Do Wheelchair Users Need Any Equipment to Help Take a Shower?

If you recently became a wheelchair user you may be wondering what types of special equipment you need around the house. It can be overwhelming to think about all the changes that need to be made in order for the house to be accessible. Try to focus on one room at a time in order to keep from getting overwhelmed. One of the first rooms in the house you need to address is the bathroom and the process of showering. Wheelchair users need equipment to help take a shower. There is equipment that makes showering safer for wheelchair users and equipment that makes the process easier. Both types of equipment are worth the investment because showering is such a frequent activity.

• Safety equipment

The main piece of equipment you will need as a wheelchair user is a shower chair. A shower chair provides a stable surface to sit on during the shower. In order to safely move from your wheelchair to the shower chair, you may need to use a transfer board. It is a good idea to keep a transfer board in the bathroom at all times for ease of access.

Grab bars are another type of safety equipment that can be helpful while taking a shower. Grab bars provide you with a stable surface to grab onto should you start slipping during transfer or during your shower. In addition, you can use the grab bars to help you move around while you are washing up.

There is also equipment available to help you get dressed safely after your shower. Pants Up Easy is a piece of equipment that allows you to pull up your pants without risking a fall. With Pants Up Easy you can lift yourself up while keeping your hand free to pull up your pants.

• Convenience equipment

There are some pieces of equipment that simply make the whole process of showering easier. A handheld showerhead is very helpful because you can easily direct the water flow in order to reach every part of your body. In addition, you can store the handheld shower head in a low position to make it easily accessible.

A long handled bath sponge is a tool that will make it much easier for you to lather up. You can clean your feet and legs without needing to lean over and risk falling. In addition, you can shower more independently because a long handled bath sponge will allow you to reach all of the hard-to-reach places without assistance.

The pieces of equipment here are the basics that you will need in order to safely shower on your own as a wheelchair user. There are many more types of adaptive equipment available for showering and other activities of daily living. You can always reach out to other wheelchair users or your occupational therapist to get a more exhaustive list of the various types of adaptive equipment on the market.