Accessible Bath-Shower and Toilet Area

The Shower and Toilet Area of the accessible bathroom contain numerous accessibility features. The roll-in shower is extremely large (~5" X 8") so no door or curtain needs to be negotiated. There is also a large Accessory Cabinet that keeps the items used for personal care organized and out of site.

The floor in the entire Shower and Toilet Area is 2" X 2" tile, making it easy to keep the floor clean. The following are accessibility features found in the Shower and Toilet Area:

Roll-In Shower

The roll-in shower is approximately five foot wide by eight foot long, which makes it simple to roll in and line up on the plumbing fixtures. There is a hand shower and high shower head each controlled by its own temperature-regulating control. The hand shower has three different spray patterns that come in handy for a variety of tasks.

There is a handy ledge along the back wall of the shower in addition to a small corner shelf and soap holder. These are convenient places to keep a variety of showering needs. I have always preferred shaving in the shower so I have a small mirror on the wall as well.

Two Toilets

Most will wonder why you would need two toilets in an accessible bath. Certainly you've heard the axiom, "A family that sh**s together, stays together"? But seriously, only individuals that are familiar with spinal cord injuries can fully appreciate the benefits of two toilets.

In the morning I have my shower chair positioned over one of the toilets for more than an hour. So it's convenient for my wife to have the second toilet there if needed rather than having to go to another bathroom in the house.

There's a second real advantage to the person with the spinal cord injury that's using one of the toilets. However, it's not something I feel comfortable elaborating on in this article. But trust me, there is one, and most individuals with spinal cord injury will figure it out. In the picture to the right you can also see the accessory cabinet adjacent to the right hand toilet.

Accessory Cabinet

As you can see from the picture of the Accessory Cabinet with the doors open, it stores everything I need for personal care. This includes catheters, lubricant, gloves, urinals, trash container and a variety of other items. It's convenient to have these easily accessible in one place and nice to be able to hide them away behind the doors.

The cabinet can be used conveniently when I'm in my shower chair positioned over the toilet or when I'm in my regular chair sitting in front. The doors are able to open nearly 180 degrees which allows me to roll up close to the cabinet.

In the lowest section of the cabinet is a water hose with a spray nozzle similar to what you would see on a kitchen sink. This spray nozzle is very useful for spraying out the urinals after use without needing to move away from the cabinet.

Intercom

Adjacent to the Accessory Cabinet is an intercom station. This is easy to operate when I'm on my shower chair positioned over the toilet. I can communicate with others in the house if I need assistance of any kind. It is also possible for me to talk to someone at the front door if necessary.

Telephone

There is a telephone next to the intercom for all those times when someone seems to wait until you're in the bathroom before they call. It's surprising how often that phone get used!