Bathroom Refit Advice

[bichonbear1]

Hello. We are now at the stage with mum where we need to refit the bathroom to accommodate wheelchair showering, ease of access to sink and also toilet. Due to cost we want to ensure we get this as right as possible. Can anyone offer advice on fixtures/fittings/layouts that have worked well? We can only imagine the accessible bathroom fitment companies come with extortionate price tags so we are using a highly recommended local tradesperson. Any guidance would be hugely appreciated. Photos would be amazing. Thank you.

[Perrywrinkle]

Our bathroom is small and I want the existing sink/vanity removed so my husband can access the wash basin in his wheelchair. The sink below is what I hope to have installed.

Hello! This is a picture of a wall-mounted sink I want installed in the bathroom.

[bichonbear1 in reply to Perrywrinkle]

Thank you for sharing and highlighting the wheelchair under sink need.

[Kasenda]

Hi there, we had a wet room fitted with a Japanese toilet ( Geberit aqua clean) and it has been the best thing for my husband. The OT supplied us with the shower chair which goes over the toilet and can be wheeled to the shower area or bedroom.

Wet room

[bichonbear1 in reply to Kasenda]

Thank you. It’s good to learn that it’s worth spending the money on one of these cleaning toilets. We will look into the shower chair also.

[key4u]

We got a bedroom and wet room downstairs for single floor living through our OT and it was free via a home improvement grant. We actually also got the upstairs converted to wet room before moving to single floor living. Equipment like shower chairs and hoists all free too. It involves filling in some forms and getting quotes but there was an approved contractor list that made it easier.

[bichonbear1 in reply to key4u]

Thank you for sharing your experience. My parents moved into a bungalow a year ago to prepare for mums decline. I have been researching the grant possibility through our local council. It’s good to hear this help could be available.

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi bichonbear1!

I have sent you a message through the private chat offering you videos, photographs and documents on the symptoms of PSP in different phases with our experiences and solutions that may be of interest to you.

Hug and luck.

Luis

[ncgardener799 in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Luis, could you please sent me the above information also? Thank you.

[bichonbear1 in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Thank you so much.

[Millidog in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi Luis, if you could send me the info also I would be very grateful thanks millidog

[Scottoppy]

We are in the process of designing and building a bathroom for my wife, if you get the PSPA newsletter there is an article about it in there. Consider carefully turning circles for the wheelchair however Rollabout commode chair is more flexible as it can be used in the shower. The most important thing is to make the room a wet-room which means tanking the floor and running the wastes under it. Use porcelain non slip tiles, not so much for the patient but their carers. Make sure there are no minor lips such as between the threshold, ensure floor levels are equal from the hall way and the bathroom. You do not need a special toilet if you are using the Rollabout type commode chair. Grab rails etc are available from many suppliers and are easy to fit by a competent DIYer. We are going the whole hog and installing a Bidet/Toilet with wash dry facilities to make toileting easier and more dignified for the patient. They are about £800 inc. VAT but you can claim that back (VAT relief notice 701/7) This also applies to all specially adapted appliances you may need. Good luck

[bichonbear1 in reply to Scottoppy]

Thank you for sharing such detailed information, really useful. I will check out the newsletter. Thank you also for highlighting the VAT relief.

[Millidog in reply to Scottoppy]

Hi Scottoppy thank for your useful info. If you can supply further info on your plans and spec, room design layout etc I would be very grateful. I am at the stage of talking to architect and builders and developing plans and any help on this would be so useful. Many thanks in advance. Have a good day millidog

[Scottoppy in reply to Millidog]

Here is the brief I gave the Architect hope it helps.

1. Wet Shower Room

Basic requirements: -

Space for a wheelchair bound person plus 2 carers to transfer patient from wheelchair to toilet and/or walk-in shower. (internal dimensions circa 2.5m X 3m)

Doorway to allow wheelchair access

Level floor to bedroom 1. Floor to be tiled in non-slip porcelain tiles, client choice. All will be tanked with ‘Lastogum®’, or similar specification, and tape with 500mm up on the inside walls.

a) Walk-in Shower 1200 X 900 minimum

Room to accommodate a patient in a shower/commode chair.

Half height folding splash doors with splash curtain above.

Overhead thermostatic fixed shower head, plus hand-held flexible connected shower head to side, client choice. Controls to be available both to occupant and /or carer. Mira Activate control box in roof space.

As flat a floor as is practical* regarding drainage that will be via a rectangular drain (600mm Porus or equivalent) at the rear of the shower area. (Shower area could be formed from the floor substrate or a preformed GRP tray let into the floor (e.g., Trade Wet rooms Tough-X Linear 1200x900x22mm Wet-room Shower Tray or similar)

(*Whole floor area to drain to the same point max 2%)

2 off 600mm SS 32mm dia. grab handles horizontal at 900 mm.

b) Wash hand basin.

Half pedestal w/h basin (Client Choice) with h/c tap plus a hand-held shower head thermostatically controlled, with trigger control on the head, to extend over basin and for use on the toilet.

