Bathroom Remodeling

[BeckyW]

We are remodeling a bathroom for my use. I am still able to walk but my arms and hands are weak. I have lost my ability to sing and talk. We want to make the bathroom so I can use it throughtour my journey with ALS. Any suggestions? We had the occupational from the ALS clinic come for ideas. I'm sure many of you have some ones.

Thanks,
Becky


Life is not how high you climb or how fast you run, it's how well you Bounce!:razz:

 

[sadiemae]

https://www.alsforums.com/forum/members/771-bathroom-albums117.html

 

[grandmommyk]

I don't really have any suggestions, except make it pretty, not just functional. Saying that, the one thing that has really made my bathroom easier on me as a caregiver is not expensive or pretty. My husband has to use a portable potty chair. He can't really transfer and never gives up an ounce of independence before it is just gone. He really isn't able but still stands while I take his power chair from behind him, pull down his pants and get the potty chair under him. We do this in our roll in shower while he leans on the bars for support. I have to use a lift to transfer him back to his chair as the potty is too low for him to get up from.
Since the potty chair isn't over the toilet, the bucket has to be emptied and cleaned after use. When the contractors came out to give us bids, I asked each of them what could be done to make this job easier. One of them told me to go to the hardware store and buy a shut off valve and a sprayer hose. He told me to have my son connect it to the plumbing behind the toilet. It hangs on the back of the grab bar. I just have to hold the bucket over the toilet and spray the contents away. You do have to make sure the shut off valve is partially closed so you don't have too much pressure from the sprayer.
BTW, that contractor got the remodel job. and it turned out great.

 

[10steps]

ADA toilet and definitely a bidet. Go with the higher end model...I bought the biobidet with all the options and remote control. I paid $500 and I would do do again in a heart beat. My husband continues to use it, he is advanced in progression...no use of hands, legs, arms, speeech...etc. He was able to operate things as long as possible and now I run the remote. The thing even comes with a dryer and deodorizer.
We can roll in shower, full length bar along the side and back.

 

[BarryG]

We just had our step in shower ripped out and replaced with a roll in tile lined shower and along with my wheeled shower commode it works great! My helper loads me onto the chair, wheels me over the toilet and then into the shower. I get undressed and dressed from the shower commode chair and stand and hang onto my walker to have my pants pulled down and up.

 

[tomby]

Make it as big as you can. You may need to get more than one piece of equipment in at a time (shower chair, PWC, lift). Or if space is limited, think about laying it out so a ceiling track lift system could get you from chair to toilet to shower. I agree that the bidet is great. Keeps me independent in that area

 

[abbas child]

If I could do over, the floor and walls would be tile with a shower drain near a corner away from the door. Then follow Tom's (see above) directions.

Regarding the Bidet, my TOTO Jasmine works while I'm suspended above (not sitting on the seat) in the sling. I can't help get myself centered on the seat, and have been bumped over my tailbone when trying--therefore am not often in favor of trying.