Any help with buying a walk in bath ?

Zend

My mother who suffers from dementia fell in November and fractured her pelvis. She is due home soon and will be unable to get in and out of the bath. Is there any help available for buying a walk in bath or shower? My father has only been home for three months after spending four months in hospital and is frail so will be unable to help her into a bath.

Oldernotwiser

What benefits are they claiming?

Mojisola

Insist that she has an assessment by the occupational therapists before she comes home and that their house is looked at and advice given about making it safer for her.

None of the OTs who have visited my parents recommend the walk-in baths. There is a danger of scalding as the water goes into the bath and you risk getting chilled, waiting for the water to drain away.

Your parents may be entitled to a grant but they're very hard to get now and it takes ages to go through the process so they would need some interim answer to the bath problem.

Are they both claiming their full benefit entitlement? Do they have any carers supporting them at the moment?

With the health and care problems they have now, is it time to look at moving into a care home?

Marisco

Wouldn't a walk in shower be better, and cheaper?

xylophone

A walk in shower with seat and thermostatic controls for safety might be the answer. You might find the pictures on this company's web site of interest.http://www.premierbathrooms.co.uk/walk-in-showers/?gclid=CPL4jPvy460CFecmtAodz2_hVA (I don't have any association with the co by the way!).
Whether or not your parents can obtain financial assistance is likely to depend on a means test if the experience of an elderly acquaintance is anything to go by. At the age of 90 and with macular degeneration,she was living (quite successfully) in a Housing Association property which had a deep, old fashioned bath. The woman who came from the council to do a care assessment advised that she should no longer attempt to use the bath. The Housing Association refused to install a shower but gave her permission to have one installed - as she had state and occupational pensions she had to pay the entire cost herself.

Prinzessilein

My OT recommended a walk in shower - not bath. A shower is the better and safer option in you have mobility problems.

One thing to consider. I know things can vary depending on the area in which you live - but in my area you currently wait between a year and eighteen months for an appointment with the OT and the at least a year before the work gets done.

Mojisola

Prinzessilein wrote: »

My OT recommended a walk in shower - not bath. A shower is the better and safer option in you have mobility problems.

One thing to consider. I know things can vary depending on the area in which you live - but in my area you currently wait between a year and eighteen months for an appointment with the OT and the at least a year before the work gets done.

That's shocking!

KxMx

Same here, Nan and Grandad waited 18 months for OT visit, then over a year for the work (installing a wet room) to start from that visit. However there were complex issues surrounding permission from the Housing Assoc etc before work could start.

And that was with us chasing both stages all the while.

And then the HA decided to screw up OT's plan and do it on the cheap which shall we say has backfired. A dozen little things that OT wanted (a higher then normal chair in the wet room, a sliding door to replace their back door etc) still haven't been done. And they have bodged the drains to boot which still aren't fixed (they ignored Nan's calls and a token attempt was made only after a neighbour in private property kicked up a stick on their behalf- he had grounds since stagnant water seeped all over his drive).

It's been a nightmare for all concerned. If you can afford it done privately don't think twice about paying out for a proper, timely job.

nannytone_2

i'm fully aware of how lucky we are with my local authority. we wait days as oppsed to weeks and months for an assessment.
but .... if our authority can do it, what stops the others?

i can only assume that its the will to help that is lacking .....

Vejovis

nannytone wrote: »

i'm fully aware of how lucky we are with my local authority. we wait days as oppsed to weeks and months for an assessment.
but .... if our authority can do it, what stops the others?

i can only assume that its the will to help that is lacking .....

or they may have other funding priorities? i'm not saying waiting 18 months is ok, it's most definitely not, but everywhere has priorities. for instance i've just had to wait 3 years for my son to see an orthodontist (although it was cancelled on the day, so we still haven't actually got there), because other things are classed as a higher priority. it's not great, but it's the way it has to be.

startedsaving

A disabled facilities grant to provide assistance to help people remain and live safely in their own home is mandatory - in other words your local council has to offer this. If your parents get any income related benefits (ie benefit they get because their income is low - Council tax benefit, housing benefit, pension credit guarantee etc) they will go straight thru the means testing. Even if not, they may still qualify for full grant even if got savings etc. They must have an assessment by an occupational therapist first, the OT will discuss with them what is needed , as others have said typically this would be a walk in or level access shower. I suggest you contact your local council, either district or unitary depending on what the system is in your area, they will advise you how to proceed - you could check their website and search for 'disabled facilities grant'. How long the wait is depends, in my local area all referrals are processed as they come in, in other areas there may be a waiting list - however, there may also be a priority system with higher priority for those in danger. They will also look at other things that could help, like stairlift, grab rails, hand rails, etc. Hope all goes well for you and your parents. SS