Restoring Dignity with a Roll-In Shower

For six long months, Ron had been unable to take a proper shower. His skin itched and hurt, but more than that, he longed to feel the warm water beating down on him once again. It wasn’t just about cleanliness – it was about his dignity.

Ron and his wife, Hilda, had spent 15 years caring for each other, and for the past decade, the focus had been on Ron’s declining health. To make life easier for Ron, they had moved into a new home, one that needed significant renovations to accommodate his motorized wheelchair. Unfortunately, these renovations exhausted all their funds making it hard to get him the shower that he so desperately needed. Ron didn’t want to be watched while showering or have his wife give him a sponge bath. He wanted to shower alone and gain his dignity back.

That’s when Al, Ron’s social worker at Elara Caring, stepped in. Al helped Ron and Hilda find the funding through the Elara Caring Hospice Foundation and other grant resources so that he could get a roll in shower, giving him his independence. He is now able to have a moment of solitude, where he can forget about his ailments and feel normal again.