As you get older, some of your everyday tasks can become more complicated. This may be because of a degenerative illness, such as arthritis, or just a natural slowing down of your bodily processes. These occurrences are nothing to be embarrassed about, and there is plenty of help available for all kinds of mobility issues. You can easily find motorised chairs for getting out and about, and even have your meals delivered to your door if you find long journeys too difficult.
However, the most difficult part of the day for some people is showering. The bathroom can be a dangerous place, with wet surfaces to trip you up and nothing but hard tiles to land on. What’s more, it can be hard work standing up for an extended period. If any of these issues affect you or someone close, then perhaps it is time to look at a shower chair.
What Is A Shower Chair?
A shower chair is a mobility apparatus that allows you to sit securely in your shower. They are built to be sturdy and waterproof so that you can remain safe whilst having your daily wash. Furthermore, these chairs are built with plenty of flexibility so that you can carefully use the shower or go to the toilet. A shower chair can also recline to give that little bit of extra movement.
Many of these chairs come with wheels so that you can manoeuvre safely around the space. A lot of elderly people choose to have walk-in showers nowadays to avoid having to take a large step as they enter, so you may want to think about this stage before you purchase a shower chair. However, these can work as a standard chair in the corner of the wash area if you cannot make the switch.
Who Can Use A Shower Chair?
As mentioned above, a shower chair can be life-changing for an elderly relative. It allows them to achieve one of their daily tasks despite any mobility issues that they may have. However, other people will also find a shower chair useful.
The elderly in society isn’t the only group that suffers from mobility issues. In fact, you will find that people of any age can be diagnosed with a condition that limits their movement. One of the degenerative illnesses that were mentioned earlier was arthritis. While this is an affliction that is most prevalent among the older generations, it still affects millions of other individuals. Plus, there are physical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, and paraplegics that will find the aid of a shower chair useful. In short, a shower chair can be used by anyone that finds movement difficult or painful.
Who Uses The Shower Chair Most?
Not every elderly individual lives at home alone. Some people will have carers that visit or have moved into an assisted living facility. These are places designed to help their residents with any of the issues they may have faced as a result of getting older. Therefore, they need to be equipped with all the apparatus necessary to make this possible, including shower chairs.
Some of the mobility apparatus that a loved one needs can be quite expensive to implement into their own house, which is why a care home is a good option. These institutions have the money and space to accommodate care home shower chairs, especially when they buy from somewhere like The NHC Group. A care home shower chair is one of the most basic necessities for its residents, so you should always check to see if the care facility of your choice has these available.
Benefits Of Using A Care home Shower Chair
A care home shower chair is mainly used because it provides safety in the shower, as previously mentioned. However, there are more benefits to using this device such as:
It Makes Hygiene Easy
One issue that people may face as they get older is that staying hygienic becomes more of a challenge. Washing regularly not only makes you feel good, but it is also vital for fighting off illness and infection. A common virus is far more dangerous for someone in their eighties than it is for someone in their twenties, which is why it is important that people living in an assisted living facility stay hygienic. Thankfully, a care home shower chair allows them to do just that.
It Provides Independence
Another common issue that elderly people can face when they are living in a care home is a loss of independence. The staff at the facility are on hand to help with everything that a resident needs; however, this can lead a person to feel helpless.
It is perfectly normal to have this reaction, and residents want to stay as pro-active for as long as possible to maintain a sense of individuality. Washing oneself is a very intimate process, and there is a dignity attached to this independence. A care home shower chair allows the residents to hold on to their independence for a bit longer, making them feel better as a person.
It Gives The Staff Extra Time
The staff at a care home have to work incredibly hard, and they are responsible for the quality of life that the residents experience. This is a lot of pressure to put on one person and you will find that they are busy every second of their shift, even at night. Therefore, even a spare fifteen minutes could be used effectively elsewhere. A care home shower chair can give these individuals more than that fifteen minutes, aiding the lives of everyone in the institute.
Where Should You Install A Care Home Shower Chair?
Now that you know what a shower chair is and why a care home would need one, let’s look at how they are installed. Some chairs are tailored to the individual, which means that have wheels for additional mobility. However, you can attach a single shower seat into one shower.
The most effective place to install a care home shower chair is somewhere close to the showerhead but not directly below it. This is because you do not want to overwhelm anyone using the shower and it allows you to test the water temperature safely without risk of scolding someone.
Furthermore, there are also smaller shower seats that you can install in the corner away from the water. This is for those that have high mobility skills but struggle to stand for a long time. Therefore, they do not need the chair for assisted showering, just somewhere to sit for a bit if their legs get tired.
Lastly, a shower bench acts in the same way as a care home shower seat only it is much longer. This extra size is added to give the user space to shave their legs, exfoliate, and reach parts that are difficult with limited movement. What’s more, these longer seats can provide additional room to store bottles of shampoo or sponges.
Conclusion
A care home shower seat may not have been something that was on your radar before, but now you should know why they are so important. The ability to shower without assistance from another person can make a huge difference to someone that has mobility issues, so make sure that you remember these devices when someone close to you needs this type of help.
