Grab bars and...

[Cat Dancer]

Re the current shower.

It's small. I put down rubber mats so I don't slip which helps. I find myself feeling unsteady. DH red suction grab bar as a Just in case measure. But, would they pop off if I use to to steady myself when I worry about unsteadiness?

I don't see how could install grab bar without breaking the waterproof seal on the monolithic piece of Stiff vinyl that lines the shower walls. The chairs are awful low, doubt I could easily rise from them.

There is a built in seat, but it's too low now that I can't rise unaided from a low seat.

My bath chair, which I use in my shower, has adjustable legs, lower and higher. It costs more, but worth it. It also has a back, which is good if you're not steady sitting down. You could get one of those and not use the built in seat.

The suction cup grab bars are NOT safe unless you have an absolutely clean flat wall, and an absolutely tight seal. Almost impossible.

You can indeed install a grab bar into the stiff vinyl. You just need to find a gasket at any hardware or building supply store (take the dimensions of the grab bar with you), and screw through the gasket to the wall studs. Or there is sealant that you can apply around the outside edge of the bar and wall - the sealant is clear, so it won't mar the color of the wall. You DO need to locate the studs behind that vinyl wall. There is a tool called a "stud finder" that can help you do that. It signals the metal in the screws that are in the stud. Studs are anywhere from 12 to 16 inches apart. Once you find one, you measure, and see where the second one is. You want to screw into the middle of the stud.

[Cat Dancer]

My dad's visiting nurse said those chairs are very heavy. She said to get an engineer to assure that our living room floor (over a basement) could hold it.

ANN

My lift chair is not much heavier than any other standard "overstuffed" chair...

[Sunshine]

My bath chair, which I use in my shower, has adjustable legs, lower and higher. It costs more, but worth it. It also has a back, which is good if you're not steady sitting down. You could get one of those and not use the built in seat.

The suction cup grab bars are NOT safe unless you have an absolutely clean flat wall, and an absolutely tight seal. Almost impossible.

You can indeed install a grab bar into the stiff vinyl. You just need to find a gasket at any hardware or building supply store (take the dimensions of the grab bar with you), and screw through the gasket to the wall studs. Or there is sealant that you can apply around the outside edge of the bar and wall - the sealant is clear, so it won't mar the color of the wall. You DO need to locate the studs behind that vinyl wall. There is a tool called a "stud finder" that can help you do that. It signals the metal in the screws that are in the stud. Studs are anywhere from 12 to 16 inches apart. Once you find one, you measure, and see where the second one is. You want to screw into the middle of the stud.

Thank you. Do you have a link to that shower chair? A chair would mean I don't need a grab bar. Sounds like suction a bad idea for grab bar.

[Cat Dancer]

There are all kinds of adjustable bath chairs. I'm not good at that link thing, but I just typed adjustable bath chairs into Google, and came up with a bunch of sites, including WalMart (inexpensive).

Amazon has them, too. Again, I just searched for adjustable bath chair and several came up. I'm sure you'll find one that will suit your purposes.

[Cat Dancer]

Would it be like one of these? I didn't know what they were called but I know someone who's been thinking of getting one of these. In the photos they look as if they could pitch you forward onto the floor but I guess not?

That one could pitch you onto the floor! Looks slippery, all that leather! Mine is fabric. Mine comes up slowly to get to whatever height you're comfortable with. They're not intended for someone who cannot easily transfer, though. They're meant for someone who needs an assist to stand, either to then walk independently or with a walker or crutches. I can't use mine anymore as I can't transfer into it...or out of it.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

I think a leather type one would pitch a person forward, but you have controls to adjust,,a cloth one is way more comfy,, but that just my opinion,,

[agate]

Some interesting ideas in this article in the MSAA's MS Motivator article, "Home and Lifestyle Modifications for Safety and Accessibility" (Summer/Fall 2017):

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[stillstANNding]

Excellent article with great resources, Agate.

