Healing Benefits of Walk-in Tub

While many people choose to incorporate walk-in tub designs into their bathroom layouts to enhance safety, the benefits of this design do go well beyond. When there’s a need to address health concerns, lower stress and just have a luxurious place to decompress at the end of the day, walk-in tub models deliver healing benefits that go beyond ordinary bathroom fixtures.

When the healing benefits of a walk-in tub are desired, it is important to select the model for home use with care. Standard walk-in tubs do offer tremendous benefits, but those with spa-quality upgrades are designed to take the therapeutic benefits to the next level. Features such as hot water jets, warm air massage and aromatherapy, among others, can produce these distinct advantages:

·         Stress reduction – It’s a simple fact that long-term, unaddressed stress can lead to a host of medical concerns, including high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers and more. The mere act of soaking in a hot tub may help with decompression. Soaking in a hot tub that also gently massages tension out of the muscles, however, takes the experience to the next level. Walk-in tubs with spa features can help people unwind and let go of stress.

·         Pain reduction – People with muscle aches, arthritis and tension that causes headache and other complaints will find a walk-in tub can provide a way to ease and even eliminate pain. The vigorous massage provided by hot water jets works on the muscles while promoting circulation, which can aid in healing damaged tissue.

·         Overall health improvements – Walk-in tub models that promote circulation, relaxation and release of muscle tension may also help the body in a variety of other ways. Stress reduction, for example, can promote lower blood pressure and strengthening of the immune system. Improve circulation may also help boost metabolism while improving heart health. People with diabetes may find it easier to manage symptoms courtesy of improved circulation and boosted immunities.

Walk-in tubs are meant to address some of the biggest safety concerns in the bathroom. There is more to these unique designs than meets the eye, however. When spa-quality features are selected, a walk-in tub can help people alleviate stress, promote circulation and address pain-related concerns while potentially boosting immunities and overall health in the process.

Features To Consider While Building Safe Bathtub

The need to enhance bathroom safety isn’t isolated to accommodating the elderly and people with disabilities. After all, just about everyone has slipped in the bathroom at some point. The experience is never pleasant. While there’s no way to eliminate every risk, there are ways to transform this most dangerous room in a home into a much safer place by following a few simple steps.

If it’s time to make your bathroom safer, this guide will help you get started:

·         Tackle the biggest issue first – It doesn’t matter whether this room has a traditional tub/shower combination or a standalone shower stall, the bathing area is hands down the most dangerous part of the room. Walk-in tub/shower combinations can remove many of the hazards associated with bathing. With a swinging door, instead of a 20-inch step over side, these tubs immediately enhance safety. Should luxury features be desired, whirlpool jets, aromatherapy and other upgrades can give the bathroom a spa-quality feel. Barrier-free shower stalls that trap moisture and steam inside the stall also make exceptional choices if a full bath is not desired. Manufacturers make models in both designs that can be selected to easily retrofit any bathroom. Just be sure to work with a professional installer for the best results.

·         Get rid of sharp edges – If a full bathroom remodel is being planned, make sure to consider other fixtures in the room. Counters, for example, should have rounded edges to lessen injury impact if a slip does occur. Toilets should be set at a height that is comfortable for users.

·         Take care with throw rugs – Make sure bathmats have proper backing to enable them to stay firmly in place even in wet, slippery conditions. Also make certain they are large enough to ensure there is no need to step on tile or other flooring with wet, slipper feet.

Creating a safer bathroom environment is an advantage in any home. If the plan is to address the biggest potential hazards, start with the bathing area itself. Walk-in tubs and barrier-free shower stalls offer safety advantages built right into their designs that can benefit users of all ages and mobility levels.

Various Handicap Accessible Bathroom Designs for the Home

House hunters in the market for new construction may find themselves surprised to discover handicapped accessible bathrooms included in many available floor plans. This style of bathroom is becoming increasingly popular for users of all ages and mobility levels because of the safety and convenience provided. With that in mind, builders are making handicap accessible bathroom designs more readily available for buyers since homes with these designs are often more marketable and profitable. Existing property owners are also discovering growing needs to retrofit their homes to improve accessibility for older or disabled family members.

Whether the desire is to find new construction with already included handicap bathrooms or to remodel an existing home, there are several different design options to consider. There are two main features that serve as the centerpiece of most handicap accessible bathroom designs today:

·         Walk-in bathtubs – Bathrooms with walk-in bathtubs are becoming highly popular because this style of fixture not only improves accessibility, it can add luxury and comfort to a bathroom, as well. Walk-in tubs rely on a swinging door to provide users access to the bath. In doing so, a traditional tub’s 20-inch step over is eliminated, which creates safety. Available for new installation and retrofit use, walk-in bathtubs address some of the biggest concerns in the bathroom. Depending on upgrades selected, they may also deliver spa-quality relaxation features, as well. Common upgrades include heated seating, hot water jets, warm air massage and aromatherapy.

·         Barrier-free shower stalls – Unlike a standard bathroom shower stall that is separate from a tub, this type of design eliminates the need to step over to get in. By using a special floor pan, a barrier-free shower makes this space more accessible to people with mobility challenges. The design is also suitable for use with built in seating and grab bars to further enhance safety. These designs can be used in brand new construction and may be customized to suit existing bathroom spaces, as well.

As the need for safer, more accessible bathrooms becomes evident, builders and fixture manufacturers are making this option more readily available. Buyers will now find accessible bathrooms included directly in new construction floor plans. Existing homeowners will also discover that retrofitting their bathrooms is a highly viable option to address accessibility or safety needs.