BATHTUB DOORS: WHICH DOOR TYPE TO CHOOSE?

The process of making your bathroom wheelchair friendly and safe for seniors calls for making a plethora of smart choices. Simply deciding on getting a walk-in tub installed in your space isn’t enough. Many more critical selections will have to be made to transform your bathing space into a truly convenient place for your loved one. One such choice is the type of bathtub door that will work perfectly in terms of the user’s special needs. This blog post will elaborate the topic further.

Types of bathtub doors

Walk-in bathtub doors are designed to ensure that the user can easily step into or out of the tub space and to prevent water from escaping out when the door is sealed shut. Meeting these two requirements is the main design objective with which these tubs have been developed. And so, to cater to different needs of different users, the following bathtub door types have been introduced:

Swing In

Tubs with these kind of doors are usually larger in size to accommodate the door as it will swing open inside the bathing space. While the door wouldn’t occupy additional bathroom space, the tub itself will require more room for installation. The biggest and perhaps only challenge in using swing-in bathtub doors is the fact that you cannot open the same until the water inside the tub is drained out completely. Only then will the pressure against the door will be released, following which the user will be able to swing it open and step out.

Suitable for: Users who need a wheelchair

Necessity: Bigger bathroom space

Challenge: Making emergency exits

Swing Out

Swing out bathtub doors need extra space outside of the tub for the door to open and close. On the flip side however, tubs with such doors take up much less space as compared to swing in doors, especially when their door has been sealed shut. Swing out doors are also easy to open, even when there is water inside the tub which will simply spill out as soon as it finds a route to flow. This also means that these doors are easier and more convenient to use in case the user has to make an emergency exit. They only challenge that these doors pose is for people with movement disabilities who will find it tough to maneuver their wheelchairs around the out-swinging door to step inside the tub.

Suitable for: Users without movement disabilities

Necessity: Room to open and close the door

Challenge: Maneuvering around the door to get in, especially for wheelchair users

Make sure you choose the right kind of bathtub door for your loved one in accordance with the specific needs to guarantee their safety, comfort, and bathing space accessibility. Hope the above points will help you in making this choice.

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/bathtub-doors-door-type-choose/

KNOW SOME IDEAS ABOUT BATHROOM REMODELING WITH SHOWER SURROUND KITS

If you are mobility challenged or have an elderly or disabled loved one living with you, there will be many changes that you will have to make around the house to ensure their safety and comfort. And while most of these changes will be inclined towards improving functionality and easing accessibility, it doesn’t mean that you will have to make a compromise on the aesthetics! Take your bathroom for example. Many families choose to install walk-in shower surround kits over traditional tubs to make the bathing space more accessible for wheelchairs or walkers. So why not take this opportunity to renovate your bathroom into something truly extraordinary? Here are some ideas for bathroom remodeling with shower surround kits that you can use to turn your bathroom into a safer place for your mobility challenged loved one while tweaking its ambience and retaining full functionality for the rest of your family.

Door or No Door

Surround shower kits are meant to make the bathing space easier to get in and out of. The choice of the door for this space, however, is largely guided by aesthetics. The most commonly used option here are doors made of semi-transparent glass that ensure privacy and keep water from spilling out on over the rest of the bathroom. Here you can use various designs and patterns to add a bit of elegance and style to the space. Or if you are feeling a bit more adventurous and don’t mind a little water, just remove the door entirely to create a vast bathing area (perfect for small bathrooms where swing-in and swing-out doors would be a hurdle. Just remember to revamp the floor tiles to make the bathroom safe against slipping accidents.

Bench and spa

Depending upon the amount of space you have allocated for installing your shower surround kit, you can choose to create a bathing space that has an additional bench for using as a sitting option while bathing. This is a great idea for making bathing time more comfortable and convenient for your loved one, especially someone who is wheelchair bound. Plus, the rest of your family can enjoy the perks of having a sit-in shower too. And why not install a fully functional spa and sauna along with the surround shower kit to turn your bathroom into a relaxation heaven? There is so much you can do with your shower area, just by installing an additional bench.

Shower and tub

If you are a homeowner who is lucky enough to have a large bathroom, there really is no need to choose between a walk-in shower and a bathtub. Just put in shower doors to separate the bathing space from the rest of the room and have both, a tub and shower surround kit installed for your loved ones to use. There are many crafty little bathtubs available these days that can be neatly tucked away in the corner of your bathroom, leaving space free for a walk-in shower to be erected nearby. So take advantage of the big bathing space available in your home and let your family enjoy the best of both worlds.

So start thinking out-of-the-box when you are remodeling your bathroom. A shower surround kit can genuinely add functionality, accessibility, comfort, and an enhanced ambience to your bathing space while making it easy to use for everyone in the family.

