Step Through, Not Over the Tub with Tubcut®

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Tubs are wonderful for soaking.  They also do a good job of containing water when they are used as a shower. So what’s not to love about a tub?

There is getting up off the floor of the tub for one thing.  If you aren’t able to get a foot up under yourself to stand you may be reduced to using your arms to lift your buttocks all the way to the side of the tub, or rolling over the side of the tub.   Seriously, does anyone think that is a fabulous idea?  At any rate, finding a way to soak in a tub and still get in and out safely is a discussion for another day.

Even if you don’t want to soak, you simply want to get inside the tub to shower, you still have to contend with the side of the tub.  We often increase safety by providing grab bars to support people while they lift their legs over the tub.  This works only if the person can comfortably and safely lift their foot up and over 15” or more on a potentially wet surface.   We can provide equipment like tub transfer benches so people can sit and then swing their legs over the side of the tub.  This works too, as long as the person can flex their hips and extend their knees enough for the job and if there aren’t obstructions like toilets to work around.   There are many things that accessibility designers like Home Access Solutions, Inc.  can do to help people get in and out of the tub without actually changing the tub.  Sometimes the tub itself is too big an obstacle to safety and 15” or more is just too much to ask people to handle.

Many of our clients need a shower, but a full blown remodel to replace their tub with a shower isn’t the best answer for them for one reason or another.   We have been recommending Tubcut®  as the option for these clients for years and making sure they were served well by the local dealer.   We are so excited that we were fortunate enough that at the time we were prepared to offer the service ourselves, the opportunity to work with the inventor Virginia Piper and obtain certification presented itself.   Home Access Solutions, Inc. will now offer Tubcut® in the same extended areas that we provide SureHands ceiling based lifts – All of Nebraska and the Western portion of Iowa.

Tubcut® is a process to convert a tub to a walk in shower by removing a portion of the sidewall.  The area is reinforced and sealed.  This can be done on any tub material and dimension as it is a customized process, not just a single piece slide on cover.   The Tubcut® is also unique in that the process can be reversed.   A homeowner or facility can save the piece that is cut out and we can restore the tub later for re-sale or a new tenant.   The basic kit is used with a shower curtain, but we can also convert a unit for use with shower doors.

Reducing the need for a person to lift their feet over 15 plus inches will dramatically reduce the risk of falling.  We can also add grab bars from our extensive collection to further increase safety when people step in and out.   Combine that with hand held showers and bath seats or tub transfer benches, and we can make sure that a person can shower very safely without worrying themselves or their families.   Tubcut® truly rounds out the options we can offer to help people increase safety and function with the everyday activity of bathing.

Traveling with Transfer Equipment

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Does a person who uses equipment for personal transfers at home need to do without their equipment when they travel? I know some people who do.  They are able to use less convenient methods or rely on more help from their caregivers as they vacation or spend time away from home for business. Other people with different abilities have told me that they restrict, or no longer travel because the effort to transfer is too great. Neither option, working harder than you do at home while traveling or simply giving up the ability to travel, seems great to me.

One solution for people who transfer well at home with transfer equipment is to combine a lift from SureHands Lift and Care Systems with an Ability Equipped  RV from Winnebago Industries.   One person who did this told me, “I’m taking my access with me.  I’m tired of relying on hit and miss with accessible hotel (rooms)”.

I caution you, you can’t just hang any lift in any RV. Typically  RVs aren’t built for accessibility or capable of supporting  ceiling based transfer systems.  Winnebago Industries offers so many accessibility options in their Ability Equipped RVs such as wheelchair lifts, conveniently located controls, roll in showers, and grab bars that allow people of all abilities to enjoy the RV experience. It’s only natural that they also offer  one of the most  reliable and versatile motorized personal transfer systems available as well.  The staff in the Specialty Vehicles division and I work together with the new RV owner to select the SureHands lift system.  I combine my experience as an Occupational Therapist with my training as a SureHands lift and Care Systems dealer to properly match the traveler’s needs and abilities with the Surehands motor, sling, or body support that will work best for them within the context of the vehicle’s specifications.  The professionals at Winnebago Industries tailor a structural system to incorporate the customer’s SureHands motor and track layout in the RV.  The end result is a motorized accessible home. This sounds like a better option for the vacation or business traveler than to make do with a difficult or unsafe transfer or give up traveling altogether. For more information visit www.winnebagoind.com and search for ability equipment vehicles, and visit www.Surehands.com. I will be glad to tell you more too! The road is calling!

Celebrate Personal Independence

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The Fourth of July is approaching.  This is the day that we citizens in the United States of America celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in which the 13 American Colonies declared themselves to be independent of the British Empire.  The premise was that the people had the right to pursue relief from Tyrannical rule.  My how the successful pursuit of that quest for independence changed the World!

The “World” I work in is a little smaller, but no less important to the people I work with.  I believe that inaccessible environments, especially in our homes, are a disabling tyrannical force facing millions of people.   Simply modifying these environments with equipment or modifications will allow people the opportunity to function safely and independently.

This month’s video shows the effect replacing a tub with a life time shower system by Best Bath, Inc. had on one family.  It returned showering to a private and safe daily activity.  Bathing no longer has to be a scheduled activity that the family works around, and frequent falls in the bathroom that required calls to the Fire Department for help were eliminated.  I strive for these results with every family we work with, but listening to this family as they graciously recorded this testimonial brought me to tears.  This, for me, is what personal independence is all about.

This was a bathroom remodel that did not increase the space of the bathroom because that would have decreased space in an adjacent bedroom.  We replaced the tub with an attractive, but low maintenance unit from Best Bath Systems, Inc.  We used a temporary threshold which can be removed if a roll in shower is needed in a few years.  We ordered a custom sized flip down seat to provide the depth and width to assist with sitting balance.  The grab bars have a non slip surface and are located to use the client’s strengths for independent transfers at the shower and toilet.  We suggested a seat type Bidet which rivals the new shower for “Best Feature” in this bathroom.  If you want to know more about the specific products we used or why we designed the placement of supports where we did, just give us a call.

So while you celebrate the Independence of this wonderful country, keep the value of our individual and personal independence in mind as well!  Home modifications help people who have disabilities from accidents, medical issues, or aging declare independence from the Tyranny of barriers in their homes and allows them the opportunity to live in their own homes safely.