Taking a Shower Is More Complicated Than It Used to Be
Having the right shower accessories makes it easier. I have always been a shower person rather than a bath person. Showering was a pretty simple matter most of my life. I'd get in the shower, soap up and rinse, dry myself, and get out. No big deal. Now that I'm 73 and not quite as limber as I used to be, taking a shower seems like a much bigger deal.Invacare I-Fit Shower Chair with Back Support for Shower or Bath, Supports Up to 400 lbs.Check Price
To complicate my showers even more, we have to deal with water rationing here in California. We can't just let showers run while the water heats unless we want to pay higher water rates. When I get into the shower, I need to take a large container in with me to collect the cold water. When the water is warm, I can go about the business of getting clean.
After soaping up and rinsing off, I normally shave my legs. When I do that, I need to put my legs up where I can reach them easily. For that I use my shower chair. At this point in my life I can still get my legs up, one at a time to shave them.
After my shower, I also use the chair when I dry my legs. It's so much easier to reach my feet and legs when they are resting on the seat of my shower chair. The photo above is of the Invacare Shower Chair with Seat Back. It is very similar to the one I use. Mine is an Invacare, but they may not make the same model anymore. Mine is over twenty years old.
A Shower Chair is Even More Important After Surgeries Limit Movements
I have had several surgeries this past two years. First I had foot surgery and it was a few weeks before I could stand in the shower. It was really wonderful to have a place to sit. I use a hand-held shower head that can help me get wet where I need to while I'm sitting down. I'm also beginning to have knee problems that sometimes makes sitting to shower easier. One can still shave from the sitting position and wash hair while sitting down.
I could not get along well without a shower seat. But all shower seats are not created equal. The first one I ever got is still at home. It has no back and a plastic seat. It has chrome legs. After several years, the legs are not only rusty, but they are now also wobbly. I don't feel quite safe putting my legs up on it to shave anymore. It moves under me.
Since my last surgery, I live most of the time at a house I inherited from my mother. It has a much better shower chair - one with a back. Both the seat and legs are much sturdier. It most closely resembles the Invacare Shower Chair with Seat Back above, except that part of the legs on mine are aluminum. When I need to sit, I can lean back and have support. The legs don't rust or wobble. Along the side edges are some slots that can hold hand-held shower fixtures. You can see it in my photo below.
Drive Medical RTL12505 Handicap Bathroom Bench with Back & ArmsCheck PriceCarex Bath Seat And Shower Chair With Back For Seniors, Bath ChairCheck PriceEssential Medical Supply Height Adjustable Shower and Bath BenchCheck PriceZadro 12-inch Wide Best Silicone Squeegee with Clear Ergonomic HandleCheck Price
Before you buy a chair for your shower, decide if you want or need arms on it. I don't have arms on mine and have never missed them, but I do have a grab bar in the shower to assist me in getting up and down. If you are not disabled, you may not need arms or a back. But since the Carex Shower chair has a removable back, it can adjust to meet future needs. Be sure to measure your shower to make sure the chair will fit. I believe the Carex Universal Bath Bench is the most compact and will fit in almost all showers.
Wiping the Shower Walls Eases Cleaning the Shower Later
When I finish my shower, I like to get the water off the doors and the shower sides, since the water here is very hard. I used to use a towel at the other house, but the shower is much bigger here and the towel is soaked before I finish. I dug out the old simple shower squeegee my mother-in-law used to have, but it was useless and put water back on the door as fast as it removed it. So I went to Amazon looking for a replacement.
My Invacare Shower Chair. My Zadro Squeegee
is on top on the right.
|
In my opinion, a shower chair is a necessity, and so is a squeegee for that matter. Since I have been known to slip in the shower and bop my head or shoulder on the wall, I would even go so far as to say the chair could be life saving. Sometimes, we just need to take a seat and stop trying to move through life so fast.
ReplyDeleteI agree. So far I haven't bopped myself, but it's probably because my mom had that grab bar installed. I guess i should say that I saw to it she had it installed.
DeleteWhen my mother moved into assisted living a few years ago, her apartment ONLY came with a shower stall, as they considered tub bathing too risky for older people who had trouble getting up and down. Her shower came with a shower chair and it was a lifesaver for her. She'd always used a hand-held shower head (because she used to get her hair done weekly and didn't want to get it wet between times). On visits to her place, I learned how handy (and helpful) a shower chair can be.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know how I'd get along without one. Even if an elderly person isn't disabled yet, it doesn't hurt to have your shower prepared for those times you will need extra help and may not feel up to getting it done. It's better to be prepared ahead of time.
DeleteI think this needs to go on my wish list......
ReplyDeleteI think it should be on the wish list of anyone over sixty, even if they think they don't need it yet.
DeleteWhen we rebuilt our house a few years ago after the fire, we chose a full-size shower instead of tub in our bathroom. Indeed, we're seeing a major accessibility advantage already. The shower chair would make a wonderful addition, too. Maybe aging doesn't have to be too bad when we have accessories such as these to keep our senior selves safe and more comfortable. Great topic for a review!
ReplyDeleteWhen we rebuilt our house a few years ago after the fire, we chose a full-size shower instead of tub in our bathroom. Indeed, we're seeing a major accessibility advantage already. The shower chair would make a wonderful addition, too. Maybe aging doesn't have to be too bad when we have accessories such as these to keep our senior selves safe and more comfortable. Great topic for a review!
ReplyDeleteI bought this chair for my shower 2 years ago. It is my 2nd chair. The first one was loaned to me in 2007. I loved it so much I had to by my own. I love the fact that you can take the legs and back rest off for transport. My daughter did just that when I moved this year and put it in the largest suitcase the airline would allow. I love this chair, The Squeegee is a great idea!
ReplyDelete