Grandmother needs safer access to the shower

Posted November 01, 2020 5:00 am

By Kate Barzano of Des Plaines

Kate Barzano of Des Plaines has submitted her entry in the Room for Living contest on behalf of her grandmother, Mary Ellen McGuire.

I am submitting this entry on behalf of my grandma, Mary Ellen McGuire. My grandma is 91 years old (92 in January) and still lives on her own in her house. This summer, she fell and broke her leg. After a long recovery full of physical therapy, she is still unable to move her leg over her current tub because it is so high.

A new tub would ensure her independence that she fights so hard to have - and give our family a peace of mind.

Design by Bath Planet of Chicagoland

Expert: Dimitris Nacopoulos, president, www.bathplanetchicago.com

Suggestions

"We'd recommend transforming your tub/shower into a low threshold walk-in shower as that will greatly assist your 92-year-old grandmother with her entry into and her exit from the wet area of the bathroom.

With an almost unlimited selection of accessories, we could also add in a corner seat for her to sit down on. This would allow a longer shower and make the bathroom more practical and safe. Above the seat we would also install a grab bar for added support when sitting down and standing up from the corner seat.

A shower seat is a necessity when updating a bathroom used by a senior. Photos Courtesy of Bath Planet of Chicagoland

Grab bars also increase the safety for older homeowners who remodel their bathrooms.

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