When retired RN Dee Burton began experiencing mobility issues related to a series of health setbacks, she avoided a dangerous fall by upgrading her bathroom with Bath Depot

By Mitch Allen

Dee Burton, 79, has some health advice for us, and as an RN who retired at age 75, she’s fully qualified to offer it. “I’ve seen everything,” Dee says. “I served as head of trauma for MetroHealth. You can’t shock me.”

Thanks to a cruise she took in early January of 2020, Dee was also one of the first Americans to get Covid-19, a serious case. “That was back when it didn’t even have a name yet,” Dee recalls. “Doctors weren’t sure what to do. I became a case study.”

Since then, Dee has contracted Covid four more times and has had a series of other health issues, from cancer to a heart attack. She’s doing much better today and gives some of the credit to remodeling her bathroom.

“Update your bathroom now,” she advises. “There were times when I was so weak and dizzy, I knew I would have fallen if I had not updated my shower. Hitting your head on a hard tub or bathroom floor can cause a brain shift and other serious issues, especially if you’re on blood thinners. You can die from a bathroom fall. I’ve seen it.”

After Dee’s son had such a good experience with a window installation by Tony Hoty’s Window Depot, Dee contacted him about her bathroom. Tony also owns Bath Depot.

“I saw the Bath Depot display at the Sperry Home Show then went down to the showroom. That helped me visualize exactly what I wanted,” Dee says. “Tony will bend over back-wards to accommodate you, and he can meet any configuration you need. The team gives great suggestions, so I would encourage you to be forthcoming in expressing your concerns and your needs so they can fulfill exactly what is best for you.”

Dee’s New Shower
Dee lives in a cluster home in Avon and elected to remove the home’s original tub and install a low-threshold walk-in shower. “I was seeing toenail polish on the tub where my toes were hitting it when I stepped in,” she says. “It was a matter of time before I tripped and fell.”

Dee likes the folding seat she selected because it can be tucked away when she doesn’t need it. “I can stand up most of the time and it’s nice to have the extra room, but I can also fold the seat down and sit when I’m feeling a little weak.”

And she especially likes the two shower grab bars that don’t look like they belong in a hospital or nursing home. “It’s beautiful design,” she says. “The grab bars are part of two shelves that hold soap, shampoo, and other products, so they don’t even look like grab bars. One is up high for when I’m standing, and one is lower for when I’m sitting down.”

Dee also chose a rain shower head up top and a hand-held shower wand that is easily removable. “I love that shower head,” she says enthusiastically. “It’s like standing outside in a nice, warm rain. It’s relaxing. I also went with a glass shower door with exposed rollers, so it looks like a modern barn door and glides easily. I tell everyone to get a glass door. Not every shower has an overhead light, so this way the shower is well lit thanks to the lights in the bathroom coming in.”

Don’t Fret Over the Tub
And as a former Realtor, Dee has another piece of advice. “Some people worry that if they get rid of their tub it will affect the resale value of their home,” she says. “Don’t worry about that. New homes are being built with no bathtubs at all, and most potential buyers will value a nice shower over a tub anyway.”

When I asked Dee if she would recommend Bath Depot and Window Depot to friends, she laughed. “I tell everybody. Half the people in my neighborhood have had Tony install new windows or a new bathroom. He’s the best.”

Dee also has one more piece of advice:

Don’t wait.

“I was in in-patient rehab,” she says. “I worked with patients experiencing severe pain and mobility issues. You don’t want that to happen to you. So don’t wait until after you fall to update your bathroom. Do it now and avoid the fall altogether.”

Bath Depot and its sister company, Window Depot, are located at 24510 Sperry Drive in Westlake, visible from I-90. Call 440-296-9999 or visit BathDepotCleveland.com or WindowDepotCleveland.com for more info.