Mirrored and lit Bathroom cabinet over, Client choice.

c) Toilet

Back to the wall toilet Bun/BeBa/24911 (Better Bathrooms) smart toilet with easy flush controls, soft close lid normal height and room around it to accommodate a Sara Stedy patient moving device (See Specs attached). 600mm X 32mm dia. SS grab handle on adjacent wall.

a) Lighting 6 off Warm White LED downlighters PIR activated.

b) Extractor fan to satisfy regulations Roof mounted extract to eaves.

c) PVC Double glazed (obscure) window to rear wall. Match style to rest of bungalow.

d) Wall tiled fully on North wall and East to window, half tiled on south wall, client choice.

e) Heated towel rail plus adequate electric heater* to give 24 degrees C when outside temp is 0 degrees C. (*refer to heating contractors)

f) Insulated to current standards or better in the roof space and cavity.

Plumbing

Hot and cold water to be fed from a 22mm Cu feed from the existing roof space.

Feed to split to North and South walls in 15mm Cu.

a) Toilet needs normal fill plus feed to a built-in bidet.

b) Wash hand basin and Hand shower feed.

c) Shower control in the roof space adjacent to shower position.

Electrical

a) 5-amp feed to shower control vis a switched spur.

b) 10-amp feed to toilet, shaver socket and mirror lighting.

c) 5-amp feed to lighting, switch in the bedroom PIR in the bathroom.

Drainage

Foul drainage as required by regulations

Shower drainage 40mm min solvent jointed

Wash hand basin 32mm to rear of toilet.

[bichonbear1 in reply to Scottoppy]

Thank you, this detail is invaluable

[Nanny857]

We had a digital shower fitted that had an additional on/off control outside the shower. I was then able to operate the shower while hubby stayed safe on shower seat or holding on to grab rail. Also avoided me and most importantly the bathroom floor from getting wet and slippery. I was advised by tile shop, non slip floor tiles are not 100% slip proof. Definitely a half pedestal washbasin allows for wheelchair access.

Occup Therapist advised us not to get a ‘comfort’ size toilet as the raised toilet frame would not fit over it.

Also allow enough space for turning wheelchair around.

Sorry your mum and your family are having to go through this terrible disease.

Lots of love

Nanny857xx

[bichonbear1 in reply to Nanny857]

Thank you, this is really useful information and helpful. It is such a nasty disease, we are gradually coming to terms with it x

[daddyt]

I can only add to the good advice already provided. A bidet seat is a great idea (not shown in this pic, but I have), easy to use. Also not seen is a vanity that you can roll a wheelchair right up to. Zero clearance shower with a wand and rainfall showerhead. Grab bars in the shower and around the toilet, I have non-slip vinyl tiles. Be sure to silicone around the baseboards, walls and tiles. Be sure there is enough room to maneuver a wheel/transfer chair and be sure the door is at 36" wide to allow movement for the wheelchair as well. Also not shown in the picture is an apartment sized laundry centre... great to have, but not necessary.

Tim

photo of a wheelchair accessible bathroom.

[bichonbear1 in reply to daddyt]

Thank you for sharing, some very useful tips which are of help. The picture is helpful too.

[Millidog in reply to daddyt]

Thanks for this really helpful millidog

[Rose1sunflower]

Thank you all for great information and photos. We have plans in with the Council to develop our garage into bedroom and wetroom, so this is all useful info. We are wondering about underfloor heating (water not electric), has any body had this installed? Thank you

[DoingwhatIcan]

Hi - just a little add-on note to everyone else's great suggestions.

My dad now uses a Sara Stedy or a hoist to get to and from his chair. This was because the transfer to a wheelchair became too hard. These devices have legs that just about fit through a normal door when in the 'moving' position, but open wide to fit around a toilet or recliner chair for 'loading' my dad (sorry, I'm sure there's a better term!) If you can get enough space around the toilet for these splayed legs then that would be a really good idea. Then you can continue using the toilet and avoid the commode for a bit longer!

Here's a link to the Sara Stedy - it says 880mm width when open. arjo.com/int/products/patie...

The hoist seems to have a the same feet dimensions so I'm guessing they're some sort of standard.

Hope this helps

[bichonbear1 in reply to DoingwhatIcan]

Thank you, we are now looking into a Sara Stedy on the back of your advice.

[Perrywrinkle]

Hi Bichonbear! Just want you to know I benefitted from your question and all the good advice you received! I now realize the picture of the sink I thought we should have installed is totally wrong ..... too large, sharp corners. Just the basin and exposed pipes would be much better. Thank you!

[bichonbear1 in reply to Perrywrinkle]

No problem at all. That’s the beauty of this forum, I have learnt so much by reading others posts and advice. It’s so helpful when things are so tough.

[Martina_MP]

Some people tend to tip sideways off the toilet so arms / safety rails on both sides help them from falling off. Shower chairs should also have arms—some arms lift up which can be helpful for transfers. I also like an LED digital shower thermometer which is attached between the shower pipe and shower head or hand shower so that an attendant can monitor the temp easily.

A pullout faucet can be great on the sink so that a seated person’s hands can be washed without reaching far.