Plumbing for Disabled Persons: Basic Tips from Atlanta Plumbers
If you are not handicapped or have never lived with a handicapped person, you probably do not realize how hard the simplest things can be. For anyone with deformed hands or arms, whether it is from birth, an accident or a disease, or just chronic pain in your hands or arms no matter what the cause, opening a door or turning the knob to get water can be a major task or totally impossible. Luckily, there are plumbing fixtures and accessories that will give the handicapped person some of their independence back by giving them the ability to run water for washing, brushing their teeth and even bathing by themselves.
Most of the hardware/plumbing stores carry these items, although you may check with a medical supply company for anything that is missing. The faucet handles need to be the ones you can just push to open and close, you see the kind in doctors offices. There should be handrails up in the shower and a shower stool is a very good idea, depending on the individual. Having a permanent shower head is good, but a handheld wand should also be available, especially if the person cannot stand at all or for long, but it needs to be down where the person can reach it.
For anyone permanently in the wheelchair, there are shower seats that protrude beyond the edge of the tub, so they can transfer to that and then slide into the tub/shower area. Eventually, however, a drive in shower will probably have to be installed. This is quite a bit more money and should be installed by the professionals.
You may have noticed the handicapped person you know struggling to turn on the water. The handicapped faucets are not too expensive and they are easy to install so you could do it yourself. Just think of how they will feel with that much more independence, it really is worth the money and your time.
Visit Atlanta Plumbers for even more plumbing information and tips on selecting a plumbing company when the need arises for the use of a professional plumber.
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