Housing
HMN: Bathroom
Last Modified:
This section should contain:
1. Simple floor plan noting:
- Width & length of room
- Whether doors open in or out
- Heights of toilet, tub, sitting area items such as chair (arms present?)
- Width of doors (inside of frame)
- Flooring (wood, vinyl, carpet, tile) & presence of doorsill
- Lighting sources (overhead, lamps) and electrical outlets
It may be helpful to do this on graph paper to scale 1 square = ¼ foot.
2. Photos of room, especially entry/exit to other rooms, halls, halls, dining/den, tub, sink and toilet.
3. Recommendation for Bathroom
(Individual assessment by a physical therapist or occupational therapist is important to assure all safety issues are addressed.)
- Nonskid adhesives on tub and shower floors as well as bench if made out of tile
- Construct a roll-in shower which a person can walk right into and sit on a bench fabricated out of tile or whatever the material is of choice; allow for the correct seat depth (eg. a person with a severe kyphosis may need a longer seat depth to allow for curve in the back) and seat height (for a taller person, it is easier to stand from an elevated surface — remember hips an inch or two higher than or equal with level of knees).
- Use a hand held shower with mount and water controls within reaching distance of the individual; turn your water heater temperature down because sensation is often impaired after a brain injury or stroked.
- Install grab bars in the shower/tub.
- Have a caddy and mirror mounted in the shower; a patient can brush teeth, shave (razor only) while sitting in the shower.
- Have a towel hook or rack right outside tub/shower.
- Install a handicapped height toilet if the person is tall and grab bars or attach grab bars to existing toilet.
- Install a sink so that a wheelchair can roll underneath it; install horizontal handles and a long neck faucet.
- Mirror should be tilted downward so that the individual can view self from wheelchair.
- Insulate exposed piping under sink to prevent burns.
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