hello, anyone know if time spent in baths can alleviate the symptoms of Osteo Arthritis ? my mothers housing officer has just advised removing the bath to be replaced with a shower.i'm not sure it's a good thing.any advice?

A warm or hot soak in a bath certainly does provide temporary relief for pain and stiffness. The hardest part for many arthritis patients is trying to climb in and out of a tub, especially with bad knees. I don't even try any more. But a warm or hot shower also provides a lot of relief too.
I would be curious about why they want to replace the tub with a shower. Hopefully it will be safely constructed, easy to get in and out of with very sturdy grab bars etc. Good luck to your mother.