Shower benches, generally made from heavy duty plastic and metal are used in the shower or tub area of the bathroom so that one can sit on that while bathing or showering. They add to the convenience of the elderly or disable people who can sit and have a shower or bath without the fear of falling down while bathing. It is especially helpful if the disabled has a caregiver to help him bathe. It remains stable while the caregiver gives a bath to the disabled.
Most of the shower benches are free standing that enables you to remove them after the disabled has finished bathing, thus keeping the bathroom free for other users. Another design is wherein they remain in the bathroom but can be folded up after use. While renovating a bathroom you can include to have a built-in shower bench that can be tiled to match the rest of the bathroom. Apart from the disabled, women while shaving their legs can also use these. Even men can sit down and enjoy a bath at the end of the day when they feel too tired to stand and shower.
Depending upon the kind of insurance policy you have, the cost of shower bench can be reimbursed by the insurance company. Certain insurance policies consider the benches to be durable medical equipment and would fully cover the cost while others may partially compensate your bill for these. Even if your policy doesn’t have such provision, you can buy one, as they are reasonably priced with the larger ones sold for $150 to$300, whereas the smaller ones would cost you from $50 to $100.
Wednesday
Creating Handicap Accessible Bathroom
One may have compelling circumstances that demand a bathroom to be handicap- accessible. This might be due to someone having an unfortunate accident, or an ageing parent in the family or a child born with some physical disability. Apart from removing the fabric shower curtain along with the rods, you need to make more changes helping the handicaps to make convenient use of bathroom. Some of the things that won’t take long or prove to be too expensive are: removing all clutter from the bathroom, expand doorways and installation of handrails.
A usual doorway has to be widened to facilitate movement of walkers, wheelchairs and other aids that help mobility. There is a choice of removing the door altogether or replacing the same with a pocket door, which slides into the wall, making available more space in the room. Getting rid of the door while providing more space for moving in or out of the bathroom further helps the handicapped person, as it becomes a hands-free operation. He/she need not ask for the assistance of another person for using the lavatory.
The other essentially needed facility in such bathrooms is the provision of handrails in and around the bathing area, as well the toilet. These rails provide the much-needed support to handicaps as they lift themselves up or down. It’s a helpful aid that facilitates their movements within the bathroom. It’s not that they these precautionary measures and facilities make them feel safer, all this goes a long way to boost their self confidence and the freedom they begin to enjoy by not depending on somebody’s help at any time.
Another measure that you can take to make the place user-friendlier for a handicap is simply to remove all the clutter from the bathroom. See that there are no rugs or towels on the floor and clear off the garbage bags or cans. You should understand that a towel or a rug on the floor could prove to be most hazardous for the handicapped that move on a wheelchair or a walker. If you insist on having a rug in the bathroom, it should only be the non-skid variety, so designed to provide safe movements of the handicap. All these items obstruct and restrict the movement of the moving device of the person.
Though most of the homes are not designed and made to be user-friendly for a handicapped person, the measures suggested above can be incorporated in any bathroom for the safe movements of the affected person and that surely provides you with a better peace of mind.
A usual doorway has to be widened to facilitate movement of walkers, wheelchairs and other aids that help mobility. There is a choice of removing the door altogether or replacing the same with a pocket door, which slides into the wall, making available more space in the room. Getting rid of the door while providing more space for moving in or out of the bathroom further helps the handicapped person, as it becomes a hands-free operation. He/she need not ask for the assistance of another person for using the lavatory.
The other essentially needed facility in such bathrooms is the provision of handrails in and around the bathing area, as well the toilet. These rails provide the much-needed support to handicaps as they lift themselves up or down. It’s a helpful aid that facilitates their movements within the bathroom. It’s not that they these precautionary measures and facilities make them feel safer, all this goes a long way to boost their self confidence and the freedom they begin to enjoy by not depending on somebody’s help at any time.
