shower ideas

[Sh0rty]

Right now in my shower I have a built in bench. My spasms can get pretty bad sometimes and I had some close calls where I would reach a grab bar just in time before flying off the bench. One day I had the mother of all spasms and no grab bar in the history of grab bars could save me from the fall. That shook me up enough to look for new shower options. I have an old wheelchair that I wasnt using anymore so I took the cushion off it and replaced it with an outdoor type cushion that are used on patio furniture, took the backrest off and put the standard cloth one on and it is working out really good because if I get a spasm it is deep enough that I dont end up on the floor and the degree of dump also helps hold me in place so all and all it works.....but, I am going to be taking a trip in feb and I cant take two chairs...what do I do for a shower option? Is there a travel bench that comes apart for easy travel that would work? should I strip my chair down and shower in it then dry it and put it back right? I want to be safe, but also want pratical.

[Jadis]

Would something like this work?
folding shower chair
different kind, same idea
I found some with arm rests too but they are bigger.

[Chris Chappell]

Shower ideas?

Umm, cherry, pash, kristi, jadis,...

oops, sorry, thought we were talkin'...ok, nevermind.. Try www.nuprodx.com for a travelin'chair.

[SCI-Nurse]

If you only need a shower chair, and not a commode as well, you have more options. We use a travel commode/shower chair from Rolli-Moden, and the www.nuprodx.com chairs are also very nice, but both are expensive. We lucked out and got our shower chair on eBay nearly new for 1/3 the list price.

Here are a couple of other travel options:

http://secure.srginc.biz/product.php...sa&code=Q-100B

http://secure.srginc.biz/product.php...=sa&code=AA310

http://www.freedommobility.com/pages/1/index.htm

(KLD)

[CapnGimp]

I've taken many showers in my Quickie2 when traveling. It gets IT clean too,lol.
Just dry the tires so ya don't make tracks through the room. I set a mop or use my towel when I'm through ta clean n dry the floor.
Rinse it good when you are thru with soap and shampoo so it doesn't have any on it. If you are using a cushion that water will hurt take something to set on or put your cushion in a trash bag to keep it dry.

Won't hurt the chair.

[jime]

I shower im my Quickie 2 also. I take two garbage bags with me. I fold the chair about half way. I put the first bag over the back rest and the second one I slide it over the seat. Then unfold the chair and shower. After shower remove the bags and the chair will be dry. The tires are wet but clean.

[Sh0rty]

Thanx everyone for the links to the bath chairs!! thats helpful.

For those who do use their wheelchairs...what do you do if the place you are going to has a tub?

[CapnGimp]

I wrote to someones thread asking how to get in a tub here recently. Basically my way is to put a 2x4 across the back of the tub(just lay it there, not fastened) pull the chair up to the tub w/legrests removed to get as close as possible. Put legs in tub, transfer to side of tub between chair and back wall.
Then put rt hand in rt corner of top of tub and lower down.
The 2x4 gives you a grip that doesn't slip as you are always pushing back and into corner and can grip with fingers if need be or just palm it.
Others suggest laying a towel over side of tub for no-slip purpose also.
If you leave socks on til ya get in, your feet slide really easy. Otherwise they sometimes stick, especially if tub is already wet.

Practice at home. And if you can put a cushion under your butt. Walmart sells blue 'camping' foam for 5 bucks a sheet in that section. I use two layers under y hiney when showering or in tub.Getting in and out is really pretty easy, balance and not slipping are key...careful when wet!


That is a great idea about half folding the Q-2 to put the bags on it, jime. Wish I had thought of it, I'll do THAT next time!!

[Sh0rty]

one other thing....a lot of the chairs are hard plastic, isnt this hard on the skin?

[Pixie]

When I go away I do as the previous posts and shower in my chair with a large garbage bag over the back rest so it does not get wet.
At home I use a plastic shower chair, it is hard plastic like a patio chair for outside. If it is going to be hard on your skin you could always fold a towel up and sit on that.
I can't help you with the tub, I could get in but not out again by myself.
If worst came to the worst and I couldn't get access to the shower at all I would take a few buckets wiith me to fill with water. One for soap one for rinse off and have sponge wash while still in my chair.

The things we do.