As we get older one of the main concerns is that we will lose our independence and be unable to remain in our own home. Of course there are some circumstances which mean that remaining in their own home isn’t an option. I have experience of both sides, my grandmother was unable to remain at home after my granddad passed away due to her health needs. Then just over eighteen months ago my mother-in-law had a fall and needed a hip replacement.
My mother-in-law is incredibly active and it’s not unusual for people to be surprised when they find out how old she is, even we forget at times because she is always on the go. So when she fell just before Christmas the year before last it was a big shock for everyone, especially her. When she fell she chipped her hip which meant she needed a hip replacement and would need help getting back on her feet.
As a family we wanted to help her keep her independence while ensuring she was safe at the same time. My brother-in-law lives with her so we knew he would be on hand a lot but she didn’t want to be too reliant on him. Thankfully they have a downstairs toilet which made things a bit easier but there were still changes that needed to be made. The first thing was to order a bed that could put downstairs for her to sleep on as managing the stairs was something she would have to work towards. We then found a frame that would go over the toilet, sort of a support which would enable her to stand up and sit down when using the toilet. My mother-in-law was also leant a frame with a seat on which she could use to move around the downstairs freely, it also had a seat on which was handy when she needed to rest. With these in place she was able to return home a couple of days after the operation to continue her recovery.
Thankfully after three months she was back on her feet but it had also made her aware that she really needed to make some adaptations to her home that would make things easier for her as she got older. I guess you could say her fall and the recovery process made her realise that she couldn’t do some things as easily as she could years ago. It’s taken a while for her to come to this decision but she really wants to be able to continue as she is now for as long as possible. One of her main concerns was accessing the bath and or shower, she felt it was too difficult to climb in and out as she had done previously. So we suggested she have a look at adapting her shower which is in her en suite as it may be possible to change her existing one to a more accessible one. I helped her do some research online and came across Premier Bathrooms who see walk in showers which have low-level entry and can be fitted with a seat. They seemed perfect for what my mother-in-law needed so she sent for a brochure so she could take a look at the range. She hasn’t wanted to rush the process either as she wants to make sure she is making the right decision but I know she is happy that the way forward for her is a walk in shower so now just needs to order one she likes and arrange for it to be fitted. I know this adaptation will help her keep her independence for longer.
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post however the contents is 100% my own