How to adapt house

[Montespan]

This isn’t really the right thread as it’s stroke not Alzheimer’s but I can’t find a more appropriate one.

I’d like my mother to come and live with me after she comes out of hospital, with carers coming in 3 times a day for washing, dressing.

It’s still early days but I’d like to start thinking now about what I’ll need to do to the house. Main thing is: how do carers wash a bed bound person? Will there need to be an en-suite shower room with door wide enough for wheel chair? Or is the person washed in bed, as it were?

Could an adjoining shower room do if the door is wide enough? And how wide does door have to be?

Are you able to access the services of an occupational therapist to come and help you assess and plan? It is hard to make any suggestions without knowing much more about your Mom and her abilities, and your home.

Occupational therapists are experts on things such as door widths, adapted bathing etc. if your Mom is in hospital perhaps you can ask if there is discharge planning help available. Being proactive is a good idea.

Basically it varies
Some people are washed in bed but generally would be supported to go into the bathroom if possible I think.
Some people might need to be hoisted by 2 carers. There are different types of hoists like ceiling track hoists or the mobile ones on wheels.
She might not need a hoist, there are other things like rotundas and standing aids.
Unless she is larger, a standard doorway would normally be ok for a wheelchair or shower chair.
But it’s all very individualised so definitely seek the advice of an OT (the hospital one if she is still in hospital, or the community team once she’s home).

If there isn’t a bathroom downstairs then people can be transferred onto a commode if required, and given a strip wash in bed.

You may be able to apply for a grant (DFG) to help with any adaptations like wet rooms but I don’t know all the criteria and it is means tested. There’ll be info on your local authority social services website