Another measure that you can take to make the place user-friendlier for a handicap is simply to remove all the clutter from the bathroom. See that there are no rugs or towels on the floor and clear off the garbage bags or cans. You should understand that a towel or a rug on the floor could prove to be most hazardous for the handicapped that move on a wheelchair or a walker. If you insist on having a rug in the bathroom, it should only be the non-skid variety, so designed to provide safe movements of the handicap. All these items obstruct and restrict the movement of the moving device of the person.
Though most of the homes are not designed and made to be user-friendly for a handicapped person, the measures suggested above can be incorporated in any bathroom for the safe movements of the affected person and that surely provides you with a better peace of mind.
Sunday
Shower Room Floor Mats
Imagine the after effects of standing on cold bathroom floor just after having finished a hot water shower! You are already shivering with the thought. Or, perhaps you find it thrilling. But, what about the small water mass you create there. Ever occurred to you that your sense of thrill could prove very dangerous for some other member of your family who uses the bathroom after you’ re finished. The only solution is to mop the floor every time somebody uses the bathroom. Is that viable all the time? The next best thing is to use shower mats.
A shower mat positioned just outside the shower chamber gives us the opportunity of standing soon after we exit the shower. The mat won’t be too cold, having acclimatized to somewhat warm bathroom and will soak the water dripping down the feet. But, that is not the only characteristic that mats should have. We expect it to have the flowing features too:
1. Quick drying: a shower mat is not only expected to absorb water, but also get dried up fast for the convenience of the next user. Bamboo mats dry up within 15-20 minutes of use and are therefore most suited for the purpose.
2. Absorbent: That being the basic function of a mat matters the most. Except for rubber mats, all other kinds sufficiently take care of this need.
3. Fungus resistant: That’s an important prerequisite as it directly affects the health of the user. Mats that dry faster can resist fungus better. Cotton mats aren’t really resistant to fungus and need to be washed frequently. Rubber mats are the best in this regard followed by bamboo mats.
4. Comfortable to the feet: Make a special note of this. Cotton is much more comfortable that any other material and leaves behind all other materials. Bamboo mats follow next.
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5. Easy on the wallet: Generally, rubber mats are the most economical and offer nominal comfort. Cotton mats are expensive. Bamboo mats would generally fall within budget for most buyers and earn a good score on other fronts too.
You would do well to weigh the plus and minus points of different types of mats before buying one. You’ll find bamboo to be the most versatile while cotton is certainly the most comfortable, though you will need to wash it quite frequently for safe use.
A shower mat positioned just outside the shower chamber gives us the opportunity of standing soon after we exit the shower. The mat won’t be too cold, having acclimatized to somewhat warm bathroom and will soak the water dripping down the feet. But, that is not the only characteristic that mats should have. We expect it to have the flowing features too:
1. Quick drying: a shower mat is not only expected to absorb water, but also get dried up fast for the convenience of the next user. Bamboo mats dry up within 15-20 minutes of use and are therefore most suited for the purpose.
2. Absorbent: That being the basic function of a mat matters the most. Except for rubber mats, all other kinds sufficiently take care of this need.
3. Fungus resistant: That’s an important prerequisite as it directly affects the health of the user. Mats that dry faster can resist fungus better. Cotton mats aren’t really resistant to fungus and need to be washed frequently. Rubber mats are the best in this regard followed by bamboo mats.
4. Comfortable to the feet: Make a special note of this. Cotton is much more comfortable that any other material and leaves behind all other materials. Bamboo mats follow next.
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5. Easy on the wallet: Generally, rubber mats are the most economical and offer nominal comfort. Cotton mats are expensive. Bamboo mats would generally fall within budget for most buyers and earn a good score on other fronts too.
You would do well to weigh the plus and minus points of different types of mats before buying one. You’ll find bamboo to be the most versatile while cotton is certainly the most comfortable, though you will need to wash it quite frequently for safe use.
