A floor-to-ceiling tension pole gives her a grab point beside the toilet, and it holds only as well as the ceiling and floor behind it. Set it the same way every time: read the instructions, measure, find the solid spot, set, tighten, test and lock. Plan for a full Saturday so you are not rushing the last step.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Before you start

Read the instructions and note the rated height range. Measure floor to ceiling in the bathroom and confirm the room height falls inside that range. Check the door swing and the clearance around the toilet, and make sure the pole does not sit where she has to stand to close the door.

Find the solid spot

If the instructions call for a joist or stud at the ceiling, locate it with a stud finder and mark it. If you cannot find solid framing where the instructions require it, stop. Plaster, unknown wall construction or a ceiling you cannot read should go to a contractor, not to a guess.

Set the pole

Position the base at the height the instructions give, then set the pole. Tighten the top and bottom in stages, alternating sides, rather than cranking one end fully before touching the other. The pole should sit straight and level when you step back.

Test it before anyone leans on it

Push and pull on the pole with your own full weight, in the direction she will lean. Watch for shift, creak, or any movement at the ceiling plate. If the pole moves at all, release it, reset the mount and test again. Do not let her use it until it passes.

Lock and recheck

Confirm that the locking ring or lever is fully seated. Recheck the tightness a few days later, since the pole may settle as the mounts take load.

What to write down

Write down the rated height range, the height you set, where the framing was located, the result of your test, the name of the person who installed it, and the day it went in. Ask her physician or therapist whether a grab point at that spot suits her, since that is a clinical question. The first ten minutes after a fall page covers what to do if she does fall while the pole is in use.