When Your Mobility Keeps Changing: Adapted Bathrooms
I was recently commissioned by Mobility Plus to give my thoughts on the following topic…
Honestly, this year has been a bit of a nightmare with my health.
We started off the year with them worrying I had a small stroke (luckily I got the all-clear there).
However, we are no further forward and I’m still undergoing tests to find out what had really happened.
I know the first month of next year, will be full of tests. I’m even trying acupuncture, which had been recommended by my physio.
When we moved into the bungalow we had a number of adaptions done. However, this year they have started to not work for me and I am waiting on more.
One of the things that has been decided is I definitely need a wet-room or walk-in shower.
This is something I am really excited about, it is strange how life has changed me from someone who loved relaxing in a good bath, to looking forward to having a wet-room installed.
Why I’m Excited About An Adapted Bathroom.
Ok, so I’m in my 30s and getting excited about the mundane.
However, adaptions around the home can be such a big thing to people like me who struggle with a normal layout.
A walk-in shower will allow me to wash in an easier and more comfortable environment. I will be able to sit while I do this, so I won’t have to worry about falling make it much safer and will have gained back just a little bit of control when it comes to self-care.
I recently went on holiday and we stayed in a completely adapted barn and it made life so much easier.
The thing with having an easier time showering as well is, it gives me more energy to use on other tasks later as well.
So once the adaptions have been made, it will really make a huge difference, not just to my time in the shower, but the day that follows.
Other Bathroom Changes.
Alongside a walk-in shower and seat, it is likely a few other changes will be undertaken in the bathroom including:
More railings.
Changes to the toiler (it’s likely they will raise it).
Easier tap handles.
It is actually really interesting all the things that can be done now to help make life easier at home for you when you have mobility issues.
The thing is as well, that just because you need a wet-room, walk-in shower or other options, they don’t need to look bad these days.
There are so many choices out there and you can end up with a nice looking room, which works for you as well as looks good.
If you do need adaptions in any room of your home, don’t be afraid to have them done and give different options a try, until you find something which works for you.
Do you have any aids or adaptions around your home, how do they help you?
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We could really do with a wet room or walk in bath/shower for my son. Its getting harder now as he gets older to lift him in and out, and as we rent its just impossible to change.
I love the idea of a bathroom that can be adapted to make it easier to get around.
We’re hoping to finally remodel our really impractical and ugly shower room, which is also becoming dangerous – the shower door is broken and regularly falls off, so it’s only a matter of time before it falls on one of us. I want to make sure I future-proof it as much as possible, by having a walk-in shower and adding a shower seat.
We have a full wet room we had predominantly fitted for my husband before he unexpectedly passed away 2 years ago. As I have health issues too it has really made a big difference to me too.
We also had a special bidet downstairs toilet fitted as I have bowel issues! Having the extra toilet has been amazing and I couldnt be without it.
I also have a large mobility scooter (not a tiny shopa mobility one)This one takes me all round where I live and does at least 20 miles before a recharge is needed.
This gives me so much freedom as I am not allowed to drive due to a neurology condition
I am so glad you have found what works for you too
I would love something like a mobility scooter – I really miss just being able to get out and go anywhere and see things, it feels quite isolating at times.
I have a disabilities preventing using a bath, we luckily qualified for a grant and had a stairlift and wetroom put in. The wet room makes all the difference as there is no squashing in a shower cubicle. There is ample room to get dried, and dressed, its the best thing since sliced bread
Oh that is fantastic – I am glad it has helped you be able to be more independent.
Aww bless you hope 2020 goes a little better for you. I have mobility problems due to back problems and a wet room would be amazing
Thank you so much, it is horrid when even just bathing becomes such a hard thing.
We have had to put a wetroom in due to my disabilities, we find the whole family enjoy using the room as its much better than being enclosed in a cubicle
It’s amazing all the different things they can do now – I’m just hoping to hear about ours soon!
too many people forget about bathroom adaptability, its not like an optional body function..
So true – it is such a big thing being able to be clean, it can make all the difference to how your feel.
Thanks for sharing these options with us.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Walk in showers are amazing and future proofing your home for whatever life throws your way. It takes the stress out of how to maintain independence for longer.
I cannot wait till I can just take a shower in such a simple way.
Walk in showers are great and so much more stylish and modern than they used to be. I hope they get to the bottom of what your problem was Sarah, it must be worrying for you.
It is amazing how things are changing isn’t it? I hope I will at some point – though I do wonder if I ever will at times.
It’s nice that there are adjustment that can make life easier especially when you’ve been through so much. I hope everything goes well with the improvements on your bathroom!
It is wonderful how people are thinking of ways to help people more these days.
I hope those tests bring you some good answers and that acupuncture gives you some relief! We have a walk-in shower and it is so much easier than stepping into a tub. (We also have an old clawfoot tub, but it is hard for me to step into.) My husband has Rheumatoid Arthritis and already had one hip and shoulder replaced, but it just a matter of time before he has the other ones done. We are so grateful to live in a time when surgeries like this are available.
Thank you so much. Oh gosh, your poor husband – I bet that can be so painful – it is amazing what doctors can do these days!