Wednesday
Handicap Shower Safety - 10 Tips To Fall Proof Your Shower
Did you ever sit back and realized that your bathroom has many hazards that could be life threatening? Look at the hard surface of a toilet, bathtub, towel rack and a counter. Imagine the consequences if someone accidentally hits across any of these! Even he throw rugs that bring warmth to the room can be potentially dangerous on feet getting entangled with them. Falls cause almost 6000 deaths per year and are responsible for injuring 5.1 million people. One slightly wrong judgment, a split second wrong movement or a few drops of water on the floor are all potential causes of a serious accident. And, need we mention how fatal a fall in the bathroom can be?
One needs to be extra careful while making arrangements of providing necessary accessories for a bathroom to be used by the elderly or disabled. The frail and elderly are more likely to have accidents in the bathrooms. Yes, accidents do happen, but we can certainly take measures to minimize the chances of an accident. One should understand the consequences of a fall in the bathroom. It may go to cripple an elderly person and make him or her immobile for the rest of the life. That not only affects the life of the sufferer, but that of everybody else in the family. Given below are the ten most important, yet easy to follow, measures to enable everybody have a safe and enjoyable bath.
Safety Tip #1
Water has a tendency to stick around for a while even in dangerous places. That makes it imperative to have a bath mat just outside your shower. Safety grid or rubber brush mats are better as they provide more friction on wet floors, thus reducing the chances of slipping. Moreover, they are stiffer than better-looking throw rugs and safer for being used with walkers.
Safety Tip #2
Glass can prove as fatal as water. If the bathtub has any glass doors, get rid of those along with the frame, the latter may hold fragile toes. Instead, have a shower curtain on a shower curtain rod. There are a few reasons for this, but the most important is the danger of getting cuts followed by bleeding, the excess of which may cause death.
Safety Tip #3
While considering strength and balance, a tub transfer bench does away with stepping in or out and provides an easy access while in a sitting mode. That’s not possible with glass doors or in a shower-only stall. Mind you, tub transfer benches are not shower or tub chairs that completely sit in the tub or shower.
Safety Tip #4
Given the present state of economy, everybody wants to cut costs at all levels and medical equipment is no exception. The most basic bathtub chair or a shower bench would be the cheapest. But, addition of accessories like arm holds, and back adds to the price. Don’t forget that Medicare regards the entire set up a luxury, except for the 3-in-1 bedside commodes. Why not eliminate all that with a plastic patio chair, which you may already be having? It’ll be great if you have one with arms and a back.
Safety Tip #5
Irrespective of the design and style of the bench or the chair, it must always have a non-slip mat beneath it and make sure that all the four legs of the chair or bench rest on this mat all the time, more so if you are using a plastic chair. As it’s not possible to adjust the height of a patio chair, one tends to lean forward while standing up. Make sure that you have properly placed grab bars.
Safety Tip #6
Diagonal Grab Bar is not desirable. It’s not difficult to understand the logic that a seated person needs a horizontal bar for better load-distribution while getting up from that position. Likewise, for stepping into or out of a bath, keep the bar in a vertical position. A diagonally placed bar may cause the frail hands to slip downward! Make smart and logical placements of these accessories.
Safety Tip #7
Built-in shower seats make an attractive seating arrangement but they do get wet and increase the chances of a slip. Having a folded towel on its surface provides a better traction. Of course, the towel gets wet and pads a frail bottom and your loved ones would thank you for that.
Safety Tip #8
Make use of suction cup grab bars, they are of great help. Yet, for additional assistance at the time of getting in or out of the tub, have a grab bar installed. A word of caution about suction cup bars! These are not really foolproof and may pull a tile off the wall, depending on the load applied. Nevertheless, their set up needs no tools and these are portable with the added advantage that you may shift their position as and when needed.
Safety Tip #9
You can’t and shouldn’t rely on the safety offered by a towel rack, shower rod or even the washcloth rack provided in the shower. At the most these can hold the weight of a wet towel and anyone needing the assistance of a grab bar certainly weighs more than a wet towel. However, it may be worthwhile to have grab bars installed while renovating the space for added safety. These can double-up as towel racks too.
