KNOW SOME TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF BARRIER FREE SHOWERS

Barrier free showers are a must have for a home that has a disabled individual living in it. The very design of these showers is meant to negate the many obstacles that a disabled or wheelchair bound user has to navigate around while entering, exiting and using the shower space. So if you are in process of getting one of these installed in your own bathroom, here are some technical aspects about barrier free showers that you must know about.

The curb

The ideal threshold height in a barrier free shower should be, yes – you guessed it right – zero! But if you are worried about water spilling over to the rest of the bathroom floor and creating a slipping hazard, you can think about creating a shower curb but it shouldn’t be higher than half an inch or else the space will not be wheelchair accessible anymore.

The drain

Instead of creating a small shower curb, users can also use a rapid drainage system to ensure that the bath water is sucked out by the plumbing immediately, thereby avoiding unnecessary spillage outside the shower area. You must buy a barrier free shower with a drain that is located right where your existing shower drain is so that they align perfectly and ensure maximum water outage. The floor of the enclosure should have sufficient tilt to trap the water near the drain area to prevent spillage.

The door

Wheelchair accessible barrier free showers should have outward swinging doors that swing full 180 degrees towards the outside of the enclosure. This will give the wheelchair bound user sufficient space to maneuver around and into the entryway without facing any difficulty. Sliding doors are a strict no-no here as they can end up being tough to open and close by a disabled individual.

The material

If you are planning on getting a barrier free shower with swing open door, ensure that it is made with tempered glass or a similar material that doesn’t shatter upon impact. This will prevent many injuries and accidents that may occur if the door shatters into shrapnel like shards upon impact.

The support

Installing grab bars and guard rails in the shower enclosure is a good idea, particularly near the place where the disabled individual will be seated while taking a bath. This will provide reliable support to the user as they hoist themselves up or down on the bathing seat.

Keep these things in mind when designing a barrier free shower in your space. All the best!

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/know-technical-aspects-barrier-free-showers/

KNOW ABOUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF BATHTUB DOORS

Walk-in bathtubs are an amazing bathing accessory to have in a home where an individual with mobility challenges resides. The fixture is designed to provide ultimate convenience and comfort to the user while ensuring their safety is maintained at all times. But the one thing that can make or break your walk-in bathing experience is the door of the tub that you have chosen for your bathroom. Let’s find out about the different options of bathtub doors that are available out there and attempt to understand which one is most suitable for your scenario:

Inward opening door

Walk-in tubs with inward doors are perfect for use in bathrooms where space is an issue and movement might get restricted as a result of a door that swings outside to open. While inward swinging doors don’t pose a threat or issue as such, they may prove to be a bad choice for individuals who are wheelchair bound or hefty in their body shape as they would be difficult to maneuver around. 

Outward opening door

These doors, as the name suggests, swing towards the outside of the tub to grant access to a person inside. As such, they will need additional swing space free outside the bathtub in order to be properly functional. Walk-in tubs with such doors are, therefore, best suited for relatively larger bathrooms. However, these doors are perfect for wheelchair bound disabled users who will find it easy to pull open the door and slide inside rather than pushing the door in and sliding past it.

Sliding door

Walk-in tubs with sliding doors are an option but it hasn’t been that well received by users across the market for one simple reason – pushing a properly water sealed door open and shut is too much effort for a disabled individual. These doors also take up a considerable amount of space in the tub entryway and are virtually impossible to use for a disabled individual as they are not wheelchair friendly.

Hope these basics will help you in selecting a walk in tub with the right kind of door.

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/know-different-options-bathtub-doors/

ADVANTAGES OF JETTED WALK-IN TUBS

If you are looking for the right walk-in tub to install in your home for the benefit of the ageing or handicapped loved one living with you, it may be time to think beyond the usual safety features that come part and parcel with such a fixture. Modern bath technology is now able to allow users to access the health and wellness benefits of hydrotherapy, even when they are using a walk-in tub. Allow this blog post to introduce you to the world of jetted walk-in tubs and help you understand the many advantages that your beloved family member will stand to gain from using such a bathroom fixture on a daily basis.

• Jetted walk-in tubs allow the user to enjoy a therapeutic water massage every time they decide to take a bath. This will help relieve much of the stress, pain and pressure that has been causing agonizing pain and discomfort in their body.

• 1Hydrotherapy has been known to have benefits for the human body’s circulation system. The combination of hot water and a jet massage can help restore the user’s blood pressure to a healthy state while ensuring that enough oxygen reaches every part of their body.

• Jetted walk-in tubs also have a detoxification effect on the body of a user. The dirt, grime and pollution that has been absorbed by a user’s skin is removed through the gentle massage of the water jet that opens pores and has deep cleansing benefits.

