Your bathroom
There are simple low-cost solutions that can help you in the bathroom, and other solutions that are more expensive but may suit your needs better or you just prefer.
Adding a stool or chair to your bathroom will help if you tire while brushing your teeth, brushing your hair or removing your clothes to wash and drying yourself afterwards.
If buying equipment isn’t enough you may need advice on making an adaptation to your home.
Your sink.
There are brackets and hooks you can add to your sink so you can place a wash cloth, towel or soap closer to where you are washing. There are tap turners you can place over each tap that make it easier to turn the taps on and off. And there are also plugs you can buy that are easier to fit if it is difficult to pull the plug chain.
If showering or taking a bath is difficult you may prefer to wash using your sink, especially if it is for a short time while you recover from an injury or if you can’t get a broken limb wet while you’re wearing a cast.
Showering or bathing.
If standing for a while in the shower is tiring, or you feel unsteady, you could buy a shower stool to sit on while you wash. A stool with adjustable legs allows you to sit with both feet fully on the floor. There are also bath boards that you can buy that allow you to sit higher in the bath and wash using a shower head fitted to your taps.
There are also floor anti-slip mats and grab rails you can use to make getting in and out of your shower or bath safer. There are suction grab rails you can fit to smooth surfaces but if you would prefer to have the rail fitted there’s information about handy person services on the directory.
If you need support from family or a carer to shower there is equipment that can help them too, like a hoist or sling or a lift to raise and lower in and out the water.
Your toilet.
There are lots of options of toilet seats that can help. There are seats with special padding to soften the surface, and seats that increase the height to make it easier to sit down and get back up. Handles or a grab rail next to the toilet can also help. If more support is needed there are frames similar to a walking frame you can hold onto for support as you get on and off the toilet.
If the toilet design, or the space around the toilet makes it difficult to use even with equipment added you may want to consider using a commode. This is a chair designed to make it easy to get in and out of with a bowl underneath the seat. Using a commode for some part of the day may also be useful if your bathroom is upstairs and this makes using the toilet tiring.
On the Living Made Easy website you’ll find examples of bathroom equipment and details of different suppliers and how to purchase.
Living Made Easy: Bathing made easy. Bath and shower accessories. Bath and shower boards, seats and stools. Bath lifts and hoists. Bath and shower chairs. Washbasins. Taps and soap dispensers. Toileting aids. Commodes.
