One big issue for our mothers with Alzheimer’s was bathroom safety. Each mother had her own bathroom. First, we installed safety rails in the tubs and beside the toilets.
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Shower Safety
For my MIL’s bathtub, we had a transfer bench. She could sit down on the end that stuck out from the tub, then just slide over and swing her legs into the tub. There was a back on the part inside the tub, so she could sit safely.
They even make one now that has a slit for the shower curtain, so that you don’t get so much water on the floor.
For my mother’s shower we got two shower curtains and two sets of hooks. We hung the curtains so that they overlapped in the middle. This way, even with the transfer bench sticking out, most of the area was protected from the water spray.
In my mother’s bathtub, we had a little bath stool that just sat inside the tub. She was able to climb into the tub, holding the rail, and sit on the seat to shower. In later years, after my MIL had passed away and my mother was getting more frail, we moved the transfer bench upstairs for my mother.
In each shower we installed a hand-held shower head. This was a huge help. My MIL was unable to shower herself. We hired an aide to come twice a week to give her a shower. That was supposed to be my free time, but as it turned out, it took both of us to manage the shower. But it is MUCH easier to help someone with a shower when it is hand-held. My mother could shower herself, but still liked the hand-held shower head.
Toilet Safety
After my mother’s broken hip surgery, she needed a raised toilet seat. We bought a bedside commode, adjusted it higher, removed the pot, and placed it over the toilet. This gave her the raised seat she needed, and handles on the sides to help her get up and down. We could put the pot back in when we needed to collect a specimen to check for a UTI. We could even use the whole thing in the bedroom if needed, when walking became difficult.
These simple changes made the bathroom safer and easier to use. What changes have you found helpful?