Up until the 90’s, no one had ever really heard of any American Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible bathroom. Up until that time bathrooms weren’t meant to be extravagant, roomy or elaborate. They were meant to be functional.  You didn’t typically spend a lot of time in the bathroom so there didn’t appear to be a big need for anything more. In the 90’s and as we turned into the 21st century that began to change with an aging baby boomer population.

ADA compliant or at least easier to manage bathrooms are becoming all the more common, especially in new homes. Some people still opt for smaller and functional, but more and more homes will at least have a large and roomy master bath. Today it’s not unusual to see bathrooms with wider doors, handrails around and in the tub or shower, lower tub walls and higher toilet seats. What we wanted to address today were all the additional items you could add to your bathroom now to make it more accessible to those living with you.

Tub Bar

More and more of the elderly and disabled are choosing to stay home as an alternative to assisted care living. Assisted care can be very expensive and to some people, impersonal. It’s just not a path that everyone can or wants to pursue.  There are also many options today with in-home care.  There is a whole range of private organizations, state and county agencies, and various providers that can assist with transportation to doctor appointments, grocery shopping, house cleaning, cooking, and personal services.  Many states have a Department of Aging and that can be a good place to start in getting information on services available. Hospice is not what it once was either.  In many states, Hospice is no longer late or last stages of life service but a full provider of care and service.

If staying home, the bathroom can be one of the most challenging things you have to conquer.  For the most part, there is room in your house for things like a sit-to-stand lift, a reclining lift chair, a walker/rollator, or a patient lift. Thankfully, there are lots of options available with Affordable Medical Equipment. The bathroom is going to be the kicker.

If you can afford it, a bathroom remodel is definitely the way to go. Things to consider would include a lipless shower entryway, at least a 36” doorway, a raised toilet, a wide area under the vanity to roll a powerchair or wheelchair into, actually lower the vanity and have lots of room for maneuvering. You probably want to make the shower considerably larger, add grab bars

Grab bars

in appropriate locations and use a good grip tile for the basin of the tub/shower. Space is the biggest priority in your new bathroom. Now, this is an expensive option for anyone so let’s look at things you can do with what you have.

We sell a lot of bath chairs. Bath chairs are an important tool in the bathroom. Whether you are recuperating from surgery or face a permanent challenge, bath chairs allow you to enjoy a refreshing shower safely and comfortably. Bath chairs can be as simple as a stool but that may not be the safest route. Standard seats at the very least have some grips in the frame and provide holes in the seat for proper water drainage. Additionally, you can get raised grips, or grips and a back. Our finest shower tool is Swivel Shower Chair 2.0. Many times, especially in a tight bathroom, a transfer bench can be a wonderful way to enter and exit the tub. A transfer bench

has one set of feet sitting outside the tub and the other set of feet inside the tub creating a ‘bench’.  One sits on the bench outside the tub, swings their legs over the tub wall and then grabs the handle to pull themselves across. We carry all of these in stock, and they can all be viewed in our showroom.

Transfer bench

Often people must use their patient lift, manual stand assist or sit-to-stand units in the bathroom. This can be the hardest of all options depending on where the toilet sits and the layout in the bathroom.  If you can swing the unit in front of the toilet you are in good shape to lower and raise the patient to and from the toilet seat.  In a restricted area, you may need to help the patient move from the lift to the toilet. But these tools play such an important role in getting the patient throughout the house that if you have to make some adjustments in the bathroom, you’re still ok. The width of these units is around 25” and some are even available as ‘mini’s’ meaning they are smaller.  If this becomes a challenge let us know; we will do all we can to help you

Equally important is a proper toilet height.  Higher toilets can be purchased today and put in the home but for those that don’t want the hassle or expense there are a variety of toilet raisers

Toilet Raiser

available. Toilet risers make it easier for those with arthritis, gout, or muscle dysfunction to sit and stand. Several of the styles attach to the toilet and provide a 3.5” rise. Additionally, you can get them with grips for

Raise Assist

raise assist. Also available are arms that attach to the toilet that provides a grip for rising. Then there are assists that can be placed next to/around the toilet that also provides lift assistance. We also carry stand-alone 3-in-1 commodes

3-in-1 commodes

that can be used at the bedside or over the toilet. These too have raised grips that provide lift assistance. For those that require an actual electric toilet seat lift – well, we have those too!

One of our biggest categories is Daily Living Aids. We handle everything from bathing aids to universal headrests and everything in between. Our biggest sellers in this category tend to be reachers, step stools, shower spray handles with extra long hoses, manual stand assist, and foot products. Our newest product that has us especially excited is our new line of compression socks and stockings from Carolon called Contour. Contour represents a whole new era in compression stockings. The socks and stockings are made of a proprietary fabric structure and are “Shaped to Fit.”. This unique combination helps make the stockings easier to apply, fit comfortably and provide superior performance. The Carolon sock and stocking use a smooth compression profile meaning they decrease in graduated pressure as you move up the leg, eliminating discomfort and bunching at the ankles or behind the knees.  They are the lightest weight, breathable high-tech microfiber yarns possible providing you all day relief.  Another great bathroom tool is the Stander Curved Grab Bar.

Stander curved grab bar

The Stander Curved Grab Bar can be installed on any wall or in the shower.  The great thing about the curve grab bar is that it has multiple grab points, and it can rotate in 45-degree positions, meaning it can go from one side all the way to the other and be locked in almost any position.  This is a great tool for assisting, stabilizing, or moving from one device to another.

Getting back to the door width, many older homes have skinny doorways that just don’t make access with a wheelchair or a rollator/walker possible. For those situations, we highly recommend the Escape 4-wheeler from Triumph. It is a state-of-the-art rollator but the reason it has critical importance in getting through the bathroom door is because of its unique X-Series folding capacity.  There is a handle in the middle of the rollator that is used for folding the rollator up and locking it for transport.  But if pulled up just a little it can adjust the width between the wheels allowing for access through any door of any width.  Once on the other side just tap on the seat or gently pull on the grips and it pops right back into its original size. Wonderful tool! (Also helps individuals walk upright better too!) At Affordable Medical Equipment, we have always worked hard to provide the tools that will help make your life easier. We research, we listen to our customers, we talk to manufacturers about what they see in the marketplace, and we constantly look for the next best thing that will help you. Because in the end, that’s what it’s all about – helping you. Give us a call at 803-926-1493, drop us a line, or just come by our large and spacious showroom. We will do our best to help you too!