Personal Independence Payment (PIP) toolkit
Washing and bathing
This activity looks at your ability to wash and bathe, including washing your whole body and getting in and out of a bath or shower that has not been adopted.
Questions relevant to sight loss
The descriptor (legal test) is:
- Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe (2 points)
- Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe (2 points).
Top tips
When answering the questions think about:
- Have you had an OT assessment that assessed your needs in washing and bathing? Were any adaptations made to your bathroom e.g. grab rail fitted, or aids provided?
- What aids do you use to help you wash and bathe? Bumpons to help you identify different bottles? A shower seat? A grab rail? Anything else? Can you get in and out of a bath or shower safely? Are you safe having a bath if you are at home alone?
- Have you had any falls or accidents when using a bath or shower? If so, what happened, and did you need treatment?
- Can you tell the difference between items such as shampoo and shower gel? Do you have to use any methods (labels or keeping items in specific places) to help you to identify these items?
Put your answers in the section called “Extra information”.