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/know-ideas-bathroom-remodeling-shower-surround-kits/

SIT-IN TUB WITH A DOOR: MAKING LIFE EASIER

Traditional bath tubs often present a risky situation for users. Stepping over the wall and into the tub is prone to accidents, even for a regular healthy individual. But if the user is mobility challenged, this task becomes virtually impossible to manage without additional assistance. For most seniors and disabled individuals, having to seek help in a highly private task such as bathing can turn out to be a frustrating prospect. So choose to make their life easier and install a sit-in tub with a door in your bathing space.

The door

Typical tubs of this kind come equipped with a door attached towards the front and side of the bathtub. This door can be designed to open inside or outside the tub, depending upon the convenience of the user and the free space available inside the bathroom space. This door allows the user to enter the bathing area without having to step over the high threshold, as is the case with conventional bathtubs. The doors installed in sit-in tubs come equipped with advanced sealing mechanisms that ensure the water doesn’t spill out and flood the floor. The tubs are designed to drain faster as well so that the user can get finished with their bathing routine quickly and step out of the tub without having to spend too much time in the water.

The seat

The next intriguing feature of a sit-in tub with a door is, naturally, the sitting bench that allows users to relax and enjoy their bathing time without getting tired or moving around. This setting is perfect for mobility challenged individuals who can now just slide into the tub from their wheelchair or walker and bathe themselves in a more comfortable and relaxed position. Slipping accidents and resultant frustrations are also reduced to a minimum with the help of this bench inside the tub. Adjustable jets and shower heads are usually available to make the bathing experience even more convenient for the user and an additional safety rail can be installed to make getting in and out of the tub easier.

How it all comes together…

All these design tweaks and feature adjustments of a sit-in tub with door truly make the life of an elderly or mobility challenged individual easier. With the bathing space safer and more accessible, now such users can enjoy their private hygiene routine with comfort and independence without seeking any assistance from anyone else. What more can one ask for!

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/sit-tub-door-making-life-easier/

REMODEL YOUR BATHROOM WITH TUB AND SHOWER COMBINATION

Bathroom remodeling can be a tough task, especially when you have to make changes to accommodate the needs of an elderly or mobility-challenged loved one. But people with large families usually find it difficult to find a solution that works for all the members of the household. While there are various innovative bathroom fixtures and related accessories available in the market to help service the needs of disabled or elderly individuals. One such ingenious combination is a bathing space with a shower AND a tub.

Bathing is more of a private experience and every member of your family will have his/her own preferences with regards to the same. People who are blessed with larger bathrooms can afford to provide for all these varying needs by remodeling their bathroom space with a tub and shower combo. The walk-in bathing space can be fitted with a glass door that allows for easy accessibility for senior/mobility challenged users and ensures that water doesn’t spill out and flood the floor. At the same time, having a bathtub nearby in the same bathing space can allow other family members to enjoy their regular soaking and relaxing bathing time.

Many homeowners also choose to install a walk-in tub in their bathroom to allow family members to enjoy both options for their hygiene routine. Women usually find the sit-in bathing experience a lot more comfortable and convenient as it allows them to handle hygiene tasks like shaving their legs with ease. At the same time, family members who are always in a rush to get ready and head out will find showers to be more convenient. To make the bathing space even friendlier for different users, you can choose to install a handy safety rail as well that will make moving around a lot safer for users.

Overall, a tub and shower combination for your bathroom will allow you to take care of the needs of everyone in the family without making a compromise on functionality or aesthetics. What do you think?

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/remodel-bathroom-tub-shower-combination/

WALK-IN SHOWERS FOR SENIORS: KNOW ABOUT THEIR SAFETY FEATURES

Redesigning your bathroom becomes a top priority when you have senior family members living with you. Even if these individuals are not facing any mobility issues currently, making this space accident-proof will only go on to ensure the safety of your loved ones. Choosing to install a walk-in shower in your bathroom is one such option. As compared to traditional bathtubs where a person needs to lift their legs considerably in order to climb into the bathing space, walk-in showers have no such barriers that may hinder accessibility. Here is a list of the various safety features and additional advantages that your elderly loved ones can enjoy with walk-in showers.

As a person ages, their balance and strength may waver, causing them to become slightly unsteady on their feet. In such a state of being, having to swing their leg over the bathtub wall in order to get into the bathing space can turn out to be a perilous task. With a walk-in shower, your elderly loved one can simply enter the bathing area just like any other section of the house without the dangers that come part and parcel with a bathtub.

