Hello everyone and I hope you are all as well as can be.
I am having real difficulty getting in and out of shower. I am managing but the fear that comes over me when its shower time each day terrifies me. It is my right leg the just does not lift anymore and we are currently trying to get bathroom installers/plumbers to install a walk in shower. Do any of you you have any experience and could you reccomend someone we can use as it is almost impossible to get anyone.
Much appreciated
Mary x
Hi Mary
I’ve just had a bout of cellulitis which affected my good leg, making walking extremely hard for a while. A spell in hospital was illuminating, as the showers were in the form of wet rooms, complete with grab handles etc. The essence of a wet room is the creation of a fall-line, so that the water naturally falls towards the plug hole. In addition, the floor covering will need to be non-slip vinyl sheet with welds to seal and ideally, altro whiterock wall panels for sealing and ease of wiping down. To achieve the slope down to the plug hole, some gentle reprofiling of the rest of the bathroom floor would be necessary to achieve the height from which the water in the shower area can fall.
Converting the whole bathroom (lowered sink etc.) makes things like shower chairs possible too, not just for showering but for washing, teeth, shaving too.
We’ve decided to convert our bathroom and I’m writing up a specification (background in construction interiors) to put out to contractors for pricing. I’d be happy to share the specification if you’re interested.
Graeme
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Hi Mary, we had a total conversion to a wet room last year.
Using a small (13’ x 12’) bedroom. It’s fab and doesn’t affect the bathroom. We still have 2 large bedrooms. If we sold, the buyer could easily remove either the bathroom or the wet room if needed.
The wet room has one end for the overhead shower & sloped floor.
There’s no doors or steps to trip over and the entire floor is non slip. All taps & two shelves (for soaps, hair products etc), are fixed in the shower area and within easy reach from the aluminium wheelchair, solely used in the Wet room.
I think we paid £6,500 for everthing, including fitting (one of my brothers helped with the donkey work and tiling, another - a master plumber - did the pipework, sink, shower, taps etc).
Did you know it’s possible to apply for a grant and in some cases, there is no cost to you? I think it’s Soc.Services or Occ.Health who will guide you about funding.
Good luck Mary, a wet room is much safer.
Chrissie x
Good info there Chrissie.
As regards grants etc. you need to contact the Adult Social Care of your local County or Metropolitan council. The department to carry out statutory assessments will be Occupational Therapy (OT) and besides the functional needs assessment, they will put you forward for a Disabled Facilities Grant, which will be means-tested (subject to household income & savings).
Thank you so very much for your kind,prompmt and very helpful answers
Maryx