Sit in bathtub/shower?

[Sigarms]

Most guys don't need to sit in a special tub with 3-4 feet of water. We would be happy with a low step-over, quality shower chair, and very sturdy well placed quality grab-holds. Those cheap slip-on shower non-slip things for your feet may help too. Yeah, it is he77 getting old but we are all on the same path. Most times the elderly don't need fancy equipment or to impose on others. They just want a hand and to feel accepted.

I won't disagree with you, but if something was already there, I don't think I'd be getting any complaints.

Way I see it, if he can actually enjoy it, it's worth the effort given his age.

We bought him a zero gravity lounge chair for fathers day this past weekend, and he absolutely loves it (hammick is getting too hard for him to get in and out of now I believe). No pressure points on the back with this type of chair, and it reclines so he can read the paper in the sunshine and even take a nap.

Yes, getting old is not fun. We still have my wifes mom to think about down the road now as well since her husband passed earlier this year.

 

[txvrod]

My mother in law remodeled her bathroom about a year ago. She put in a step in tub and still kept her separate shower with low step and grab bars. So far she has not had any problems with the seal or anything else that I am aware of. It does take a while to fill and drain but I think she likes her bath. I know some of the grand kids have used it and think it is great.

 

[ruffdog]

I won't disagree with you, but if something was already there, I don't think I'd be getting any complaints.

Way I see it, if he can actually enjoy it, it's worth the effort given his age.

We bought him a zero gravity lounge chair for fathers day this past weekend, and he absolutely loves it (hammick is getting too hard for him to get in and out of now I believe). No pressure points on the back with this type of chair, and it reclines so he can read the paper in the sunshine and even take a nap.

Yes, getting old is not fun. We still have my wifes mom to think about down the road now as well since her husband passed earlier this year.

Yes, only you and your family will understand the situation at hand. You will make good decisions and some bad ones...it is ok. We went through this with my MIL and she passed feb 2020. When going through tough times she would always say "I tried". That is all any of us should strive to do.....

 

[scaredychicken]

That's exactly why I'd like water jets if possible. We have those in the basement bath now, and my father really enjoyed it for a couple of years, but now I think he dosen't feel like laying down then having to try to get up.

a few additional thoughts ...
our Safe Step Tub has some water jets (maybe 8 ?) and it does therapeutic micro bubbles also. The temperature setting has a pre-set lock spot so that scalding oneself is avoided - people can manually increase the temperature as desired. I have limitations due to cerebral palsy and this seat level is much easier than a standard tub (without seat)- my only thought is that having a seat that is bit lower, or slightly higher walls / deeper tub would allow for a fuller soak.
I hope that this all helps in your decision process. Ask about buying incentives with whichever company you are interested in. Also Government Renovation tax credits applied in Canada for this type of medical purchase. I really don't know how it works in the States, but there is likely something similar.

 

[Sigarms]

a few additional thoughts ...
our Safe Step Tub has some water jets (maybe 8 ?) and it does therapeutic micro bubbles also. The temperature setting has a pre-set lock spot so that scalding oneself is avoided - people can manually increase the temperature as desired. I have limitations due to cerebral palsy and this seat level is much easier than a standard tub (without seat)- my only thought is that having a seat that is bit lower, or slightly higher walls / deeper tub would allow for a fuller soak.
I hope that this all helps in your decision process. Ask about buying incentives with whichever company you are interested in. Also Government Renovation tax credits applied in Canada for this type of medical purchase. I really don't know how it works in the States, but there is likely something similar.

Sincere thanks for the feedback. I'll have to keep the seat depth in mind.

 

[Sigarms]

After my wife had a stroke in 2009 ( And she is FULLY RECOVERED) we were told she needed to sit in the shower.
I "installed" a seat and a grab bar:
A plastic patio chair
Grab bar


I think they cost about $15 total.

But the price has skyrocketed over the years and the chairs are now $15.
I've also put the chair in the tub.
/edit - What's wrong with the hand me down?
Or do you want one of those "tanks" with doors?

Like 5030, sincere thanks for the great feeback, very insightful.

Ironically enough, no one is telling us we need a bath tub such as this, but, God forbid, we actually think it may help my father actually enjoy a hot bath.

Unlike your wife, my father is most likely never fully recover from his fractured back, and even though he's going to a surgeon for pain injections in his back, he still hurts pretty good at times (for the last 2 years now, on and off).

When he was around 83 and took a trip with his buddies golfing to South Carolina, he was complaining that he will never do two rounds of golf in one day because he was to sore afterwards. It was only due to his accident trying to fix his mower and he had to go to the hospital that he finally realized it was time to move in with us. Until his accident, he had no issues driving 9 hours to visit us monthly, now he hardly ever wants to drive anymore.

 

[MossRoad]

My 92 year old FIL just moved in with us last week. I have to figure something out for his tub as well. Right now I have a chair that goes over the rail he can slide into the tub on. I will be following this thread so please keep us updated.

My in-laws have had one of those chairs like that, where you sit on it outside the tub, then slide over into the tub, for many years. Between the two of them they've had too many knee, hip, dementia issues to count. They used the heck out of it. I added some grab bars around the inside and outside of the tub for the times they wanted to stand VS sit.

 

[MossRoad]

Have someone coming to look at our basement bathroom for my father to install a sit in bathtub shower.

Anyone have one? How do you like it?

My dad is pushing 91 and he's been slowing down (we have an appointment with the VA because it's more his breathing than his back lately).

If my dad doesn't have it, he doesn't need it. He says no to spending money on renovating a shower, which I figured would happen.

That said, my FIL died this past January, and my wife took her fathers shower seat for my dad, and my dad loves it as he dosen't have to stand to take a shower depending on how he's feeling.

We figure if he could actually sit instead of lay down for a bath he'd love it. That said, per the sales phone call, they were already asking if me and my wife (homeowners) would be home as well as offering discounts over the phone which scares the heck out of me to prepare for a sticker shock.

We will never buy "on the spot", and I'll check around. Just curious as to if anyone here went through this route and what your experiences were?

Thanks!

Just poking around, as we did many years ago when my in-laws were considering it... average cost of project is around $10K.

Cost to Install a Walk-In Tub - The Home Depot

When mobility is a concern, a walk-in tub is a great solution. On average, having a new walk-in bathtub installed costs around $10,000 for the product, installation materials, and labor.

www.homedepot.com

 

[MossRoad]

As I mentioned, they ended up getting a transfer bench instead for under a hundred bucks.

Glacier Bay Tub Transfer Bench And Bath Seat FGB153GB THD - The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

 

[MossRoad]

I think another reason they went for the bench is that my father in-law hated baths. He was a shower guy. They have a master bathroom that has a vey nice whirlpool tub. He never used it once in 25 years. He always took a shower in the spare bathroom. So that was a huge factor in choosing the bench over a new walk-in tub.

Now that my mother in-law is getting older, she rarely uses the whirlpool tub either. She says it takes too long to fill. She'd rather shower as well. She says it's too hard for her to step over the edge and as with your father, it's too hard for her to lay down and then get up again in the tub.

She has the cash to install a walk-in tub, but convincing her to do it is just about not possible, especially with the price. She still gives us $1.50 if we buy her a hamburger.