Will Medicare Pay for a Walk-In Tub?

Your Guide to Accessible Bathroom Remodels Bathrooms with accessibility features give mature adults and those with limited mobility the ability to navigate their spaces comfortably and safely. Aging-in-place bathroom designs, including wheelchair and walker-accessible options, are more functional and beautiful than ever before. Wheelchair and walker-accessible bathroom designs are more functional and beautiful than ever before. Here, we provide an overview of ReBaths features and remodeling services to make your bathroom wheelchair accessible. What Is an Accessible Bathroom?Accessible bathrooms are designed with universal design principles in mind, ensuring safety and usability for people of all ages, from young children to older adults. They incorporate various safety features to help individuals with limited mobility move throughout their space and easily access the sink, toilet, and tub or shower. An accessible bathroom model can greatly enhance independence and quality of life for you and your loved ones, enabling everyone to navigate the space comfortably and safely. Essential Accessible Bathroom FeaturesA wide range of remodeling options and products are available to make your bathroom wheelchair accessible. Some can be installed on existing surfaces, while others may require structural changes to your space. Walk-In Bathtubs Walk-in bathtubs offer wide doors that swing inward or outward, providing easy entry to the tub. They eliminate the need to lift your legs over the side to enter and exit. ReBath walk-in tubs include heated pads, jets, and your choice of brushed or chrome fixtures.  Are you considering a walk-in tub? Explore the advantages of walk-in bathtubs for seniors and those aging in place. Low Threshold Shower Bases Convert an existing tub to a shower or customize your shower for increased accessibility. Low-threshold shower bases make it easier to enter and exit, and they are slip-resistant to help prevent falls. Our non-porous finishes are easy to clean and always retain their beautiful shine. Built-In Shower Benches Permanent shower benches blend seamlessly with shower surrounds and are available in several finishes. Individuals who use wheelchairs or walkers can shift to these seating features for safe and convenient showering.  Chair-Height Toilets These toilets are more accessible and comfortable for individuals who use wheelchairs or have difficulty lowering themselves. ReBaths TOTO Aquia IV Elongated toilet combines sleek design with functionality.  Grab Bars Grab bars provide support as you enter and exit your tub or shower. ReBath grab bars adhere to ADA-design requirements and come in a range of styles and finishes to complement your bathroom remodel.  Wide Doorways Ensuring doorways are wide enough for wheelchair access, typically at least 32 inches, and installing outward-opening or sliding pocket doors for ease of movement.  Slip Resistant Technology Bathrooms are common locations for falls, particularly among older adults. ReBaths slip-resistant technology for shower bases, tubs, and walk-in tubs allows you to utilize your bath and shower with confidence.  Accessible Lighting Installing bright, evenly distributed lighting ensures visibility and safety, reducing the risk of falls. Motion sensor lighting can provide an added layer of convenience and safety, automatically lighting up the space when someone enters, and turning off when the bathroom is not in use. Soft lighting can prevent sensory overload, enhance relaxation, and reduce stress.  Safety Tips for an Accessible BathroomIn addition to the features mentioned above, here are additional steps to make your bathroom safer and more accessible: Remove tripping hazards such as clothing, rugs, and mats. Lower the sink to a wheelchair-accessible level. Install safety rails next to the toilet. Lower outlets and light switches. Add more lighting to improve visibility, especially in windowless spaces. Widen bathroom doors to at least 32 inches, or 36 inches for turning wheelchairs.Doors that open outward and pocket doors are good options when redesigning a bathroom for accessibility. Explore more quick and easy bathroom safety tips at our blog. Smart Technology for Accessible Bathroom RemodelsIncorporating smart technology into your accessible bathroom remodel can enhance both safety and convenience. ReBath offers advanced smart leak detection systems to prevent water damage, water sense valves for efficient water usage, and a shower sound system from Moen, allowing for a more enjoyable and personalized shower experience.These smart bathroom features not only provide practical benefits but also add a modern touch to your bathroom, ensuring a comfortable and user-friendly environment for everyone. How to Prepare for a Handicap Accessible Bathroom RemodelIf you are considering an accessible bathroom remodel, getting inspired is the first step. Here are some helpful steps to get ready to create a comfortable and stylish aging-in-place bathroom. Consult your healthcare provider for guidance regarding mobility concerns and challenges. Visit ReBaths online design gallery for photos of aging and accessibility bathroom solutions. Schedule an in-home consultation with a ReBath design consultant. Start your professional installation.  