please help: I wanna walk-in bathtub

fmhm

Hiya,

My gran is having a new bathroom installed - and as she's quite elderly and weak, she's looking to get a walk-in bathtub installed.

Please can anyone help on the following:

price
make/model
reviews/recommendations

Thank you so much in advance

Reluctant_spender

You could have a look here

http://www.dolphinspecialcarebathrooms.com/?lid=dolphin+special+care+homepage

A quick google search reveals that these items are not cheap. Have you contact either Age Concern or socal services. My gran had a bath installed very cheaply due to her age and on the grounds it's cheaper for them to keep her in her own home.

Nile

Hello fmhm

I think that you'll get more views and responses in the 'Silver Savers (over 50s)' board, so I'll move your thread across.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"][email protected][/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

fmhm

Reluctant_spender wrote:

You could have a look here

http://www.dolphinspecialcarebathrooms.com/?lid=dolphin+special+care+homepage

A quick google search reveals that these items are not cheap. Have you contact either Age Concern or socal services. My gran had a bath installed very cheaply due to her age and on the grounds it's cheaper for them to keep her in her own home.

Yeh, i've been looking around and we've noticed that it's not going to be cheap. but unfortunately, she's just been diagnosed as terminally ill, and she would prefer not to be hospitalised. i guess once we've done a little research on products etc we can contact the relevant authorities. so far the help we've had is superb. thanks for ur reply dolphin have a good online voucher at the moment: £150 off. :T

Ted_Hutchinson

I think you may be well advised to have a chat with your local Social Services and ask for a visit from an occupational therapist to assess her needs.
These people are experienced in sorting out what is the best option for elderly people.
I'm not convinced that I would want to strip off my clothes ready for a bath, Walk into the bath, close the door, sit down and wait while the water slowly fills the bath.
Nor do I like the idea of having to wait while all the water drains out before I open the door and get dry.
Disability Equipment register always has lots of "hardly used" "Little used" "nearly new" bathroom equipment and from this you should be able to work out that a lot of elderly people are sold expensive gear which doesn't do what they want. So do seek advice first. You may also find out her needs may be met by a Disabled Facilities Grant

Sholafish

Hello fmhm,
Ted Hutchunson has a good point. Hypothermia is very dangerous and hard to correct in the elderly.
You might consider a wet room with walk-in shower and drop down seat and arm rests, and although this would involve completely remodelling the bathroom, the removal of a bath would open up a small bathroom, facilitating manoevering of the patient and carers. Assisting an elderly frail person can be achieved more easily and speedily thus reducing the chance of hypothermia. Your local council might have a grant available for this adaptation. Good luck.

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure a wet room would be more attractive than a walk-in bath when the time comes to sell, as well ... I know one might not want to mention that kind of thing to someone who's terminally ill, but it's as well to consider it!

EdInvestor

Has she considered repalcing the bath with a walk-in normal shower - but with a seat/chair in the shower cubicle?

I saw one such recently which was combined with a sauna: might be just the trick if a hypothermia is seen as a problem.The sauna/shower owner said it was ever so cuddly in the winter, and one of her best-ever purchases

Savvy_Sue

EdInvestor wrote:

I saw one such recently which was combined with a sauna: might be just the trick if a hypothermia is seen as a problem.The sauna/shower owner said it was ever so cuddly in the winter, and one of her best-ever purchases

Ooooh, you wouldn't know where, would you? Don't know if we could do this, but DH would SO love a sauna! (And we'd save money, because at the moment he has to belong to a gym to get them regularly because that's the only thing that keeps his eczema liveable with!)

fmhm

Thank you everyone for your replies.

What we're in the process of doing is creating a bathroom in the (huge) space under the stairs. Its huge, and so far has two exits (just incase) and a toilet....

They are considering a wet-room, but they are slightly concerned about slippery surfaces, and eventhough its all non-slip, we dont want my gran getting nervous everytime she goes to the bathroom.

So the plan at the moment, is a slightly larger than average cubical, with a fold away chair. It means she can wash herself, or even if she needs someone, there's plenty of space.

Thank you all for your suggestions, and we are in the process of talking about the grant - looking in to it to see what we can get for her.

p.s keep her in your prayers

System

Ted has recommended something and we are there as proof.

My wife has a vestibular problem caused by a shingles virus in the ear. Consequently she has last her balance. Getting itno and out of the bath was a problem. We asked that the occupational nurse visit and assess my wife's needs. As a direct result of this, the bath was removed and a wet room installed. That is a small portion of the floor was removed and a base with a slight gradient was installed to allow for the water to run down and into a hole, etc.The floor is completely sealed, the shower curtain prevents water splashing elswehere. All she does now is walk into the bathroom, pull the curtain round, press a button, job done. The water escapes as quickly as it comes. The floor is non-slip. A chair was offered. Grips are on the walls. and all this was paid for by the social service and is NOT means tested. Grants are available irrespective of financial position,or house owner or tenant.