Building the Perfect Bathroom

We moved into a new house a couple of years ago. As soon as we showed up for the open house, we knew it was going to be perfect for our family. Our oldest son uses a wheelchair, so finding a good floor plan was proving to be a little difficult. We needed space to move the wheelchair around furniture. Most importantly, we needed a bathroom that would be functional for him.

Much to our delight, we learned that the previous owners expanded the size of the house when they built it. This made the bedrooms a little bigger. It also made the main hallway to the bedrooms wider. And the living area larger. All of this was so necessary when thinking about the wheelchair.

It was also important for us to find a one-story home. We wanted our son to be able to access every inch of the house. (The house does have a bonus room upstairs, but that’s where I work.)

The most exciting part of the house was that one of the extra bedrooms had its own bathroom! Having a bathroom for our son attached to his room just makes our daily routine so much easier.

A few months ago, we did a mini-remodel on his bathroom. We wanted to make it more accessible for him. Also, as he’s getting bigger, we needed options that would be easier for his caregivers and us. Here is a list of some things we did if you are considering an accessible bathroom.

• We removed the bathroom cabinets. We installed a wheelchair accessible sink.
• The sink faucet has a sensor. Our son can place his hands under the faucet and the water turns on. This was important to us for his independence.
• The mirror above the sink tilts down so he can see himself.
• We allowed enough space between the sink and the toilet for his wheelchair. This makes transfers from his wheelchair to the toilet easier. We currently use a Rifton HTS Hygiene and Toileting System.
• We made the whole bathroom a wet area. The floors are tile. The walls are a smooth subway tile. This makes for easy cleaning.
• We removed the bathtub. Now we have a roll in shower. We can roll the Rifton chair from the toilet right into the shower.
• We installed a heater in the ceiling. This helps keep him warm when the water isn’t hitting him directly.
• We installed a ceiling mount showerhead so he would have constant water flow for warmth. However, he doesn’t like this option right now!
• We installed a handheld showerhead on a sliding bar so we can adjust the height. We also made sure the controls were installed at his level in case he ever has more functional use of his hands.
• We installed a fold-up bench for us to sit on while we are bathing him.
• We widened the doorway into the bathroom and removed the door.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how to make a small bathroom accessible for your child. Here is more information about modifying your home.