Common FAQs About Accessible Bathroom Remodels Can an accessible bathroom remodel increase the value of my home? Yes, making your bathroom accessible can increase your homes appeal and value, especially for buyers who prioritize accessibility features. Are there specific guidelines or standards for accessible bathroom design? Yes, accessible bathroom remodels often follow ADA guidelines to ensure safety and functionality. The ADA provides standards for accessibility, primarily for public spaces. ReBath incorporates these best practices for private homes, offering ADA-compliant solutions that cater to people of all ages and abilities. How long does it take to complete an accessible bathroom remodel? The duration of your project can depend on various factors, such as the size of your bathroom, the materials selected, and the complexity of the work required. Despite these variables, ReBaths exclusive products and streamlined installation process allow most projects to be completed in a matter of days rather than weeks. Does ReBath offer Design Services? Yes. We have a team of certified interior designers who can help you determine your style and build a bathroom youll love. We provide a no-obligation quote based on the products and services you request. Once approved, we handle nearly every detail of the installation process.  Why ReBath is the Best Choice for Your Accessible Bathroom Remodel Since 1991 we have remodeled more than 1 million bathrooms and earned an impressive 4.5-star rating from customers just like you. Our licensed and insured teams complete your installation using the highest quality materials and finishes. ReBath offers solutions tailored to meet your individual needs today, tomorrowand in the years to come. Schedule a free design consultation today by calling Re-Bath Mobile serving 7 counties in Alabama at 251-220-9284. Ask about special financing options.

In health care settings, the body gets medical attention, but the mind and soul matter, too. Older adults in medical care face a battery of health questions, but too often the most consequential one goes unasked and unanswered: What does a good day look like for you today?Medicare requires people to receive a spiritual assessment within their first five days of admission into hospice. Many states allow a nurse to conduct the initial spiritual assessment, but I think it helps both the person and the health care provider for the assessment to be done with someone who has theological training. Many have been certified in clinical pastoral education, or CPE. Nurses can get so focused on the technical to-do lists of medical work  the measurements, the tests, the drug regimens that it can be hard to make time for the issues that matter most to the living human, namely, their happiness, peace and contentment.  As a spiritual care provider with 17 years in senior care facilities, and as a chaplain in the Army National Guard and Air Force National Guard, I have counseled hundreds of people in the final days of their lives.  For older adults and their families, one of the most valuable resources is also little-known a Medicare option that provides spiritual counseling for people in hospice. Longing for ConversationToo often older adults in care are being talked at, not listened to. Many times, I've found that people in the last chapter of life want to discuss their path to the end more than their medical professionals and, especially, more than their loved ones.  It often helps to have that discussion with a professional who is trained to hear them, and, if requested, to comfort and advise them.  RecommendedOpinion: Why I Went on Hospice Even Though I'm Not Dying | Personal PerspectivesThe code of ethics for the leading chaplain and spiritual care associations all prohibit proselytizing. A spiritual care provider should be able to work with someone on their own terms, no matter their beliefs. The United States may be turning more secular, but the fact remains that older adults are the most faith-affiliated of any demographic age group.This initial spiritual meeting is likely to be about the basics: Is the person religious? What is their support system? Will a certain faith-based ritual bring meaning or comfort? Do they have a preferred faith leader? Or is a secular discussion a better fit for the person's beliefs? 

