Disabled shower layout?

[TonyK]

I've got hold of a layout for WC, basin etc showing min/max heights, position of handrails etc. can anyone point me in the right direction for a similar shower layout?

I've googled unsucessfully for best part of an afternoon!

Cheers

[Terry]

"TonyK" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

What is the disability of the person ?

Can they stand freely, stand supported, not stand at all ?

Will they be likely to slip on wet floor if standing and therefore need a rail?

Can they walk into shower ?

Can they walk out of the shower ?

From the above you will see that each persons needs are different. I have never seen a shower that will exactly suit all disabled people.

If the installation is for a particular person - ask them what they want or need.

If the shower is for general disabled use, I would suggest you put in a fold-down seat, grab rails either side of the seat (the sort that fold up, a non-slip floor surface, a decent sized soap dish within reach when sitting. Make sure the controls can be reached whilst standing and sitting. A rail for steadying purposes when stepping over the lip. Make sure the shower head can be slid up and down a rail.

When walking on slippery surfaces, all disabled people appreciate more rather than fewer grab rails - they give you confidence !

Hope this has been of some use.

TWW who is moderately disabled and who has slipped in the shower too often !

[TonyK]

Cheers Terry

I've got the whole lot, seat, DDA compliant riser and head, TRV3 valve, 8 grab rails of various types. A single lever thermostatic tap, high level WC with rests, fold down rails etc etc. The floor is a non-slip safety flooring with floor drain, no thresholds or anything plus a 36" door.

Now all I need to know is where to put it all... the DDA/NAS books are not very helpful :-(

[Terry]

"TonyK" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Right:

Assuming you are of average height: Pretend you are wheeling your wheelchair up to the shower - you need grab rails to help pull yourself up and walk into the shower - just below shoulder height when in wheelchair.

You shuffle into shower using any grab rails available - hip height are very good to take ones weight.

When in shower, you will need to hold one rail while pulling down seat then rails to hold onto while turning to use seat.

Have a shower using the seat - more difficult than it looks ! Are the controls handy, is the soap dish big (it's a bugger dropping the soap when you can't walk very well).

Then stand up to dry yourself - grab rails needed again.

Then shuffle out of the shower - hoping no one has moved your wheelchair :-)

If the person is totally wheelchair bound, then they will just wheel in their shower-chair - is their room to turn round or reach the controls.

That should give you a reasonable idea of what is required. Remember, most disabled people are exceedingly resourceful - they have to be! Very, very, few people take the trouble you are taking.

Email me if you have any further questions.

Terry

[TonyK]

Thanks again Terry

I'm roughing in the plumbing today and will ask a friend to come over and try out a mock-up. I've found some basic guidelines on valve heights etc so fairly confident I can get it right first time.

Little bit different in that 90% of users will be aged 11-16 so possibly a tad smaller physically that an adult wheelchair user.

Cheers

[Andy Dingley]

Or if you'e trying to fund grant funding for anything like this, everyone "disabled" is lumped into the same category and there's a standard set of requirements, no matter how ridiculous they are for a particular individual. 8-(