Safety Tip #10
Having a shower, be it on a bench, has healthy affects on our mind and body. We may find it difficult to appreciate, but falling water on the body at varying temperatures has a calm and soothing effect that offers a healing affect. Of course safety should be on top priority but one should protect one’s health also. Make sure to enjoy this healthy exercise by taking measures to ensure that the strength, mobility and balance are not compromised.
Are you aware that 70% of all falls in a home occur in the bathroom, making it the most feared part of the house? Yet, we can’t do away with the bathrooms. These ten safety tips enable you to move ahead with confidence and caution.
One needs to be extra careful while making arrangements of providing necessary accessories for a bathroom to be used by the elderly or disabled. The frail and elderly are more likely to have accidents in the bathrooms. Yes, accidents do happen, but we can certainly take measures to minimize the chances of an accident. One should understand the consequences of a fall in the bathroom. It may go to cripple an elderly person and make him or her immobile for the rest of the life. That not only affects the life of the sufferer, but that of everybody else in the family. Given below are the ten most important, yet easy to follow, measures to enable everybody have a safe and enjoyable bath.
Safety Tip #1
Water has a tendency to stick around for a while even in dangerous places. That makes it imperative to have a bath mat just outside your shower. Safety grid or rubber brush mats are better as they provide more friction on wet floors, thus reducing the chances of slipping. Moreover, they are stiffer than better-looking throw rugs and safer for being used with walkers.
Safety Tip #2
Glass can prove as fatal as water. If the bathtub has any glass doors, get rid of those along with the frame, the latter may hold fragile toes. Instead, have a shower curtain on a shower curtain rod. There are a few reasons for this, but the most important is the danger of getting cuts followed by bleeding, the excess of which may cause death.
Safety Tip #3
While considering strength and balance, a tub transfer bench does away with stepping in or out and provides an easy access while in a sitting mode. That’s not possible with glass doors or in a shower-only stall. Mind you, tub transfer benches are not shower or tub chairs that completely sit in the tub or shower.
Safety Tip #4
Given the present state of economy, everybody wants to cut costs at all levels and medical equipment is no exception. The most basic bathtub chair or a shower bench would be the cheapest. But, addition of accessories like arm holds, and back adds to the price. Don’t forget that Medicare regards the entire set up a luxury, except for the 3-in-1 bedside commodes. Why not eliminate all that with a plastic patio chair, which you may already be having? It’ll be great if you have one with arms and a back.
Safety Tip #5
Irrespective of the design and style of the bench or the chair, it must always have a non-slip mat beneath it and make sure that all the four legs of the chair or bench rest on this mat all the time, more so if you are using a plastic chair. As it’s not possible to adjust the height of a patio chair, one tends to lean forward while standing up. Make sure that you have properly placed grab bars.
Safety Tip #6
Diagonal Grab Bar is not desirable. It’s not difficult to understand the logic that a seated person needs a horizontal bar for better load-distribution while getting up from that position. Likewise, for stepping into or out of a bath, keep the bar in a vertical position. A diagonally placed bar may cause the frail hands to slip downward! Make smart and logical placements of these accessories.
Safety Tip #7
Built-in shower seats make an attractive seating arrangement but they do get wet and increase the chances of a slip. Having a folded towel on its surface provides a better traction. Of course, the towel gets wet and pads a frail bottom and your loved ones would thank you for that.
Safety Tip #8
Make use of suction cup grab bars, they are of great help. Yet, for additional assistance at the time of getting in or out of the tub, have a grab bar installed. A word of caution about suction cup bars! These are not really foolproof and may pull a tile off the wall, depending on the load applied. Nevertheless, their set up needs no tools and these are portable with the added advantage that you may shift their position as and when needed.
Safety Tip #9
You can’t and shouldn’t rely on the safety offered by a towel rack, shower rod or even the washcloth rack provided in the shower. At the most these can hold the weight of a wet towel and anyone needing the assistance of a grab bar certainly weighs more than a wet towel. However, it may be worthwhile to have grab bars installed while renovating the space for added safety. These can double-up as towel racks too.
