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easier ways

to get clean

by Kathy Wechsler

If you have a neuromuscular disease, is there anything more energy-draining than taking a shower or bath?

It’s important, though, and not just because you don’t want to stink up the joint. Because people with disabilities are more sedentary, they’re at greater risk for pressure sores and circulation problems, said Jodi Bales, an occupational therapist (OT) at the Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Center at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Bathing or showering every two or three days helps to reduce these risks by moving your body around and rubbing off layers of dead skin.

To make keeping clean easier and safer, there are products that make your standard tub and shower more accessible, such as shower chairs and bath lifts; products that allow you to get clean outside the tub such as bidets; and products that allow you to bypass the bathroom entirely, such as portable showers and shampoo basins.

The following selection of assistive products, in a variety of price ranges and complexities, can help make your personal hygiene experience as easy and safe as possible. Also, at the end of this article, Bales shares some tips on simple ways to get clean.

By using one or more of these products, along with the helpful tips from the OT, you may reduce the time and energy it takes to get ready for the day — leaving more time and energy to enjoy your day.

For a more extensive list of manufacturers, visit Quest Extra, www.mda.org/ publications/quest/extra, or ask your local MDA office for a printout. Many products are also available from local durable medical equipment (DME) providers, pharmacies, and home-improvement stores.