Easy living

The loss of mobility often comes part and parcel with aging. When that happens, tasks we previously took for granted can become arduous, especially in the home. Where we were once able to overcome the deficiencies of a poorly designed space, the same space can become difficult to use when you lack mobility.

Getting into the bathtub, accessing a laundry basket in the lowest cupboard of a cabinet — even using the washroom — can be a challenge.

At that point, a decision must be made: sell your home and move to an assisted living residence or do what’s necessary to continue living in your home.

That was the dilemma an Île-des-Chênes couple who has asked to remain anonymous had, said Aqua-Tech pool, spa and bath interior design/aging-in-place expert Lee-Ellen Green. "Basically, they had a bathroom divided into two areas. One area held the toilet, bathtub and a tiny vanity, and the other side was a laundry storage area. It wasn’t a very user-friendly space, especially for someone with mobility issues."

Simply put, the challenge was to transform a dated, inefficient space into a contemporary, user-friendly space without making it look like a hospital bathroom.

"The first thing we did was to open it up," said Green. "That allowed us to put in a double vanity with two mirrors, and we updated the toilet area (raising the toilet some 12 centimetres to make it more accessible). We then took out the tub and put in a low, step-over glass/tile shower."

Next, came the hard part: to somehow add the user-friendly features in an unobtrusive manner.

Green said the answer to the challenge was in being able to subtly disguise those features. "We were able to build mobility aids into bathroom accessories," she said. "For example, the toilet-paper holder has a grab bar hidden in plain sight. The (two) shampoo shelves in the shower also double as grab bars, and can hold up to 500 pounds. The shower head also moves up and down in multiple positions so it’s easy to use, and there are two seats to sit on. There’s also a stylish, contoured bar next to the shower entrance to grab onto."

A huge gain in efficiency was accomplished by replacing the former laundry nook with a movable linen tower.

"The lower cabinet comes with a roll-out shelf that makes it easy to access the laundry basket — there’s no need to bend down and reach in, the shelf just rolls out right in front of you. Other features include shampoo shelves retrofitted to match the countertop, a light above the shower for added visibility, easy-to-use faucet handles, and a heated floor. The bathroom looks contemporary, yet it’s accessible and functional."

Suffice it to say, the home owners are revelling in the bathroom’s newfound style and function: "It’s made our lives a lot easier. Getting into the shower is so much easier — we no longer have to face the fear of trying to step into the tub. Best of all, they just didn’t put bars on the walls, the shampoo shelves are stylish and don’t look like a grab bar and even the (contoured) grab bar looks good. We can sit down or stand up in the shower, and the heated floor is magical."

Most importantly, the bathroom renovation is allowing the couple to stay in the home they love.

"The difference is night and day. Lee and her crew did a wonderful job in working hand-in-hand with us to customize it. Most importantly, it doesn’t feel like we’re in the hospital. It’s a stylish, functional space that we’re really enjoying."

lewys@mymts.net