Hello, my dad has had a serious stroke and is in hospital still. They are coming to assess his house soon. I’m wondering, will they send him home if there is no room for a bath or shower and he has no way of getting upstairs? He can have a bed in the living room and a commode in a small hallway. But no where to bathe or shower.
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That is exactly how I was sent home.
My wife had to get face cloths, towels and a basin so I could be washed as I stood on a transfer frame.
Almost two years later I can walk a bit, just about able to get upstairs and have been promised a walk in shower upstairs though they told me there is a very long waiting list.
The local authorities are always quick to slow down when it looks like they might have to spend some cash. They do like doing things on the cheap too.
If you are going to have a stroke make sure you have downstairs toilet and washing facilities. It is also handy to have someone to drive you about.
If you have none of these I suggest not having a stroke as a better option. It can be a trying experience. Not to be recommended.
. . . but don’t go away. There are others here who might have useful and helpful suggestions. In the mean time be kind to yourself. You are not alone and sharing this experience is something we all do.
Things can improve. Somehow we will get through all this.
Keep on keepin’ on
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Hi @Del2, don’t worry this doesn’t have to be as dire as it would first seem. Just have a word with the assessor or his care team at the hospital about bathing and what might be available in your area. His GP surgery should also be able to help with that. There are such places as day care centres for the elderly and infirm as well as some care homes where your dad can be taken once a week for bathing or showering 
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Stairs are not as impossible as you might think. I had a bad strike 3 years ago, still can’t walk more than 50 metres, v slowly, with a quad stick, but the physio showed me how to tackle stairs while i was in hospital.
So long as there is a rail on each side i could do it, with one good hand and one good leg, and one leg which could only take a very little weight. Coming down is much more difficult than going up - unless you come down on your bottom! I did need a bit of help, mainly just someone below me on the stairs watching to see I didn’t get into difficulties, at first, but later I would actually practice going up and down several times a day by myself. Today I have no fear of steps if there is a good rail to hang onto.
I realise your husband may be worse than I was, but if he can stand, this should be possible.
With all the best wishes, Jean
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When I cam home I wasn’t able to do stairs so had no way of accessing the shower in our upstairs bathroom.
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Like @Jfitz I went up and down the stairs on my butt to begin with. I’d had plenty of practice with that method as I had to do it when I had my hip replaced and a year later with a broken ankle 
I liked to think it was taking a couple of inches off my butt with that method 
The trouble with that method would be coming to a stand at the end.
On the landing at the top of the stairs I had a stool I could move up onto. Then I could swing my legs around to the side a come to a stand holding on to the top banister. I always had my hubby at hand to assist and steady me if I had a wobble.
@Del2 I have known of people who have been sent home without means of accessing their bath or shower. @EmeraldEyes has posted some good options that are worth looking into.
Make sure you speak with OTs & perhaps your local council to see what can be put in place for him. You should do this sooner rather than later as things take a while to be processed.
Hope you manage to get some satisfactory arrangement in place to make things much better for you both.
Best wishes
Ann
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@Del2 I was sent home like that, I didn’t even have a bed downstairs so I had to buy one for delivery from Amazon before I left the ward. My wife helped me to strip wash in the kitchen each morning and the red cross lent me a commode. Again my poor wife had to keep that cleaned and ready. Eventually the community stroke team had a stair rail and handles fitted and I was allowed to tackle the stairs to the bathroom. It’s not easy but you can get around your obstacles, Best wishes.
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