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The Bath Transfer Stool

THE PROBLEM:  In order to have a shower in private and unaided, the client wished to transfer from his wheelchair to the bath chair in his bathtub and to fully close the sliding shower door.

THE SOLUTION:   A piece of cedar was fastened to the legs of the bathtub chair using four stainless steel hose clips. A two-legged “stool” was constructed as shown in the photographs, using half inch MDF for the side plates and seat and spruce wood for the legs and leg braces. The two legs rest on the floor of the bathroom, and notches near the ends of the seat side plates rest over the piece of cedar that is fastened to the chair. Rubber cane tips ensure that the legs will not slip and to protect the floor. Small pads of carpet are attached to the inside of the leg braces to protect the rim of the tub from possible knocks. After sliding from his wheel chair across the stool onto his bathtub chair, the client lifts the stool and moves it away from the bath so that it rests on the tub rim against the door track. Two slots in the seat of the stool (plus an extra piece of wood between them under the seat) provide a pistol grip handle that enables the client to lift and move the stool easily with one hand. The stool is normally stored in the bathtub so that it takes up no floor space. After a few days for try-outs, the client would not give it up so that it could be painted: he found that it never got wet and he did not want to relinquish it for a few days.

Caveat: The client was very tall, so the seat of the bath chair is much higher than most people would find comfortable. However, this provided lots of height for the side frames. If the seat was set low for a short person, thicker or stronger material may be necessary for the side frames.

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