Advantages and Disadvantages of Walk In Tubs and Showers

Making the decision to soak in a long, hot tub can be one of the most hazardous choices to make in a traditional bathroom. With thousands of emergency room visits each year attributed to slips, trips and falls that occur as people get into and out of the tub, danger lurks for people of all ages and mobility levels. Fortunately, there is technology already available that addresses this most common hazard in the home beautifully. Walk in tubs and showers are specifically designed to enhance bathroom safety while also improving accessibility for those with limited mobility.

Purchasing a walk in tub and shower combination can represent a pretty big investment though. To understand why this choice is such an excellent one, it helps to dive into the advantages and disadvantages that go along with retrofitting a home with a walk in tub/shower combination.

The advantages of walk in tub and shower combinations heavily outweigh any potential cons. Advantages users are likely to experience right away include:

·         An immediate enhancement of safety – Walk in tubs and showers address common bathroom safety concerns immediately while improving accessibility for those with limited mobility. The features that improve safety include swing-in door entry that removes the need to step over and into the tub, built-in seating and grab bars to provide support.

·         Enhanced independence for elderly or disabled family members – When mobility issues prevent loved ones from bathing alone, self-esteem may suffer greatly. The safety features provided by this type of tub/shower combination often enable a restoration of the ability to bathe alone, which can greatly improve quality of life for those with mobility challenges.

·         Improved relaxation for all family members – When a walk in tub and shower combination is introduced into a home, everyone can benefit. If features such as aromatherapy, whirlpool jets and built-in massage are selected, an ordinary bathing experience can be transformed into an extraordinary one.

There really are no disadvantages associated with replacing an ordinary bathtub with an extraordinary walk in tub and shower combination. Even cost concerns can sometimes be overcome easily if insurance covers some of the expense when medical issues necessitate such a purchase. By their very design, walk in tub shower combinations eliminate the disadvantages of traditional tubs while offering nothing but benefits the entire family can enjoy.