Depending upon how you will design the walk-in shower, you can also choose to customize the space with a bench where your senior family member can sit comfortably while bathing. The entry door of walk-in showers are also designed to provide additional safety, particularly by ensuring that the water inside the shower space doesn’t seep out and make the entire bathroom floor wet and hazardous. These doors are wide enough to allow a user to enter and exit with the help of a wheelchair or a walker too. All the important necessities of the user will be stored nearby and even the shower heads can be customized to suit the needs of your senior family member. Their flooring can be chosen carefully to ensure that slipping hazards are minimized and you can also install a safety bar that they can use to steady themselves and to hold while sitting down or standing up.

With so many safety features and benefits, walk-in showers can truly make the life of your senior loved ones a whole lot easier. So go ahead and get these installed the next time you plan to take up bathroom remodeling. This is a genuinely worthy investment to make for your loved ones.

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/walk-showers-seniors-know-safety-features/

GUIDELINES ON CHOOSING BATHTUBS FOR DISABLED

If you have a disabled individual living under your care, making your home more accessible and convenient for their use will be your number one priority. Many changes will have to be made around your living space to allow your loved one to live life with more comfort and convenience while enjoying independence and self-reliance in their daily activities. And as you might have already figured out by now, a majority of these transformations will be centered around your bathroom. Here are a few guidelines that you can follow to choose the right bathtub for your disabled family member that will ensure comfort and ease of use for them.

The choice of bathtub will be guided by the level of mobility that your loved one is able to manage. Disability bathtubs are available with swing in and swing out door options. The former is more suitable for smaller bathrooms but creates an obstruction and is difficult to maneuver for the person as he/she is getting into the tub. The latter is easier to enter and exit from but will take up more space in the bathroom as the door swings out to open and close.

When selecting a bathtub for a disabled family member, you will also need to factor in their height and comfort as well. The seat in the tub should be smartly positioned to allow the user to sit down and stand up from conveniently. Its height should allow for maximum comfort so that the user can sit for a long period of time without feeling any additional aches and pains. The tubs should be spacious enough for free movement and be made from a no-slip material that prevents accidents. Faster draining of water is another desirable quality that will allow the user to open the door quickly and move out. Bathing fixtures should be close enough for them to reach and operate on their own. There should also be a storage space nearby to keep bath products within convenient reach. An additional safety bar to take support of while moving will also be an advantage.

In short, choosing a bathtub for your disabled loved one is a task that should be aimed towards maintaining and preserving their comfort, convenience, privacy, hygiene, and independence. Hope this information will help you in making the right selection.

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/guidelines-choosing-bathtubs-disabled/

WALK IN BATHTUBS - 3 SAFETY FEATURES

People with mobility issues have a long battle to fight, even with the most commonplace of tasks like taking a bath. Regular bathtubs have that ultra-perilous overstep that requires a user to lift their leg around 20 inches above the ground, just so they can climb in or out. Then follows the task of getting down and into the water in a tub that doesn’t have anything to hold onto, just so they can steady themselves and save a fall. Imagine having to do all this when you are unsure on your feet or not strong enough to even stand and sit without assistance. No – a regular bathtub just won’t do here. Enter Walk-in bathtubs. Designed to help improve the quality of life of ageing seniors or people facing mobility challenges and disabilities, these bathroom fixtures help ensure that their pride, independence, safety, and comfort levels are preserved, especially in daily tasks like bathing and hygiene maintenance. Let’s explore 3 of the most prominent safety features that come part and parcel with walk-in bathtubs and see how useful they will be for you:

Easy accessibility

Omitting that 20 inches overstep entirely; walk-in bathtubs have a fully functional door that allows a user to step in or out of the tub with ease. Doors are usually located towards the front or side of the tub and can be of a swing-in or swing-out design, depending upon the comfort needs of the user. The floor of the tub is also made to be slip resistant, just to enhance the safety of the users and prevent accidents further.

Comfortable seating

For a mobility challenged user, having to crouch down and get into the water in a regular tub is virtually impossible. Some choose to place a chair inside the tub to resolve this problem which happens to be an even riskier alternative, not to mention painfully uncomfortable because the water in the tub will be blow the user’s knee. Instead, walk-in bathtubs have a built-in seat and high walls that usually reach near shoulder height of a sitting user. This ensures that the bathing person can sit inside the tub comfortably and safely without having to bend down or fold knees more than necessary and have water at the right level to bathe properly.

Add-on features

To help maintain independent use and for ensuring additional safety, walk-in tubs come equipped with strong safety bars and grip handles which a user can take support of while standing or sitting. They also allow the user to steady themselves in case they ever lose balance or are unsure of their footing. Bathing fixtures like the tap, shower hose, and water jets are also made to be adjustable and are placed within easy reach for additional comfort.

All in all, these tubs check-out on all the factors that a mobility challenged user might need to take care of their bathing needs with safety and convenience. What more can you ask for!

Source URL: https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/walk-bathtubs-3-safety-features/