roll-in shower, whirlpool tub, or slide-in tub??

[RyansWife]

My husband and I were planning on building a new, totally accessible house, but things have changed and we are now staying here and remodeling our existing house.

Our current bathroom is very inconvenient and that is one of our first projects. We had been planning on doing a roll-in shower. Then hubby decided we should get a whirlpool tub and thinks he'd be fine transferring if we made the ledge wider than normal. Then I found those slide-in tubs and am thinking this would be our best option. He doesn't want to go with one of those because of the price and we can't find many reviews on them (especially by people with spinal cord injuries) but if they are really great, he can be persuaded.

We just don't want to have to dread showers anymore, and it would be great if he could be totally independent with this as he should be. He just needs my help with transfers and set up now due to our bathroom being so small and awkward.

If you were remodeling your bathroom tomorrow, which would you choose?:

- roll-in shower (with shower chair)
- standard whirlpool tub (with wider ledge for transfers)
- slide-in tub (such as this: http://www.independentlivingusa.com/TheHandicappedModel.html#HM4)

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[LindaT]

Hi Jodi, We have roll in shower. Dave has to have a full shower/commode chair, so different situation.
I have been wondering how you are doing.

[RyansWife]

Hi Linda :)

We're hanging in there. The criminal hearing for the driver was supposed to be tomorrow, but they have now delayed it for a third time. This time, apparently, her lawyer is going on vacation. No, we don't understand how they can keep getting away with this, and yes, we are mad.

Aside from that, we found out today that besides her two speeding tickets of 19 mph over each before Ryan's accident, she has also received another speeding ticket just this past March for going 29 mph over the limit! I was crying and shaking so hard when I found that online today (they just redid the online court records search so this didn't show up before). In our opinion, she shouldn't have been driving when she hit Ryan. She obviously learned nothing from almost killing somebody and she's bound to hurt someone else if they don't take her license away. Right now it is temporarily suspended until the hearing (that they keep putting off), but her lack of respect for the law and her ability to continue to put people at risk like this makes me so furious and sad and scared. There are some laws and ways of the court system that need some serious revamping.

[Aliya]

McDuff (think that is his user name here) had one of the slide in tubs you could see how he likes his. I recall him getting one around the time we had our house built but it was just too expensive for me. We have a roll in shower that I use most but we also have a corner jetted tub that we built with a wide ledge. If I was good at transfers I could get in and out on my own but my transfers suck so it is not something I do alone. If your husband has good arm strength and good tranfer skills the wide ledge would probably work. For me if I had to choose one I would go with the shower but it all comes down to preference. I think tub transfers are hard on the shoulders.

[SCI-Nurse]

I'd go with the roll-in shower in a heartbeat. So easy to use a rolling shower/commode chair and get both bowel care and a shower out of the way with one transfer. Transferring to a tub, even with a wide ledge, can be tricky (esp. if wet) and is very hard on the shoulders....down the road he may no longer have the shoulders to do that. Same with the slide in tub. I am so glad that my parents chose a roll-in shower for my mother's needs years ago...it makes her so much more independent, and is easier for caregivers as well.

(KLD)

[Millard]

I have to agree with KLD. I had a large tub removed. (Easy entry but a dog to get out of!)

I have a 4' X 8' roll in shower now. I don't have a shower door or threshold to contend with. I also have a shower chair to transfer into.

Good luck with your choice.

[gurly2356]

Roll in shower..just so easy.

[Liz321]

Roll in shower..just so easy.

agree

"mud" the whole bathroom floor not just under the shower area.

[Foolish Old]

Roll-in shower. Didn't need one (I can get in/out of tub no problem) when I built mine. Did it with the future in mind, and to compliment the other "universal" accessibility features of the house. After using it a lot, can't believe how great it works and how easy it makes showering.

[TomRL]

We went with a prefab roll-in shower. My wife wanted to avoid cleaning grout. Check the installation guide as it needs to be recessed into the floor and depending on your situation, that might pose a problem. Ours is similar to:

http://search.us.kohler.com/?q=wheelchair+shower&x=0&y=0

[marblemaker]

another option for a roll in shower is cultured marble. we manufacture and install alot of them. have one in our house for my son . can make it a custom size and not have the grout to clean. check internet for marble manufacturers in your area most have displays they can show you. roll in is the only way to go.

[titanium4motion]

Roll in showers are out. Shower rooms are in. View my previous string about shower room. There's pictures, web sites to manufacturers and detailed information.


Ti

[RyansWife]

Thanks all. As a result of your influence, we are now leaning towards the roll in shower once again. It's been a headache going back and forth with all of this, so thank you! :D

[LindaT]

Thanks all. As a result of your influence, we are now leaning towards the roll in shower once again. It's been a headache going back and forth with all of this, so thank you! :D

Sorry your dream of building a new house did not work out. Our roll in shower turned out nice.

[RyansWife]

Thanks Linda. We will just work at turning this house into our dream house! ;) (*thinking positively*)

[fredmatt75]

another option for a roll in shower is cultured marble. we manufacture and install alot of them. have one in our house for my son . can make it a custom size and not have the grout to clean. check internet for marble manufacturers in your area most have displays they can show you. roll in is the only way to go.

I second the cultured marble option. Used it when remodeling our house. The no grout is a major plus as well.

[wheeliegirl2010]

Thanks Linda. We will just work at turning this house into our dream house! ;) (*thinking positively*)

Jodi,

I really hope this works out for you both, you deserve it. As others have said, a roll in shower is not only the most cost-effective option but also the most practical. I am able to do independent transfers and we have a tub but, it would be way easier for me to use a roll in shower for safety reasons and also to preserve upper body function, for paraplegics such as myself or Ryan, preserveing arm function= preserveing independence.

Best wishes to you both and feel free to PM me

[McDuff]

Good memory Aliya.

RyansWife, I have that tub. I went with a tub instead of a roll in shower due to architectural reasons in our little bathroom. There is already a little corner shower that could not be enlarged, so I was replacing a small but deep whirlpool tub that I could not navigate. If I was choosing between a roll in and this tub, I'd go with the roll in.

I can mostly do the tub by myself, I have bad spaz legs and when I transfer in, they go rigid on me, so my wife has to help me "break" them to finish the transfer because at that point I am just barely on the seat. It is a good tub once I'm in. Though it takes a long time to fill since it's so deep, the jets help loosen everything up on me.

But it is still a handheld shower. I would love to be under a flow of water w/o having to hold it up there. :) So, I think y'all are making the right choice.

[sreneet]

I would also recommend a roll-in shower made of cultured marble. I have one and it's easy to keep clean. I like using the showerchair because you can take care of your bp and shower without having to make the extra transfers onto and off the toilet. My showerchair has a cushioned seat so that is another positive.