Unable to Score a Handicap Room

[nascargirl]

We are heading to the World May 24-31 for a graduation. Usually it is my DH and myself but this time we are taking my Mom who will have to use a wheelchair or a rollator walker. We may stay offsite so I was hoping all you experts out there can give me some recommendations on places off site that have roll in showers, grab bars, to help my Mom feel less stressed. I have looked at some vacation homes and some hotels by Disney Springs but nothing really jumps out.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Every hotel built or substantially renovated since 1993 with more than 50 rooms has at least one room with a roll in shower. The more rooms, the more roll in showers. VRBO/AirBnB would be far less likely than any hotel to offer what you seek.

There's an Orlando Hotels forum here. If you're definitely staying offsite, you might get better responses there.

 

[DisneyOma]

We are heading to the World May 24-31 for a graduation. Usually it is my DH and myself but this time we are taking my Mom who will have to use a wheelchair or a rollator walker. We may stay offsite so I was hoping all you experts out there can give me some recommendations on places off site that have roll in showers, grab bars, to help my Mom feel less stressed. I have looked at some vacation homes and some hotels by Disney Springs but nothing really jumps out.

If she can do without the roll in shower, how about bringing some grab bars with you?

 

[arminnie]

I do not trust those suction grab bars. I bought one to use to hang a wet wash cloth and it fell all the time. With no grabbing or pulling.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I do not trust those suction grab bars. I bought one to use to hang a wet wash cloth and it fell all the time. With no grabbing or pulling.

Oh, boy! Did my DH put you up to posting that? I wanted to buy one of those grab bars but he said he didn’t trust them-feared just what you said might happen to me. Actually, that’s very frightening!

 

[arminnie]

Oh, boy! Did my DH put you up to posting that? I wanted to buy one of those grab bars but he said he didn’t trust them-feared just what you said might happen to me. Actually, that’s very frightening!

. My neighbor is an Occupational Therapist and she doesn’t like them either.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, there's always this style https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medica...8&qid=1547395572&sr=8-3&keywords=tub+grab+bar Any failure would be 100% on the installer.

 

[gwynne]

We are heading to the World May 24-31 for a graduation. Usually it is my DH and myself but this time we are taking my Mom who will have to use a wheelchair or a rollator walker. We may stay offsite so I was hoping all you experts out there can give me some recommendations on places off site that have roll in showers, grab bars, to help my Mom feel less stressed. I have looked at some vacation homes and some hotels by Disney Springs but nothing really jumps out.

I don't know if this is helpful, but there seem to be lots of HA options onsite for your dates, values and mods as well as deluxe.
Having permanently installed grab bars would give me peace of mind.

 

[MinnieMSue]

As a nurse I wouldn’t use that first grab bar. Suction cups are not safe. The amazon link one looks interesting.

 

[DisneyOma]

My mom has used the type I posted for years - it's a very expensive one compared to what's out there, but it works really well for her. I agree that some are junk, though. I like the vertical one katieeldr posted as well.

 

[arminnie]

There's a difference in using a bar to just sort of steady yourself vs using one to pull up. I've been known in a pinch to steady myself with a plain wall. Pulling or pushing up means a LOT of pressure.

 

[design_mom]

My mom recently had to have grab bars installed. Her occupational therapist said the suction cup ones are usually OK if you can position them so that the entire suction cup is on one tile and the tile is smooth. She said if it has to go over any bumps (grout lines, textured tile) they can lose the suction seal. (The one in the first picture shows it attached to a full, smooth tile. I don't think it would work as well on the smaller-tile band above where it's shown. On the smaller tiles, it would have to sit across multiple tiles.) She suggested, if you go with a suction bar, you get one that has an indicator telling whether it has a good seal. But we opted to have permanent bars installed anyway.

 

[BillSears]

Just remember even if the suction cup is attached to the tile and won't come off the tile is just attached to the sheet rock behind it and can be pulled off. I've tried a couple of suction cup grab bars and because I put my full weight on them they don't work for me.

 

[Starwind]

Just remember even if the suction cup is attached to the tile and won't come off the tile is just attached to the sheet rock behind it and can be pulled off. I've tried a couple of suction cup grab bars and because I put my full weight on them they don't work for me.

I've tried a couple which were well attached to a single tile under each suction cup. They worked well for a while and then, without warning, failed. One just sitting there in the middle of the night. The other while I was using it, but without my full weight on it.

I would not trust the suction ones. Not wanting to give up the failed ones entirely [since they aren't cheap critters], I now use them on our horizontal tile tub surround -- having something to grab is easier than a flat hand on the tile, and so far they haven't been moving around; I suppose gravity is helping.

SW

 

[arminnie]

At this stage of my degenerative nerve disorder I must rely on a bar to support my full weight. I can NEVER rely on something that might work or might not. I just cannot take a chance that something "might" be okay. Even if it's 9 times out of 10 that it is okay - that's to close to being like Russian Roulette. The alternative (losing) is too costly. Elderly people (me) can die after a fall.

 

[nascargirl]

My Mom has permanent grab bars installed in her home which she absolutely loves. I wouldn't trust the suction cups either. I noticed the last time my DH and I stayed at the BC this past Dec even I had trouble getting in and out of the shower. Before the BC renovation, there was some sort of bar fixture in the bathtub that you could hold onto getting in and out. Now they have nothing except for a very tiny towel hook on the wall. The toilets in some of the room seem lower as well.

 

[lanejudy]

@nascargirl I did a quick search and found wheelchair accessible rooms with roll-in shower available in each WDW resort category, most even had rooms available under the Sun & Fun offer. Are you only looking for offsite? As a PP mentioned, any "regular" hotel/resort should offer accessible accommodations. I would not look at homes or condos as there is less likelihood of finding something accessible. I do believe WDW may have more accessible rooms than required by law; offsite hotels may or may not have just the minimum.

Make sure you are checking a box for "accessible accommodations" on the WDW resort search. It does appear that going through the WDW website, the offsite resorts don't show availability for HA rooms -- I'm not familiar enough with any of those resorts to know if that means they don't have availability or it simply doesn't show online (it should, but the message comes up to call). As mentioned above, each of these resorts may have just the minimum number of required HA rooms, so it's possible they are booked up.

That is Memorial Day weekend so I'd expect a lot of people traveling, and one has to assume others are traveling for graduations as well, adding to the demand. If it's just a high-demand time for travel, if I were you I'd jump on one of the WDW resorts just to have something booked, and then continue searching if you really prefer to be offsite.

Enjoy the graduation and your vacation!

 

[lanejudy]

And I just found availability at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace through the hotel's website -- the box to check for accessible rooms might be easily missed; I did a regular search and then found it at the top of the filters. So there should be something out there, it's just taking some effort to find, I didn't check all resorts just a few. Good luck!

 

[nascargirl]

Just a quick update on the house we had rented at Windsor Palms. All I can say is WOW. My Mom was thrilled on all the handicap updates. She was so concerned that she would not be happy. The bathroom had grab bars behind the toilet and the side of the toilet. The roll in shower had 2 sets of bars, a new shower seat and a hand held shower wand. The original shower that was in the pictures did not have a back to the seat. The doorways were wide enough for her rollator and wheelchair. We rented her wheelchair from Gold Mobility. They arrived at the house the same time as we did. They had a brand new wheelchair for her. The driver said they are in Windsor Palms frequently.

 

[DisneyOma]

The bathroom had grab bars behind the toilet and the side of the toilet.

Behind the toilet? Down on the floor behind it, or above the toilet? I'm just not getting why there would be a grab bar there? Are you sure it wasn't a towel bar?