• The feeling of bathing in a jetted walk-in bath is quite akin to being weightless in space. The experience is so enjoyable that most users report their troubles whiled away and their senses relaxed as a result of a therapeutic bath in the tub. It can be a great stress reliever and cure for sleep disorders.

• Once a user has enjoyed a few good minutes in a jetted walk-in tub, they are guaranteed to come out energized and awakened with a clearer, more relaxed and calm mind than before.

So you see – spending a little extra on a jetted walk-in bath will definitely pay you back manifolds. What do you think?

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/advantages-jetted-walk-tubs/

3 FEATURES THAT MAKE STEP-IN BATHTUBS SUITABLE FOR SENIORS

One of the biggest compromises that the elderly have to make with progressing age is enjoying an independent life. As their body begins to lose its former vigor, even the simplest and most mundane of tasks starts posing a significant safety challenge. Take bathing for example. It is something that most people don’t give too much thought to. But for a senior, managing their daily hygiene routine is like navigating a landmine full of safety risks and fall hazards. This is where step-in bathtubs can help make their life a little easier. Let’s explore 3 features that make this bathroom fixture suitable for use by seniors.

Door for easy access

The name of step-in bathtubs gives away the fact that they allow a user to ‘step in’ to the bathing area of the tub rather than follow the usual climbing in routine. These tubs have a door located on the side of the tub which can be used to enter and exit the tub with ease, without the need to manage the significant overstep that is part and parcel with using conventional tubs.

Slip resistant surfaces

Step-in tubs are designed with anti-slip technology that provides better grip on surfaces, especially the floor of the tub that can prove to be a major slipping hazard. Each surface is textured and contoured to ensure there is enough friction to prevent accidents and injuries that may result from a user falling/tripping over a smooth floored tub.

Seat for comfort

Most models of step-in bathtubs come equipped with a built-in seat that allows users to assume a comfortable chair like sitting position while bathing rather than having to sit all the way down on the floor of the tub. This prevents the need for a user to crouch down and hoist themselves up every time they get in and out of the tub while managing their daily bathing routine.

By providing these basic three features, step-in bathtubs allow senior users to manage their regular hygiene chores without seeking assistance from another person. And that can make a vast difference in how confidently and independently they are leading their life. What do you think?

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/3-features-make-step-bathtubs-suitable-seniors/

HOW TO IMPROVE THE WALK-IN BATHTUBS WITH SHOWER ENCLOSURE

If you have a walk-in bath tub with shower enclosure installed in your home, chances are you are living with a loved one who is facing mobility issues. Whether it is an elderly family member or a disabled loved one for whom you have opted to get the tub installed, the whole idea of making such a choice is to provide increased independence and comfort to the user while maintaining their safety and privacy. This calls for certain improvements/modifications in the bathing area that can help enhance the system’s functionality and improve the bathing experience for the user. Here is a list of things you can include in your walk in bathtub with shower enclosure to achieve that aim:

• Go for installing guard rails and grab bars on the walk-in bathtub to provide the user with something that they can take support from when entering and exiting the shower enclosure.

• Try and get a detachable shower head that can be extended to the place where the user will be sitting down for taking a bath. This will negate the need for them to stand while taking a shower and prevent any unnecessary risks from panning out.

• Get thick rugs installed around the shower enclosure to cushion the user’s steps as they walk in and out of the bathing area. It will also prevent serious injuries in case the bating individual sustains a fall while using the space.

• If your walk-in bathtub doesn’t have a textured floor surface, get a no-slip bath mat and place it in the bathing area to provide the user with better grip and more friction to prevent slipping accidents.

• Make sure that the walk-in bathtub with shower enclosure that you choose has a sturdy and comfortable seat built in to the structure to offer the user with an option to assume a comfortable chair-like sitting position while bathing.

• Ensure that your walk-in bathtub has an outward opening door in case the user is wheelchair bound or is a large person to save them from having to maneuver around the door at odd angles.

Just keep these basics in mind and go for all the indicated installations to be bring a marked improvement in your walk-in bathtub with shower enclosure.

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/improve-walk-bathtubs-shower-enclosure/

HOW BARRIER FREE SHOWER IS A GOOD OPTION FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

If you are a mobility challenged individual or are currently living with someone who is, making your home more convenient for disabled people should be your first priority. Small changes around the house can genuinely improve the quality of life of such an individual while ensuring that their movement constraints never bring them in harm’s way. One such life improving change happens to be installing a barrier free shower in your bathroom. Let’s explore how such a bathroom design will turn out to be a good option for disabled people:

A four inch shower curb might not seem like a big deal to a regular user but for someone who is wheelchair bound, the same curb becomes an insurmountable obstacle that they will never be able to cross without assistance and support. Now imagine having to seek someone else’s help every single day to climb over the curb and get in for a task as simple and mundane as bathing. That’s right – it will injure the person’s self-respect every time! 

