Rainmom, this is a good idea. When my father was having OT/PT the OT person gave us the name of someone who does this type of work. Someone with experience will know how to determine where to install and what is needed. If there is an OT person coming to the house, he/she can walk with the person and see how they navigate and recognize spots where a bar will be useful.
I know that The Department of Disabilities and Aging in my area has a list of companies/people who do this type of work. Sometimes there are even grants and foundations that will pay for that type of home improvement - although that is a process that requires applications and may take more time than you have. Just an idea.
Sylvian, your best bet is a carpenter or a company that focuses on assistive living retrofitting. The grab bars absolutely must be installed in studs; no other method is acceptable or safe. If the bars will be installed in ceramic tile, you'll need someone who knows how to safely drill through ceramics.
Unless someone here is specifically in your area, it would be impossible to recommend someone who offers reasonably priced services - that requires calling and getting quotes. Given that it's also a weekend, you might have to wait until Monday and start calling carpenters and assistive device companies.
In the meantime, if you need the bars for:
(a) bathing or showering: consider also a chair that extends outside the bathtub. The person sits down on the chair, scoots over toward the wall a bit, lifts his or her legs over into the tub (or has someone else lift the legs), scoots over again and moves closer to the wall.
It's a much safer method of getting in the tub.
These can be found at DME suppliers. If your loved one is in a rehab facility, the physical and occupational therapists might have catalogues of suppliers as well, and possible could order one to be delivered in a day or so.
(b) Toileting: there are raised toilet seats with grab bars on each side to help someone get on and off. Or there are also commodes that are taller with a level of seating that is much higher. It's advisable to have someone hold the commode handles when the other person is rising, to ensure stability of the commode.
On Monday, you could also call your senior center, or local senior centers, and ask if they have a list of contractors who offer senior discounts or accommodate seniors. If you have to look through the yellow pages or search online, look for those who do offer senior rates.
Another thing to ask when you call: how many grab bars has this company or this personal installed. You don't want someone who's never done this, especially with ceramic tile.
Go to Thumbtack website enter your zip code and you will find a list of local contractors in our area. I have used this site but you do need to look at the feedback that the contractors have.
The suction cup bars will slip, but they are better than nothing while waiting for mounted structures. I've found they are better if you clean the cups and surface under them every week so that the fit remains tight. Still they are known to come loose and can have some bad consequences if they do -- especially in the shower.
I went to Walgreens and bought the suction cup bars. They work really well to tide you over until you get a professional to do them. They come in single and double. You just have to check them each time to make sure that the green is showing and not the red. Read the instructions PLEASE. Nothing has to be done with the tile except it has to be supper clean under the suction cups. You can use wipes to make sure of this.
When my parents needed grab bars in their bathroom they called their local plumber who had the bars in stock, and they knew the bars would be installed correctly.
Unless someone here is specifically in your area, it would be impossible to recommend someone who offers reasonably priced services - that requires calling and getting quotes. Given that it's also a weekend, you might have to wait until Monday and start calling carpenters and assistive device companies.
In the meantime, if you need the bars for:
(a) bathing or showering: consider also a chair that extends outside the bathtub. The person sits down on the chair, scoots over toward the wall a bit, lifts his or her legs over into the tub (or has someone else lift the legs), scoots over again and moves closer to the wall.
It's a much safer method of getting in the tub.
These can be found at DME suppliers. If your loved one is in a rehab facility, the physical and occupational therapists might have catalogues of suppliers as well, and possible could order one to be delivered in a day or so.
(b) Toileting: there are raised toilet seats with grab bars on each side to help someone get on and off. Or there are also commodes that are taller with a level of seating that is much higher. It's advisable to have someone hold the commode handles when the other person is rising, to ensure stability of the commode.
On Monday, you could also call your senior center, or local senior centers, and ask if they have a list of contractors who offer senior discounts or accommodate seniors. If you have to look through the yellow pages or search online, look for those who do offer senior rates.
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