Thank you.
ANN

[Cherie]

We made modifications in anticipation that I would need them and I did not after the first few weeks of symptoms. They are there now and probably add to overall safety but were more costly than they were worth. I suggest people do not anticipate the worst and invest on that premise but that if the modifications make sense because they plan to stay in that home through their golden years to make that investment. Aging in place has just as many risks as MS now days especially if you are on a disease modifying therapy. BBS, I know you have been at this for years and if you feel that these modifications are needed now, you should do them. Our bathroom is so small that there is really not room to install an over toilet armrest and little room for a grab bar on the wall. We were able to take the tub shower combo out though and put in a walk in shower with a built in seat and hand held shower arm. That has been tremendously helpful!

[Sunshine]

Good thoughtful comments Cherie!

I will talk to DH about installing the handheld shower head while we wait the 15 months for new house to be built.

Am def there now, re needing help. The shower chair has made a huge difference. No longer do I feel like I could fall st any moment in shower.

It’s so hard to know if it’s the MS worsening, or the Stiff Person Syndrome causing this rapid decline. I suspect it’s the SPS. But the results are the same in terms of accessibility needs.

[Virginia]

I just could not do without my shower stool. I have had it for many years and feel it was the best "small" investment I made.


Edited to add: That is especially true now that I can no longer get in and out of a tub.

[Howie]

As long as I can get in and out of the tub, I will sit in the tub, and take a bath. There's nothing as relaxing as laying back in the hot, yes HOT water, and taking a bath.

I have to be VERY careful, and take my time doing both. Getting out is the trickiest. I don't even turn the water on until I get in, and sit down, and then I turn the water on.

If I took a shower, and soaped up my face, and closed my eyes, I would fall. The balance would fail me. Even before MS, I seldom took a shower, always a bath. But that is just me.

[agate]

I'm the same way--not one for showers though if you happen to have a shower that packs a wallop, standing under those warm needles of water can loosen up tight muscles.

Unless I keep my glasses on, I can't see in a shower. I drop the soap often and can't find it and am apt to slip on it as it rolls around on the bottom of the tub while I try to find it by groping.

I always used to swim with my glasses on, and they did get wet but it didn't matter much at all. In a shower it matters, particularly when balance is shaky.

[nuthatch]

Grab bars come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They also come in 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" circumference. The standard grab bar found in public restrooms is 1 1/2", but the
1 1/4" is a much better size for a woman's hand. As Cat says, they need to be screwed into a stud, but when building a house, I'd recommend screwing strong plywood to the studs all the way around the shower at a level where you might need a grab bar, so that when it comes time to place grab bars, you don't have to be concerned about finding the center of studs, as you will be screwing into the plywood. That's called blocking. You may find you want to add another bar at a later date. Holes drilled in tile that just happened to miss or partially miss a stud is not something that can be undone! Also connecting to studs limits the lengths of grab rails you can use in your shower. There are also angled grab rails that can assist in getting up from a sitting position, like this. Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Here are a couple of sites for grab bars.
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This is an interesting site for grab bars, but a bit pricey. If you want decorator bars, you gotta pay!
I thought the sliding handheld mount for grab bars, that can be moved anywhere on the grab bar, was a neat idea.
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Shower seats. I found the Eagle shower chair/bench to be very stable. I even bought one for my Mom. I had one that held up to 500 lbs. with the adjustable height legs and bars on the sides that were really helpful in getting up from the chair/bench. Here's a link.
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[Cat Dancer]

Nuthatch, good suggestion about boxing in the shower area, particularly helpful when you're building the house from scratch, but a little harder to do when you're modifying an existing space..

I haven't taken a bath since 1965, when I went off to college and discovered showers. (We had a bathtub at home). I loved them, have loved them ever since. When we bought our first house, the first thing we did was get rid of the tub and tile in the area for a shower (leaving the space so a new owner could put in a tub if they wanted one). And we've done that ever since. I never could see the enjoyment of sitting in a tub of dirty water!