But with barrier free showers, the obstacle holding the wheelchair bound individual back is eliminated entirely. Now they can simply roll into the shower area, hoist themselves off their wheelchair and on to the bathing chair using pre-installed guard rails and grab bars and get on with their daily hygiene routine as usual. No need to ask anyone for any kind of help – THAT is how good this shower design can be.

Barrier free showers are also much more safe and easy to use for disabled individuals. The only downside they have – water flowing out of the shower enclosure – can be easily resolved by installing a turbo drainage system and tweaking the floor slightly to ensure the bath water doesn’t spill out all over the bathroom floor. No mess, no fuss, no major investment needed whatsoever. A barrier free shower and a couple of guard rails are all that is needed to make your bathroom more handicap friendly.

Need more reasons to get one for your own home?

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/barrier-free-shower-good-option-disabled-people/

Things To Be Considered When Purchasing A Walk-In Tub

Purchasing a walk-in tub can be a harrowing experience, to say the least. Scores of companies out there offer these products in a wide range of models and designs. Each seller claims they have the best walk-in tub on offer in the market. It is quite easy for an unsuspecting buyer to fall prey to scamming marketing tactics, get confused with the flood of information out there and ending up with an unworthy purchase that is a waste of their money. Don’t worry – this blog post is meant to ensure that something like this never happens to you. So here is a list of things that you should consider when purchasing a walk-in tub for your needs. Follow these to make an informed decision about what you should be buying:

Quality check

Making sure the best of materials and fittings are included in your walk-in tub should be your number one priority. Go through reviews and testimonials of other buyers who have used the tub to find out whether it lived up to their expectations. Choose a company that offers a lifetime warranty on their leak proof door seal and a reasonable cover on other fixtures that are installed on your walk-in tub.

Tub size

While purchasing a walk-in tub, you must ensure that the product you buy will fit perfectly in the space vacated by your existing bathtub. Standard tubs are 26-32 inches wide and about 60 inches long with 3 feet or higher walls. In case your new tub doesn’t fit within these dimensions, extension kits are also available to make the installation process easier on the pocket.

Door options

Most walk-in tubs have an inward opening door. However, if the person meant to use the tub is slightly hefty wheelchair bound, it would be a better idea to consider a tub with an outward opening door. This will make movement a little easier for the user while ensuring that the tub door doesn’t pose an obstruction while getting in or out.

Just keep these things in mind when purchasing a walk-in tub for your needs. Hope you will end up with a suitable product. All the best!

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/things-considered-purchasing-walk-tub/

BATHTUBS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS: HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BATHTUBS

There are many changes that you will have to make around your house as you inch towards the stage of becoming a senior citizen. Ageing limbs, unsteady feet, aching joints and uncoordinated movement – that is how your journey towards old age begins. And when you begin to witness these changes in your body, it may be time to consider safety proofing your home and property. The place to start that project will be your bathroom.

Bathrooms are considered to be one of the most accident prone sections in a house. To make them safer and more comfortable for senior citizen use, you will need to choose and install suitable bathtubs that are designed for easy use. Here is how you can find and select the right one:

• Make sure that the bathtub you select has relevant safety features built-in to make your bathing experience comfortable and convenient. Walk-in door, bathing seat, extendable shower head, anti-slip floor, hand bars and guard rails – all these are must have features in a bathtub for senior citizens.

• Various companies out there offer specialty bathtubs for senior citizens. Not all of their products will be worthy of your trust and money. Use peer power to seek reviews about different products and suppliers and ensure you are getting a bathtub that will fulfill your expectations, both in terms of quality as well as longevity.

• Warranties and return policies of the vendor are also an important consideration when looking for a bathtub for senior citizens. Make sure that everything from the water tight seal on the door to the pumps, blowers, faucets, heaters, ceramic/acrylic components and paint is covered under warranty by the manufacturer for a reasonable duration of time.

• Buying a bathtub for senior citizens means making considerable changes to your bathroom. You do not want to invest in a product that doesn’t fit in your space or isn’t compatible with your existing plumbing. Before making the final payment for the tub, make sure you have your trusted plumber examine your purchase.

Just follow these basic precautions to find the right bathtub for senior citizens to install in your home.

Source URL : https://www.safetybathtubs.com/blogs/bathtubs-senior-citizens-choose-right-bathtubs/