Pros and Cons of Walk-In Showers

If you or a loved one suffers from mobility challenges, the prospect of standing for long periods of time may simply be impossible. When that is the case, most people find that traditional showers are off limits to them. That doesn’t mean, however, that giving up the luxury of showers or privacy when bathing will be necessary. Walk-in showers offer a distinct option for overcoming the obstacles.

Walk-in showers are available in two major design types. One is a combination walk-in tub and shower that provides all the benefits of a traditional bathroom fixture while eliminating the safety and access concerns that go along with it. A barrier-free shower can also provide the perfect solution in some cases. The latter choice is an exceptional one, but it can have some cons when compared with a full walk-in tub model.

Here are the standard benefits a barrier-free shower can provide you or a loved one if using a traditional shower is no longer an option:

·         Easy retrofitting – A barrier free shower can easily replace any traditional freestanding shower stall. A special pan will need to be installed that removes any major step over a shower once had.

·         Easy access – That special pan required by a barrier free shower sits as flush to the floor as possible. This enables people who use wheelchairs, walkers and canes to gain access easier. It can, in fact, enable some people to enjoy complete freedom in the shower that may have been lost in the past.

·         Exceptional support – Barrier free showers can be installed with grab bars, slip resistant flooring and built-in seating. These three things can combine to provide the safety and security needed in the shower for people with mobility challenges.

Barrier free showers are designed to tackle the accessibility and stability challenges people with mobility concerns face while bathing. The only real con associated with this design is that it does not offer the full bathtub features a walk-in combination model provides. If all the benefits of a shower and bathtub combination are preferred, a walk-in tub might be the best choice. This style of bathing equipment provides the accessibility, safety and stability features necessary while offering the luxurious upgrade of a full tub people can soak in.