Now our bathroom to wet room conversion is complete I thought I would let you how it has all gone.

In my last post I explained what I thought the wet room conversion could do for me. The most important thing was getting some dignity and independence back. As a wheelchair user, my regular bathroom was just not suitable and made life unnecessarily difficult. I am glad to say that the new wet-room has lived up to and exceeded my expectations.

While the work was being done, the house was a bit chaotic as quite a lot of building work needed to be done. For example the door to be made wider, the airing cupboard had to be removed and a wall was reinforced for fitting grab rails . Now I don’t have to do a really tricky manoeuvre to get into the room; there is plenty of space to just roll in.

So that a pedestal-free wash basin could be mounted on the wall, the existing stud partition wall had to be made stronger. This also meant that grab rails could be fixed firmly to the shower wall.

With no bath in the room, there is so much space. Before, if I went in forwards I had to go out backwards; now I can turn around 360 degrees!

I can now reach things on shelves without asking for things to be passed to me. I can even see myself in the new low-down mirror (some would say this is not a good thing!)

The sink has taps with easy grip handles that I can turn easily. The shower controls are low down and very easily to operate.

I have a new self propelled shower chair. All I do is transfer into this (it is like a wheelchair, but very lightweight and the seat is like a toilet seat) then roll straight under the shower. The first time I had a shower in the new wet-room it was quite emotional. I hadn’t been able to get a shower in over 3 years, so to have a proper shower was just amazing. I stayed there for quite a while – I think my wife thought I had taken root! I really can’t explain how good it is too feel running water again.

The shower chair is great as it means I can also use the toilet easily. I just roll over it, with no need for a transfer onto the toilet. This makes life MUCH easier!

I am very pleased with the new room as it not only helps me immensely, but it doesn’t look like a ‘disabled’ bathroom. I worked closely with the workmen and have exactly what I wanted and needed. I didn’t want something that looked like it belongs in an hospital in my home. Just because I have a disability doesn’t mean I don’t have taste!

I am now in control of my own personal hygiene. That is priceless!

After struggling for too long with bathing and even getting into our bathroom, we are finally turning our bathroom into a wet-room.

I am a wheelchair user and the bathroom is the most difficult room to use. Everything is designed for someone who is able-bodied. I have lots of mobility aids; like a bath board, shower chair, handgrips and rails, which have made a difference, but it is still just far too difficult.

The problems we have at the moment.

• The furniture – the toilet and the sink are in the wrong place.
• I can’t easily get into the bath which has a shower over it.
• I can’t roll my wheelchair properly under the sink as the pedestal gets in the way.
• The bathroom cabinet goes above the sink – but it just too high.
• The toilet is too close to the wall at the side.
• The controls for the shower are too high.
• The bath takes up so much room, and this means that there is so little space left that I can’t turn my wheelchair around once I am in the bathroom.
• The door is only just wide enough for me to roll through.

I am hoping the new wet-room and adaptations will help with the following:

• A wider door will let me get into the room more easily.
• A completely flat floor, will mean I can just roll under the shower.
• A sink with no pedestal will mean my wheelchair will fit underneath comfortably.
• A toilet that has plenty of room all around it will help me with transfers.
• Sensible grab-rails that are in the right place for me will make a huge difference. Not only so I keep my balance in the shower (when I shut my eyes I feel dizzy, so being able to hold on to a grab-rail with one hand while I wash my hair will be invaluable) but also so I can transfer to the toilet more easily..
• No bath – so there will be so much more room to move.
• Shelves and storage that I can reach will be so helpful.
• Shower controls that I can operate myself will be an obvious but important help.

I am looking forward to the new wet-room. Instead of asking for help all the time, (or worse, not being able to wash myself) – I will get my independence and dignity back.

Once the building work is done, I will write another article reviewing how good (or bad) the new wet-room is.

Bathing is so important, yet it can be one of the most difficult things to do. Whether you find it difficult getting in and out of the bath or washing yourself easily, there are many mobility aids available that can make bathing easier.

Here is a guide to some of the equipment that is available.

My bath was already fitted with grab rails at the top, but they didn’t really help me get into the bath. I bought a rail that stuck up about 12″on top of the bath. It fixes on to the edge of the bath, and makes a very sturdy handle that gives me support at the right height for climbing into and out of the bath.

Bath steps and bath step stools make the distance you have to lift your leg up to get into the bath much shorter. Another advantage of these steps and step stools is that they are portable and can be used to stand on in other areas of the house, and make things much safer when you need a step-up.

If sitting down in the bath is difficult; a bath stool might be useful. These have suckers on the bottom so they don’t slip and often come in several heights. The lower ones keep you high enough off the bottom of the bath, but low enough to still be able to enjoy your bath. The higher ones can be used to sit under the shower or if you need a bath chair that leaves you sitting higher up.

Bath boards are a good alternative to shower or bath stools. These sit across the top of the bath from one side to the other. They secure tightly, and I think they feel very safe. They are really good if getting into the bath is difficult as you can often slide on from sitting on the edge of the bath. This is actually my favourite piece of mobility equipment for the bathroom, simple to use and does not take up valuable space in the smallest room in the house!

If a bath seat or stool is not suitable, a bath lift might be. These can be hydraulic, electric or inflatable and gently and slowly lower the you down into the bath, and back up again. They are especially useful if you need someone to help you into the bath. This way they do not need to lift you at all.

If your shower has level access, there are many wheeled shower chairs available. These can be self propelled, or attendant propelled.  Some have a convienient shape cut out of the seat so you can wash yourself properly. This kind of chair can often also be used as a commode chair over a toilet. In this case once piece of equipment can be used for two purposes.

Once you are in the bath or shower there are many gadgets that can help assist you with washing. These range from long handled sponges to toe washers. They reduce the need for reaching and twisting, so make washing a much less physical activity.