Safety Tip #10
Having a shower, be it on a bench, has healthy affects on our mind and body. We may find it difficult to appreciate, but falling water on the body at varying temperatures has a calm and soothing effect that offers a healing affect. Of course safety should be on top priority but one should protect one’s health also. Make sure to enjoy this healthy exercise by taking measures to ensure that the strength, mobility and balance are not compromised.
Are you aware that 70% of all falls in a home occur in the bathroom, making it the most feared part of the house? Yet, we can’t do away with the bathrooms. These ten safety tips enable you to move ahead with confidence and caution.
Sunday
Retractable Shower Chair - A Good Choice
You might have been contemplating to have a chair in your shower area, but were held back from having one due to lack of space in the bathroom or the shower enclosure. You need not postpone purchasing your requirements any more as there is a solution to constraints imposed by available space in the bathing or showering area. With the introduction of retractable chair your problem is solved as it offers the most practical solution to your space related problem. Here’s a chair that can be folded up and down or fixed on the wall of your shower.
This retractable chair is fixed to one of the walls of your bathroom with a frame. The frame may be adjusted to suit the height of the bather. This flexibility makes it a very useful item in the bathroom. However, it may pose a problem where the wall of the bathroom is not strong enough to bear the weight of the chair and its occupant who may be a child or a robust adult. You could not expect a plaster board wall on a timber frame to be strong enough to withstand the kind of pressure and weight caused by such a chair.
A not so strong wall should not dishearten you from having a retractable chair for an alternate design is available. In this case, the chair is provided with built in legs that come to rest on the floor when you lower the chair seat and get folded on raising the chair up after you have used it. So that element of risk associated with its fixing on not so strong a wall is taken care of.
A retractable shower chair makes a sensible choice when space is a constraint. It offers a perfect solution because the flexibility it offers. For those who need one, it is already there and those who do not need it can just fold it up and let it rest against the wall of the shower enclosure.
This retractable chair is fixed to one of the walls of your bathroom with a frame. The frame may be adjusted to suit the height of the bather. This flexibility makes it a very useful item in the bathroom. However, it may pose a problem where the wall of the bathroom is not strong enough to bear the weight of the chair and its occupant who may be a child or a robust adult. You could not expect a plaster board wall on a timber frame to be strong enough to withstand the kind of pressure and weight caused by such a chair.
A not so strong wall should not dishearten you from having a retractable chair for an alternate design is available. In this case, the chair is provided with built in legs that come to rest on the floor when you lower the chair seat and get folded on raising the chair up after you have used it. So that element of risk associated with its fixing on not so strong a wall is taken care of.
A retractable shower chair makes a sensible choice when space is a constraint. It offers a perfect solution because the flexibility it offers. For those who need one, it is already there and those who do not need it can just fold it up and let it rest against the wall of the shower enclosure.
Saturday
Lightweight Portable Shower Chair
The introduction of lightweight portable shower chair should draw cheers from users, especially those with physical disabilities. These chairs are designed to facilitate an enjoyable shower rather than a bath. And, that’s without the assistance of a third person around the bathing area! It means one feels free to experience a pleasant shower in complete privacy and peace and saves one from the torment of assisted bathing.
In its cheapest form, a shower chair is a piece of furniture comprising of just a plain but firm and lightweight seat than offers easy portability. The most often material use for making it is resin. That makes it tough and strong but quite resilient and very lightweight. These features aid its maneuverability and make it so conveniently portable.
The best feature of this kind of a chair is that it does not impose a restriction of area for those who do not like to have any intrusion while having a bath: just fold it and keep it away to get your normal sized bathroom. At the same time it brings back a sense of dignity and enthusiasm to those who no more would need the assistance of anybody and enjoy a pleasure of a heavenly shower in complete privacy!
In its cheapest form, a shower chair is a piece of furniture comprising of just a plain but firm and lightweight seat than offers easy portability. The most often material use for making it is resin. That makes it tough and strong but quite resilient and very lightweight. These features aid its maneuverability and make it so conveniently portable.
