With declining mobility there comes a point where a person has to consider giving up their independence and moving into a care home. In some cases this will be the most appropriate solution. In other situations, some individual’s will still be able to undertake many day to day tasks independently and just struggle with other daily tasks such as using the bathroom. In these cases adapting the bathroom may be more cost effective and less of an upheaval than moving into a care home.
Still other adaptations can be made to make the home more accessible such as stair lifts, rise recline chairs, adjustable beds, ramps and rails. These extra aids around the home can improve an individual’s living conditions allowing them to retain their independence and continue to live in their own home for many years to come.
Adapting the bathroom
The bathroom can be a particularly hazardous part of the house for a person with reduced mobility. High thresholds on baths and showers can present dangerous trip hazards and the activities associated with standing up and down in a bath or twisting and turning in a shower may be awkward and difficult.
Walk-in baths can be easier to access and sit in tubs like the Original or Classic can be much easier to use than standard baths as the taps and plug chains are in easy reach of the convenient moulded seat, which makes getting up and down so much easier. Put up a shower curtain and leave the plugs out and it can be used as a sit down shower.
A level access shower or an easy access shower with a small step around 40mm-60mm can be even easier to use. Level access showers have no step to negotiate and are flush with the floor, though in some cases construction of the property or location of the joists may mean a slight lip of a few millimetres on the shower tray. Using a shower seat, placing grab rails and support poles in convenient locations and ensuring the shower unit is placed to hand can further enhance the ease of use.
A few well thought out changes can transform a person’s ability to use the bathroom independently, so much so that they can remain living in their own home without moving into an expensive care home.
If you or a loved one struggle in the bathroom due to mobility problems, first consider a bathroom adaptation rather than moving to a care home. Absolute Mobility has an appointment only showroom in Henley on Thames where you can see and try out walk-in baths and an easy access shower. This will help you understand if a mobility bathroom will work for you.
Alternatively request a brochure here https://www.absolutemobility.co.uk/request-a-brochure/ and take a look at Absolute Mobility’s range of bathroom adaptations. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss your options or to book a visit to our showroom. Call us on 01491 411 041.
