“His WashPod makes him feel human again”

Little did 18 year old Seth know that the 5 minute lift home from the pub would change his life forever. He was sitting in the back seat without a seatbelt with his mate driving, who should not have been. He failed to negotiate a bend and the car ended up on top of the Devon stone wall. The only real casualty, Seth was to spend the next two years in Salisbury District Hospital and their Spinal Injury Unit with a C2 – C5 injury that has left him a quadriplegic.

His mother Julie says “he has limited shoulder and bicep movement due to residual nerve ending activity and some movement in the wrist, but nothing in the hands. But he can use a phone which is his lifeline.”

Seth is beginning to accommodate his new situation but two years in hospital has left him very institutionalised. As a very proud youngster who took an interest in his appearance, he dreamt of being able to shower properly and get himself clean and presentable.

“When he was in hospital, he said that what he needed most when he came out, was to be able to have a shower every day. So I started hunting on the internet to find something suitable, which is where the WashPod came in”.

An Internal Micro WashPod was installed in the kitchen, just a couple of days before Seth came home and it’s been a ‘big positive’ in his transition.

“I see him in the shower with water running over his face and I can see how much he is enjoying every drop of water. It’s a real morale booster for him, allowing him to feel clean and good. He can do his hair. He feels fresh and it sets him up for the day. It makes him feel human again” says Julie.

He has a powered wheelchair and can get about independently in the home but needs a full-time, live-in carer. His OTs and physios have been to visit him and have marvelled at the WashPod.

“Everyone has been brilliant at Dignity Access and so supportive. It’s made such a difference at a difficult time for Seth and me” Julie added.

They are now going through the process of planning a permanent adaptation to the property via a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) with the local authority where they hope to get an accessible wetroom and another living area as an extension to the house that Seth can call his own.