your husband would not like having it.

Lorita

Pat6177

Thanks for all the great ideas. I’ve never seen the flip up ones so it’s good to hear that they are useful. Butterfly Wings and Harshedbuzz, I think you’ve given me my solution. My concern was the time to research what type of grab bars to install and then getting someone here to install them would leave us without anything for a few weeks. But it’s quick and easy to get a commode so that would be my short term plan (and maybe the long term one as well!). HB, I’ve thought about whether DH would learn to use a grab bar and it makes sense to use the commode and see how he adjusts. We also have a couple of those suction cup handles and I could use those to test and see what and where seems to work for him. I wouldn’t trust the suction cup handles to be used as grab bars but they would give me an idea for placement and also whether I should get vertical or horizontal bars. I’m getting a quote from a local contractor that specializes in “accessible” home remodeling so I will know who to call when the time comes.

Constant

I found a good set of grab bars around toilet on Amazon. It is free standing and very stable. It was easy to assemble and is easy to move for cleaning bathroom. It is a Vive Stand Alone Toilet Rail. After initially saying it was a waste of money, my husband now says I was so smart to get it. I can say it definitely saves my back from having to help lift him off the toilet.

Chammer

If you are having bars installed, I would have them installed by someone who can ensure that the proper blocking is in the wall for support. Without the proper blocking, the full weight of someone who is unsteady can cause the bar to pull out of the wall and may result in a bad fall.

Caro_Lynne

As others have mentioned, make sure they are anchored to a stud (I think that's what it's called). I have one horizontal next to toilet and three in his shower; a short vertical one (like a handle) for him to get in and out of shower, an angled one so he can bend to get his feet and a horizontal one opposite shower head wall for general support. I ordered all online from Lowe's.

First time he used showered he did not use any of them; he hung on to me. Now I still supervise shower but he uses the bars.

When he came home from MC, I had not ordered the frameless glass shower door. Turned out to be a good decision since it's so much easier for him to get in and out without the door and shower is big enough that water doesn't splash on bathroom floor. I was so happy and excited that I didn't have to spend the money for a door! You would have thought I won the powerball! I celebrate the little things, by myself mostly, and thank God everyday ❤️

ElaineD

We already had one grab bar, because we live in an apartment in a Senior Retirement Community. But I needed more and I needed a higher toilet. There are devices that increase the height of the toilet and have built-in handles on the side which are really great.

I'll post a link to Amazon, tho' I don't know if that's ok since it is a product for sale.

Essential Medical Supply Elevated Toilet Seat with Padded Arms, Elongated, 19 x 14 x 3.5 Inch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CW811LK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Elaine

Ed1937

Elaine, that's fine. No problem at all. Thanks for the link.