Crohns disease. Where a toilet should be placed — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Crohns disease. Where a toilet should be placed

Maximoo22
Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
Hi. I suffer terrible with Crohns disease and the osteoarthritis because of it. I applied to occupational therapy for a downstairs toilet to be built because basically I had lost my dignaty by not making it upstairs in time. They built the toilet in my actual kitchen because they said my kitchen was large enough. The problem I have is that it's a total embarrassament now. I can't use it because, well suffering with Crohns it's the smell. They did put a fan in it which is absolutely rubbish. My son brought his 1st ever girlfriend to me me and I had to go. I was told to go and open the back door. Total hummiliation wasn't the word. Is it right for them to build a toilet in you're kitchen for a disability like mine

Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks for sharing this with us @Maximoo22. I'm so sorry to hear how this affects you, both physically and mentally.

    Hopefully our other members and advisors will be able to offer you some more practical support and guidance, but in the meantime, know that you're among friends here. I'm sure many of our other community members will be able to relate to how you've been feeling too. I hope today is as kind as possible to you!
  • ShaunOfTheDead
    ShaunOfTheDead Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Don't be humiliated in you're own home! You have a severe disability and you live you're life as you want not by other people's terms. In regards to placement of the toilet; it has to be fitted where plumbing is available, and in this instance, the kitchen is an ideal placement. 
  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    I have Ulcerative Colitis and an ostomy bag so I do understand the feelings of humiliation you can feel at times like this.

    It is really tough and Im sorry to hear you are struggling.  There are some brilliant sprays available, things like Poo Pourri, you spray it in the bowl before you go and I have found that it really does work!! They can be pricey but they do last quite a long time.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • Jean_OT
    Jean_OT Community member Posts: 513 Pioneering
    Hi @Maximoo22

    I'm assuming the Occupational Therapist (OT) arranged for the installation of the toilet under the disabled facilities grant (DFG) scheme. This scheme has a limited criteria of what it can consider and address. So basically the consideration would have been to provide you with a ground floor toilet by the most cost effective means. Clearly in this instance the cheapest way of doing the work was assessed to be partitioning part of your existing kitchen, presumably because this avoided the expense of extending the house and the plumbing was readily available. This is what I would expect under DFG and presumably what you agreed to before it was installed. 

    If you have the funds perhaps you could explore with a private contractor if it is possible to install a more powerful extractor fan.  @Sam_Scope has also given some good advice about managing odour issues. But as ShaunOftheDead says this is also probably something that, over time, you are going to need to get a little more emotionally resilient about. If you deal with this symptom of your disability in a matter-of-fact way it is likely that others will behave similarly.

    The charity Crohn's & Colitis UK are able to offer advice and emotional support with managing this condition: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/support

    Best Wishes

    Jean

      

    Jean Merrilees BSc MRCOT

    You can read more of my posts at: https://community.scope.org.uk/categories/ask-an-occupational-therapist

  • Maximoo22
    Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    The only particion is the actual door to to toilet. The door to the loo is in my actual kitchen. 
  • Jean_OT
    Jean_OT Community member Posts: 513 Pioneering
    Once upon a time there used to be a regulation that there had to be two doors between a toilet and a kitchen but that hasn't been the case for a number of years.

    Do you have room to construct any sort of small vestibule between the loo and kitchen?

    Jean Merrilees BSc MRCOT

    You can read more of my posts at: https://community.scope.org.uk/categories/ask-an-occupational-therapist

  • Maximoo22
    Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    Hi. Thanks for you're reply. My loo has acually been built in the kitchen itself. They cut my kitchen off a bit to build a cubicle with just a door to separate it. It stinks. And I can not use it at all especially if anyone wants to use the kitchen itself. Total humiliation for me all round
  • Maximoo22
    Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    Hi. Jean. I did object strongly to it being built in my kitchen but they kind of bullied me. I had no choice. It was the kitchen or nothing and carry on struggling. I did tell them that I had already lost a lot of my dignity but now it has been totally ruined/gone/I feel absolutely degraded. So how do I thank them for their help
  • Jean_OT
    Jean_OT Community member Posts: 513 Pioneering
    Hi @Maximoo22

    I do appreciate that your situation is very difficult for you. From reading your posts it is clear that what you have ended up with is feels like a worse situation than before the OT intervened. You have lost half your kitchen and have a downstairs loo that you don't feel able to use without humiliation and a loss of dignity.

    So,  really all you can do now is make a realistic appraisal of your circumstances and resources to see how you can best meet your needs in this situation. It is clear that you feel that you need a downstairs loo that is sufficiently separate from the rest of the living space to give you privacy and dignity. How can this be achieved?
    Is it feasible for you to move house or extend your current home to give you the toilet facilities you need? This isn't going to be funded via Disabled Facilities Grant so you would need to look at your own resources or potential charitable funding.

    If getting a separate loo that better meets your needs isn't an option are there compromises that would ease the situation?  Can you make the current downstairs loo more private by altering the layout to include an entry vestibule, so that you have a second door between the loo and the kitchen?

    Can you take measures to reduce odour by using a product like VIPoo? It is a bit expensive but take a look at the DIY recipe for Poo Pourri on the excellent 'So Bad Ass' Blog  http://www.sobadass.me/2016/04/13/fake-poo-pourri-recipe/ (thanks @Sam_Scope).  Perhaps this could be used alongside a professional quality washroom air fresher:  https://www.hygienesuppliesdirect.com/th/all_air_freshener_dispensers

    Also there might perhaps be the possibility of changing the current extractor fan for a stronger one or fitting a second fan.   

    Sometimes if we really can't do anything to change our situation we can benefit from from support with changing how we think about it, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be helpful for some people.

    Sorry I don't have any other suggestions, I hope you are able to find something that makes life a little easier for you.

    Best Wishes
    Jean

    Jean Merrilees BSc MRCOT

    You can read more of my posts at: https://community.scope.org.uk/categories/ask-an-occupational-therapist

  • Maximoo22
    Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    Hi. I was told that even though I hated the fact of the loo being built in my kitchen that when it was done, I would not be allowed to move for at least 14 year's
  • Maximoo22
    Maximoo22 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    I've tried all the VIP POO stuff and it only makes the smell worse buy trying it's best to mask it. I have brought every scent under the sun. That's how bad it is

Brightness