Hello- my first question here. I will be caring in my home for my 90 year old MIL who has dementia. She's in reasonably good shape physically for her age- she does walk with a walker though because of balance issues. She's in memory care right now, but has to leave because they feel they can't help her any further there. It's the nursing home or my home, so I want to try and see if I can care for her here. She's not a difficult person but has trouble following directions, and I know she's going to need assistance with cleaning herself. Am I correct in thinking that a walk-in tub would be easier for both of us rather than a walk-in shower? In a shower situation- (of course she would have a shower chair) it seems I would have to actually get in there to assist her, which seems messy and uncomfortable. Any insights are welcome. I'll be having a new bathroom put in just for her, so of course I'd like to get it all right. Cost is not really an object. TIA :)
I would opt for a walk in shower with NO threshold. Also called a zero entrance shower.
the reason for this is it will be easier to roll a shower wheelchair in if and when she needs it.
It will be easy to walk in with a walker.
If necessary it will be easier to get equipment in like a Sit to Stand or a Hoyer Lift.
The bathroom that I have in the house that is "handicap accessible" is large enough to get a wheelchair into as well as being able to turn it around so you can place it over the toilet. (shower wheelchair has an open bottom so that it can be placed over the toilet rather than emptying a basin that can also be slid into place.) 2 people can comfortably bathe and care for a person in the room and have space to do what needs to be done.
Place grab bars wherever you can think that she might need them.
There are companies that will come in and assess the room and give recommendations on how to make it safe and functional.
And if possible an ADA height toilet with an elongated bowl rather than a round one.
As you're having a whole new bathroom put in I can give you my personal wish list!
GOOD HEATING. A decent sized towel rail that also gets the room properly warm. Put it on the wall away from the shower so it doesn't get wet, but within reach so you don't need three hands or extendable arms to grab a towel when she gets shampoo in her eyes.
Non-slip flooring which must be easy to clean and dry and pleasant under foot - there are plenty on the market, but consider how you're going to maintain it and also how it will feel on her toes when they're bare and wet.
Looking at the shower wall - somewhere to put soap, shampoo, brushes and sponge when in use, such as a built in ledge. No grouting or tiling, avoid anything that can gather sludge, hair or mould.
Other walls - shelf storage and a bin. Otherwise the basin and shower will soon be cluttered with denture pots, toiletries, creams, boxes and goodness knows what, and plastic bottles are much more breakable when they drop on the floor than you'd think.
Good lighting. You need to be able to check skin integrity without having to bend down and peer at bits of her.
Good ventilation. Especially if either of you wears glasses.
Give serious thought to a bidet function on the toilet. Worth every penny both in terms of labour-saving and quality of outcome - they wash and dry a person's undercarriage really well without her getting upset or anyone else having to lift a finger (except to press Start).
No sharp corners. On *anything.*
No designer gadgets. A mixer tap (faucet, I mean, do I?) on the handbasin is a good idea but avoid space-age aesthetics or hidden controls. Hot should say Hot, Cold should say Cold, you shouldn't need a master's degree to let the water out.
Please make sure the handbasin is tall and deep enough to get a bedpan and/or the bucket from a commode under the tap (unless you have a separate sluice somewhere, not many family houses have) - not for emptying, obviously, but for 3 x filling to rinse, disinfecting, 1 x filling to remove disinfectant. The contents go down the lavatory pan, of course, but if you can't get the pan or bucket under the tap to fill it it's extremely irritating. I get very sick of dainty little dolly's handbasins that some numpty designer thinks anyone can actually wash anything at.
As MIL is currently able to stand and walk with support, it would be good to encourage that by having grab rails so that she can engage fully in showering herself and stand safely - but you are now in the realms of OT assessment and recommendations. Which it would be sensible to get anyway.
a walk-shower (no curb) with a bench seat and we use a commode in there. Just this morning my husband managed to have a 's*&t storm' - much easier to deal with in a shower and the commode. I still had a santitize the shower but having had feces all over the shower, we found that sitting on the commode (with bucket when episodes are iminent) was a much safer option. We have decided the commode is also more stable than the shower chair - so we have him use the commode as a shower chair also.
Now, on the other hand, my husband does wish to sit and soak at times for therpeutic reasons. So we are entertaining putting a walk-in tub (somewhere - haven't figured out that part yet) But the shower stays.
I’ll vote for a shower to be done and you have them build one that is totally walk in for 2. As far as design, look at ADA compliant gym individual showers for ideas. These tend to rectangular with 1 of the long walls being only a 2/3 wall and lower height with the other 1/3 open with a channel (like a French drain) all around at the bottom to capture water from going out. Walls will have 2 sets of grabs bars at different heights on each side and the floor is somewhat raked (like that done for ballet) to the far wall. 2 shower heads w 1 with a moveable arm/head.
Mom gets an adjustable Geri shower chair, these are heavy plastic open design and slunk down in the molded seat so she can’t slip out or shift forward. Some have grab bars atop the arm rests which if she still has upper body strength she can help you help her to get in or lift and get out. To bathe, You get her undressed and transferred into the Geri chair and wheel her into the shower. Makes bathing, hair washing, way way easier. Drape a big towel over the chair after shower over so she stays warm & seated while move her into the regular part of the bathroom and you dry her off and put on shoes, etc.
My moms NH had a big shower set up like this and it was amazing to watch the aides in action give mom a shower. The bathing room was heated too. Another plus with a Geri bathing chair is they can be cleaned and sanitized.
My mom is 88 with severe dementia and its in her best interest to be in a memory care facility with professionals around her.
Hope this helps