I am with you on that – we have been waiting for summer to here something / anything about it and it’s just dragging on and on now.
I’m glad you will be getting these changes to your bathroom, I know how tough this year has been for you and hopefully 2020 will be much more positive.
Aww thank you <3, I'm hoping we get it done at least.
I hope 2020 is a bit kinder to you. My parents have an adapted bathroom and it makes things so much easier.
Thank you – hopefully it will be easier all around.
That sounds like a great idea and very useful. I really love the concept. One of my bathrooms has this walk-in shower.
It is great that they can do so much for people now.
My daughter is hard of hearing, and comes home from school absolutely exhausted. The extra energy it takes to hear isn’t something many consider, but is a real concern. I can only imagine how tiring it is to complete what may seem mundane tasks. An adapted bathroom sounds like one way to make life a tad easier.
It is amazing what does take extra energy from you, which you just don’t think of. Anything which can lesson that is at least a little help.
Aww… I’m glad your health was not worse that what you thought (stroke). Happy to hear you’re progressing along. Adaption can be scary. But the fun part is making it how you like it so you can be happy with the look. Be strong!! Hugs?
Definitely the stroke idea was so scary! It’s hard not knowing what it is but at least it wasn’t that.
It sounds awesome that you’ve been able to combine products that improve mobility with beautiful design. I love designing a functional, beautiful bathroom.
It is amazing all the different things they can do now.
interesting article, i have ms and i know that i will need adaptations to my bathroom at some point
Good luck when you need to have them done – I’m hoping ours won’t be long now.
Depending on your budget you could perhaps look into a wet room with a built in seat ledge, you can also get wet room that have a steam room function. This would be pricier but there are health benefits to being able to have a steam too.
Ohh that is amazing I’m definitely going to have to look into things like that. The one we had on holiday had a “human dryer”, I found it didn’t fully dry me but it helped get the kick start so I was dryer quicker at least.
That’s really awesome to have a bathroom that can be adapted to make it easier to get around and in and out of the bathroom.
It is amazing all the things they can do now! It’s just a shame it can be so expensive.
Oh man – I hope you are ok and get the final all clear and figure what the issue was. Bathrooms are literally the worst for mobility and its always good to hear about someone experience so you can make better options.
Thank you so much! It is so hard isn’t it, bathing isn’t easy in any shape or form and so tiring ontop as well.
The fact that you’re keeping things adapted but still super stylish is so inspiring! I am sure no matter what you do to it, it’s going to look great based on your already incredible taste.
Aww thank you so much – I hope so haha!
We are currently looking into this for my son, he has drug resistant epilepsy and as hes getting older it’s getting harder to get him in and out of the bath when he has a seizure
Oh no I bet that is awful to have to deal with – I hope it all goes well for you changing things.
I have got a wet-room, I hated the idea of not having a bath, but it has been a godsend, especially on my bad days
That was one thing I hated at first, the thought of never having a bath again.
My mum has mobility issues and they got rid of their bath in favour of a large shower as it’s what works best for my mum x
It is amazing the difference it can make – I’m looking forward to it happening for us one day.
This is so interesting, something that I never thought about before. And I am 60, so this may be helpful in the coming years, thanks for sharing your journey.
Good luck if you do look to do something like this! It isn’t all old fashioned you can get so much your way now.
I am sorry you had a year of no so good health. It is comforting to know that there are stylish options available for those who have to make necessary home improvement changes to adapt to mobility issues. I am sure some day it’s something many of us will face, simply through aging.
That is for sure – I am always interested in seeing how things change, I hope things do become more stylish as they years pass by.
I have really bad back problems etc. and I am going to look into some of these. Thanks.
Oh no, I am so sorry to read that. I hope this helps.
My husband and I are going to be working on both our bathrooms at some point too. I would honestly love to have just a shower with no bath attached.
Good luck with getting your bathroom looking and being just as you would like it.
Wow. I know a lot of our clients can benefit from this post. Looks like some great adaptations.
It is amazing all the different things you can have done these days and how they can help.
I just shared the with my mom who needs to do this to her bathroom. Thanks so much for sharing.
I hope she manages to get her bathroom sorted to a point it works for her.
These look awesome! I will keep these ideas in mind when I start to have issues. My husband already has a bad back!
Oh no it’s so hard – it is amazing though what some changes make to how you are feeling and what you are able to do.
I’m glad to hear that you have the ability to make these changes so that the bathroom is safer for you. The additions look beautiful overall, I do wonder about this since my husband has Perthes and we will potentially need something like this when he gets older.
Well it’s still in the hopeful start – I have an OT working on it and the landlord has to agree – not sure ours will look quite as nice as the photos.
It is so great when you can mix safety witha spectacular look. It is a great looking bathroom and hopefully not too hard during the change.
It is nice that you can do so much now – not sure ours will look as great as the images – but however, it looks I’m OK with.
We have recently moved into an adapted flat, with a wet room and disabi;ity aides, certainly helped my husband
Oh wow I am so glad it is helping you! It is great how they can do these things now.
It sounds like you’ve been through a tough time healthwise. It’s great you can make adaptations within your home to allow for this and make day to day living easier.
It has been a bit of a year for sure! Sometimes I wish things were easier.