One Sunday morning in early August, Irene woke up with a badly swollen knee. She thought about waiting until Monday to call her Lifespark Nurse Practitioner but was afraid that bacteria from an infected tooth had migrated to her artificial knee joint, something her orthopedic surgeon had warned her about. If left untreated, an infected joint could require additional surgeries, which is why she had taken prophylactic antibiotics before and after a recent dental procedure.The last thing Irene, 74, wanted was another surgery, but based on previous emergency room visits, she dreaded the thought of going to the ER. Youre sitting for hours next to people who are sick with the flu or COVID, when youre already not feeling well yourself, she said. The doctors are regular GPs [general practitioners] so theyd probably just run some tests and send me home with antibiotics, which Im already taking. She was also concerned about the $100 co-pay, adding that she lives in low-income housing and has limited financial resources.Instead, Irene called Urgent Response Services, Lifesparks 24-hour nurse triage line.Convenient, efficient, and trustedAs a member of Lifespark COMPLETE (LSC), Irene qualified for Urgent Response Services which provides acute-level care for members in their homes. Within minutes, Leah Castle, RN, BSN, Mobile Urgent Responder, was on her way, getting briefed by the triage nurse on Irenes concerns.Once at Irenes home, Leah logged onto the secure portal to access key client information, including Irenes health history, medications, allergies, support system, financial considerations, contingency plans, and goals of care. Having this level of detail at our fingertips helps us make more accurate, more efficient assessments, she said. It also gives us a more complete picture of the member, so we can offer recommendations that align with their goals and lifestyle.After taking Irenes vitals, she drew some blood, took a photo of the worrisome knee, and talked through her findings with the on-call provider. They were both confident that it wasnt a bacterial infection but would wait for the lab results for confirmation. Leah sent a note to Irenes COMPLETE team to schedule a follow-up for the next week. In the meantime, Irene was to continue the antibiotics, take a Tylenol every six hours, ice her knee, and keep the leg elevated as much as possible.Leah dropped off the blood samples at the hospital lab for processing, and in less than two hours, the on-call physician had the results. Leah called Irene to let her know that the labs were negative for systemic infection and that her inflammatory markers were within normal range.Irene was relieved. This was so much better than going to the ER, she said.Rule-outs and rule-insIn Leahs experience, older adults often go to the ER to make sure theres nothing seriously wrong. In fact, studies show that roughly 32% of hospital ER visits are non-urgent and unnecessary. As a Mobile Urgent Responder, shes able to rule out those non-emergencies, efficiently and effectively, from the persons home.That was the case with Irene: shes had both knees replaced and was very concerned that shed need more surgery, Leah said. We were able to put her at ease and assure her that we would continue to monitor and manage her symptoms from home. If there is something to be concerned about, Leah added, the Mobile Urgent Response team is able rule in the need for emergency care.Building on career experienceHaving the confidence to make quick, accurate assessments and communicate them to Lifesparks medical experts comes from her diverse career background. One of Leahs first nursing jobs was on a cardiac step-down unit, a fast-paced, intense environment where the nurses were constantly working with different physicians and therapists. I learned how to quickly build trusting relationships with the providers and also with families during some of the darkest moments of their lives, she said.Leah said she grew professionally in that environment, gaining skills and knowledge that prepared her for her next job, at a long-term acute care hospital. The individuals she cared for had complex diagnoses and illnesses, such as extensive wounds, traumatic brain injury, chronic kidney disease, and respiratory failure. Patients were here for two to six months or more, many of them on ventilators and feeding tubes, so I got to know their families and learned how to support them, too, she said.In 2017, Leah joined Lifespark Community Home Care as their first on-call nurse. Coming into the Home Care setting with my background was powerful, because I knew what my clients had just walked out of, whether that was the hospital or rehab, and now I could help them stay healthy at home, she said.Seven years later, she was recruited for Lifesparks Mobile Urgent Response team. I feel like each step in my career has prepared me for the next one, and now, as a Mobile Urgent Responder, I can be the eyes and ears of our providers in the home, she said. I can also bring care and compassion and empathy to our members, so they feel confident in the care were providing.Benefits of early interventionThe Mobile Urgent Response team has been most successful when members call the triage line before their symptoms progress to a critical level. The team has been able to treat early symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the home, often with a short-term medication adjustment. However, if a CHF or COPD exacerbation isnt treated, the client would likely need to be hospitalized for IV therapy and increased respiratory support. Recently, Leah collaborated with the on-call provider to diagnose a painful ear infection that had developed quickly. The physician faxed a prescription for antibiotics to the clients pharmacy which they were able to pick up and start taking that same day.Its really fulfilling and rewarding to be able to offer this service to our members and their families who want to be supportive but cant always be there in person, Leah said. Theyre in good hands with Lifespark.To learn how Lifespark helps seniors stay healthy at home, visit Lifespark.com or call 952-345-8770.