Bathroom bar & chair??
I’m having bathroom renovated. Taking out tub and just shower. I think this will be better for my hubby. Should I have them install the bar to hold onto and chair or just the bar? I had a chair to put in tub but hubby didn’t care for it. That was months ago. It may be something he needs as time goes on. And I have choice of glass doors or shower curtain. What do you think. Thanks!
Comments
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Kat, I renovated the bathroom and did not put a built -in chair; I wish I had. The grabs bars are great but I think it would have been easier for me to shower him with a chair in it. As he progresses he is very wobbly. Hope this helps xo
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I took the glass door off the walk in shower. It's easier with just a shower curtain for me.
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yes your response helped. I think I’ll put the chair in. Do you think I should put the grab bar in too. Once they do the work I won’t be able to put the bar in. At least I don’t think so.
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yes, put the bars in. I didn't and wish that I had.
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Put in as many grab bars as possible. Do not have them put in a chair. Use your own and you may need to upgrade that as time goes on.
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I agree grab bars - step in the area yourself and see where you would grab if you lost your balance in any direction. I would be inclined to leave out the chair. If needed you can use your own that has adjustable height as his abilities to sit and stand from seated position may become compromised. Hospice brought in a shower chair that included a bar across the front for MIL as she lost much of her ability to support her torso without assistance. It also was wheeled so they were able to get her seated in the bedroom, roll her to the shower, dry, dress and roll back to bedroom without her needing to stand while she was a slippery wet noodle.
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Yes I agree with putting in grab bars. I have two in the shower itself and one short vertical one right by the shower opening which he grabs to get out. I did not install shower door and left it open, I'm glad I did.
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If you have the space and money, consider a wet room. If that's not doable, the next best option is a zero entry so he doesn't have to lift his feet should he develop the characteristic shuffling gait or need a wheeled chair.
Definitely get the bars for yourself as much as for him. If you slip and injure yourself in the shower, it could become a crisis situation.
I would skip the built in chair as it's better to be able to walk around him when assisting. A backrest might make him feel more secure. The aides as dad's MCF, used a commode chair with the bowl removed as this allowed them to get to the undercarriage.
You didn't ask but consider a heated bidet/washlet would be on my wish list for dementia care as well.
HB2 -
Shower chair
Another
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Grab bars definitely. We didn’t put in a chair and glad we didn’t. We use one of those portable ones with adjustable height. It’s stable and easy to clean. It isn’t slippery like some tiles. You can also move it as needed. We have glass doors but only because that’s what we’ve always had.
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Like HB, I was going to mention the threshold. You don't want to step over anything. I've also seen shower chairs with wheels, can you get a shower big enough for one of those? Of course you'll need a hand held shower head. The shower head should also have multiple spray options as PWD can be very sensitive to touch Many people mention how their LOs hate showering in a cold bathroom. A fancy shower with a steam option might help with that.
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Make sure the floor is no-slip.
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I just had a handheld shower head installed and added a stand alone shower chair with arms. I have ordered grab bars. And I added a new larger shower non-slip mat. We have a shower curtain. My DH likes the security of the chair.
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Yes. I definitely will help
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I am hoping to get a roll-in shower which can be quite small really from the photos I have seen. Like a mini- wet room corner area actually. VA suggested that might be an accommodation option in lieu of our unused bathtub. DH has refused to enter it for years, but if he continues much longer in Stage 7 it would be nice to have the option to roll him in briefly and use our handheld option (or I guess it will be a new one).
That said, I won't need the shower chair which we already have - it is more of a bench actually, without the arm rests, - and it only has been used 1x in 2 years. lol. Sponge baths R Us.
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FYI, here is part of the VA potential modification option I am hoping to get. No service connection to his Cat. Dis. priority level, so it would be the minimum benefit level but that should at least get us a roll-in shower with curtain if needed for the small wet-room like zero threshold area I know would work for us. They show a "before" and "after" comparison which I have copied and pasted below. Nothing fancy but works for me. I agree there should be bars even if it is a roll-in shower, since I would be using it at times too, and do not want to slip. Sorry that the images I've copied and pasted today are so giant! I don't know how to change that.
I am posting this HISA information in case it is helpful for someone else. I just learned about this from our VA social worker after asking what was available to make our bathroom safer as he his strength is waning noticeably. Would have been nice to know about this a year or 2 ago, perhaps I could have gotten him acclimated to showering again but…whatever. Better late than never, I suppose. Click on the logo to view info about the VA HISA Structural Modifications program benefits.
Before VA-HISA modifications (above) and After (below)
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@Katcat , we had a couple grab bars added to our already tiled shower. The contractor used a special drill for the tile.
A hand held shower is indispensable. My DH put ours in long before any of this. He switched it out with the old shower. I would recommend against a water saving one which ours is. It just makes everything take longer when he’s not always patient and I want to get us in and out of there as quickly as possible.1 -
we renovated the master bath before DH’s diagnosis but fortunately put in the safety things. Yes to grab bars. We have a long horizontal one and a short vertical one. No chair. Just started to need to go into the shower with DH. I’m using a bedside commode without the bucket in place. Works great. And we are able to put it in the position in the shower that works best and he can use the arms on the commode to push himself up. The shower can be used without a door or curtain as long as we’re careful with the handheld. And definitely have a handheld. I thought the one we have had a button to pause the water but I can’t make it work. Probably hard water deposits have clogged it. That is a feature I would like to have. Right now, I’m turning off the water and then have to fuss with adjusting the temp every time I turn it back on. Personally, I don’t like glass doors. I think they take up valuable space, making it more difficult to get in and out. But having no door or shower curtain makes the inside of the shower a little breezy and cool.
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We upgraded to a walk in shower last year. I had them put a bar across the back horizontally and a bar vertically about 6” from the shower head. We also lowered the threshold, but it isn’t a zero access due to being on a slab foundation. I have a portable shower chair from Wal-Mart. We opted for a shower curtain rather than doors, foe easier access from front or back and less chance if he goes down he won’t get stuck. Hope this helps!
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Even though I hate to waste water, I've started putting the water on to heat and then get ready so the water is hot and the room is a little steamy when I get back. That might help with his impatience.
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I have a transfer shower chair for dad so he don't have to step over the tub.
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thank you all so much
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I installed grab bars level at 36 inches off the floor. I also bought an extra-long shower wand hose, measuring 96 inches. from amazon
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Glad you brought up the bidet. I have thought of that if need be in the future. My DH still takes care of his own toileting, but when the day comes I think the bidet is a great idea.
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@Sunnyside42
If you'd like to add a bidet, do it now. It would be best if your DH had time to acclimate to the process before his dementia progresses and he is unable to adapt to it. A number of folks have reported introducing them "too late" and having their LO resist.
It's best to get one with a handheld remote if you'll be assisting. IMO, heated water is a must. Some folks like having a bowl light for nighttime navigation.
HB0
Commonly Used Abbreviations
DH = Dear Husband
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LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
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