The best feature of this kind of a chair is that it does not impose a restriction of area for those who do not like to have any intrusion while having a bath: just fold it and keep it away to get your normal sized bathroom. At the same time it brings back a sense of dignity and enthusiasm to those who no more would need the assistance of anybody and enjoy a pleasure of a heavenly shower in complete privacy!
Thursday
Stay Safe With Shower Wheelchair
Be it the end of the day before retiring for the night or just the beginning of the day in the morning, there is perhaps nothing more refreshing and soothing than a shower. But, some people are deprived of this simple, inexpensive pleasure of life. For very old and infirm it is quite scary to enter the bathroom. Even if they are not scared, those around them in the family are, for fear of a fall of the beloved one in the bathroom. This category of people needs to have a shower wheelchair, for their safety and their family's sake.
A shower wheelchair is designed to remain stable and firm on wet floors and provided with detachable arms so that the user can conveniently approach the control knobs of the shower and other bathing accessories like shampoo and soaps.
Generally a shower wheelchair looks like a toilet seat. It has suitable openings that facilitate the bather to approach and clean his or her private body-parts without the assistance of a helper. As. it has to be lightweight and should not get rusted even after prolonged exposure to water, it is made of special plastics. It has a back support and a waterproof seat. Because of the wheels, its use is confined to showers with thresholds that have no edges. Such a chair with an open seat is provided with a detachable commode pail and doubles-up as bedside commode. It may even be positioned above a toilet without the user having to stand up. Being foldable they are easy to carry and may be carried by the user while traveling. Putting them in ready-to-use position needs no tools and takes a few minutes only.
The safety of the shower wheelchair will be enhanced if there are handle bars installed in the shower stall. It will be desirable to have a hand-held nozzle. It will be great to have a shower wheelchair of appropriate height so that the user may have an easy access to control knobs of the shower and the bathroom shelves.
A shower wheelchair may be purchased online, the price varying from $200 to $900. Those with apprehensions of its performance or with a limited budget could buy a used one.
Developing such a simple machine specifically designed for the physically disabled shall go a long way to change the mindset and boost the confidence of its user. It should not be difficult for any normal human being to understand the pleasure of an invalid person who feels confident of performing this simple activity of having a shower without the assistance of another person. Surely it brings back the much needed self esteem of the user as a result of newly acquired sense of independence. No price will be too high for that kind of a feeling.
A shower wheelchair is designed to remain stable and firm on wet floors and provided with detachable arms so that the user can conveniently approach the control knobs of the shower and other bathing accessories like shampoo and soaps.
Generally a shower wheelchair looks like a toilet seat. It has suitable openings that facilitate the bather to approach and clean his or her private body-parts without the assistance of a helper. As. it has to be lightweight and should not get rusted even after prolonged exposure to water, it is made of special plastics. It has a back support and a waterproof seat. Because of the wheels, its use is confined to showers with thresholds that have no edges. Such a chair with an open seat is provided with a detachable commode pail and doubles-up as bedside commode. It may even be positioned above a toilet without the user having to stand up. Being foldable they are easy to carry and may be carried by the user while traveling. Putting them in ready-to-use position needs no tools and takes a few minutes only.
The safety of the shower wheelchair will be enhanced if there are handle bars installed in the shower stall. It will be desirable to have a hand-held nozzle. It will be great to have a shower wheelchair of appropriate height so that the user may have an easy access to control knobs of the shower and the bathroom shelves.
A shower wheelchair may be purchased online, the price varying from $200 to $900. Those with apprehensions of its performance or with a limited budget could buy a used one.
Developing such a simple machine specifically designed for the physically disabled shall go a long way to change the mindset and boost the confidence of its user. It should not be difficult for any normal human being to understand the pleasure of an invalid person who feels confident of performing this simple activity of having a shower without the assistance of another person. Surely it brings back the much needed self esteem of the user as a result of newly acquired sense of independence. No price will be too high for that kind of a feeling.
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