A Setback with the Height-Adjustable Basin

After finally kicking off the much-anticipated bathroom project, we’ve hit a significant roadblock with one of the key accessibility features: the height-adjustable basin. Our Occupational Therapist (OT) has advised that this basin is essential for Shane’s needs, but we’re now faced with two major challenges:

  1. The Cost: At over $5,000, this basin is a substantial expense on its own.
  2. The Lead Time: A 16-week wait time. That’s four months—a period that is a lifetime when living with motor neurone disease (MND), where progression can and does happen rapidly.

Shane’s condition is progressing, and 16 weeks is simply far too long to wait. The harsh reality is we needed this bathroom built months ago. None of us chose this situation, and I can assure you that this type of basin would not be what Mum and Shane would pick if they felt they had any other choice.

This situation has left us feeling deflated. For a brief moment, we thought we were finally making progress. The harsh reality is that time is not on our side with MND, and even six weeks can feel like an eternity.

If Shane were under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the cost wouldn’t be such a barrier, and the lead time might not have been as critical as this would have been started and approved months ago. The NDIS offers support and funding for required equipment, making the process far less gruelling. Unfortunately, for individuals over 65 who rely on My Aged Care, the process is slow, complicated, and riddled with roadblocks like this.

We’re now left scrambling to find a suitable alternative that fits Shane’s needs, is affordable, and doesn’t require a lead time of months. It’s a daunting task, but we’re determined to keep pushing forward.

If anyone out there has advice, connections, or knows of alternative height-adjustable basins with shorter lead times, we would greatly appreciate your help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—we need every bit of support to overcome this challenge.

Link to the product causing the delay:
https://www.hafele.com.au/en/product/washbasin-electric-height-adjustable-ropox/P-01497797/

(we don’t need to get this specific product, but something with similar function/size or at the very least is accessible, we need to resolve this quickly as there is other cabinetry to be made, which needs the measurements of this before it starts so we know we have enough space for this!

Other ways you can help:

Edit 14/02 – We ended up going without this as discussion with Mum, Shane, Jake (the builder) our support person from MND Vic all agreed that it was more critical to have an appropriate toilet and shower in place urgently and a fixed accessible vanity would be suitable. Update on the bathroom to come soon.

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