I am disabled; handicapped, physically challenged or whatever politically correct phrase you would like to use. I make no secret about it. I write about it and unfortunately not because of pride in it but because I have not always been physically challenged. In learning to deal with it by trial and error and by having to pick myself up off the floor or learn how to take care of my personal toilet and bath needs I have discovered some necessities and some short cuts. I have shared these here on my blog and have gotten many inquiries and responses. We are an aging nation. If you are not a “baby boomer”, such as me, your parents are or someone close to you is and you are beginning to see the advantage to planning and building for handicapped access or as I read today the new politically correct phrase…”universal design”, defined as design that can easily used by anyone handicapped or not without specifically calling out their need. To this end I am constantly seeking more info to share with my readers. Although I have discussed retrofitting an existing bathroom and building a new one from scratch I still run across new versions worth sharing and that is the case today. From the Hub Nets web site I found an article written by Edwyn Prose about a shower that was set up for his disabled nephew. In this article Mr. Prose has developed a concise and thorough list of features needed specifically for a shower area, many of which I have written about before, for a disabled person and I felt his info is worth sharing. The following is an excerpt from this article with my thanks to Mr. Prose for writing it.
“So to the actual handicap shower accessories that you can purchase to improve the look, usability and practicality of the handicap shower you now have installed. Now remember, these units generally come with all the grab bars and rails already in place, you shouldn't need any more unless you have a specific need. But it’s good to know that grab bars are available as handicap shower accessories, in which case an additional grab rail or two should be no problem to add on.
Shower Seats. There is a pretty sizable variety of wall mounted folding shower seats as well as benches that are available and they come in a nice variety of styles and sizes. High quality shower chairs are generally made from stainless steel to give them all the strength they'll need as well as good resistance to corrosion. They are usually made with rounded, smooth edges and hinges to allow for safe and simple side transfers. When installed properly, most shower seats are ADA compliant designed and manufactured. All fold down shower seats are also designed to be able to support loads anywhere from 250 lbs to 900 lbs.
A collapsible water retainer or water stopper is the perfect way to help the bathroom floor remain dry. A collapsible water retainer is easily fitted to the shower threshold and because they are made of durable neoprene rubber, they allow a user with limited mobility to easily step into and out of the shower, or similarly a wheelchair can be easily rolled over it.
You can install a hand-held shower head and this is a great way to make your shower a safer and easier to use one. They come with a chrome yoga glide bar, which means you can adjust the stationary position of the shower head. Alternatively you can remove the shower head from the glide bar and hold in your hand.
The addition of a pressure mixing valve will ensure that the water temperature remains constant and independent of the water pressure, which can change during your shower. Because it is a thermostatically controlled valve, it produces the precise water temperature that you set. That means you avoid getting scalded or frozen from the water's temperature changes.
You can get a heavy duty shower curtain which is not the same as the typical variation. These heavy duty curtains are resistant to flame, stains, odors and static and are antimicrobial and very durable. Thus is the most economical choice over time as they last a very long time. You'll need a heavy duty shower curtain pole to support the curtain and these can also be purchased as handicap shower accessories.
Step-less ramp modules are a way of quickly and economically assembling ramps that you may need for wheelchair access to some showers fitted with a low threshold to retain water. Ramps are perforated to allow water to drain through and can be re-used in any other places or even rebuilt and adapted to overcome all kinds of obstacles.”
A reader of the above article also cited the need for a five foot diameter space needed to adequately navigate the shower area with a wheel chair or walker.
I would add to this list accessible shelving or storage for soap, shampoos and other bath necessities as well as a ready supply of large “bath sheet” style towels for drying off. The typical sized towel is just not large enough when you are struggling to dry yourself and any devices that may have been showered with you as well as the water trail that you leave behind you. By no means is this a complete list but it’s a start towards setting up your own universal designed shower area. I would not wish the need for it on any of you.
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