You need to have blocking installed in the spaces between the studs, before the drywall goes up. We spaced ours by what was most comfortable for us at our heights. Because the blocking was installed, we didn’t need to install all the grab bars before we moved/needed them.

Remodelling1840 Thanks for the tip on the blocking. i am having some blocking done but didn’t think of delaying installation.

I remodeled recently and had safety and aging in place as a goal. Grab bars in a shower or tub are not just for old people as anyone can slip. I had a designer who was very knowledgable who advised on placement

I have one vertical just inside the entrance to the shower. It can be used to enter or exit

I have a horizontal bar along the back at approximately waist level which can be grabbed easily and could be used to assist my rising from the built in bench. I also have a second hand held shower which cam be used by someone sitting on the bench.

I have a grab bar by the toilet which I also use for damp towels before they go into the hamper.

As posted, grab bars must be installed in the studs because otherwise they are actually worse than no grab bar if someone relies on them and it pulls out in an emergency.

Make sure your surfaces are very grippy as well

I prefer horizontal installation because it looks less like a nursing home than the ones vertical or at a slant. We had one beside the toilet and inside our shower in our bathroom and one by the toilet and one inside the tub/ shower in the guest bathroom used by my parents. We had blocking in the wall, but never installed one, in the other guest bathroom and the powder room. The horizontal one is useful for washcloths. When we moved, we found Delta made a toilet paper holder with an integrated , very small, grab bar for our bathroom.

I need grab bars and cannot use a bathroom without them. My knees are barely functional, which is my main problem. I agree with the person above that one vertical bar just inside the shower to hold as you enter and exit, one horizontal bar on the back wall, and one horizontal bar next to the toilet are the bare minimum. I would always make sure that the bar for the handheld shower is an actual grab bar, as well. Check Jaclo to see if any of their styles go with your chosen set if yours does not offer a grab bar handheld shower bar. If you get shower glass doors, make sure there is plenty of room for the hand and wrist to move when holding that entry bar without bending into glass or a post. Better yet, use a curtain. It is sometimes hard to get through a shower door when laid up. My shower entry grab bar is able to function as a bar to hold when putting on my clothes or slippers because I do not have glass.

If someone ever needs to rise from the toilet with a non-weight-bearing leg, a second grab bar/surface is necessary there. This can sometimes be a toilet tank top which the second hand pushes up from. I have been doing this in my half bath for years and the tank does not appear to have suffered. Ideally, it is a grab bar behind the toilet on the wall. You can get an 18” bar there, it does not need to be one of those big corner monsters (like the one I have in my shower picture)! Sometimes, a counter will do, but today’s counters are too high for most people. Here is a pic of my Jaclo toilet bars. They will put a toilet paper holder on the end, too.

My half bath has a paper holder that is also a grab bar that matches the grab bar (pic with dog wallpaper). I believe they are Moen. Not expensive like the Jaclo are!

I have one of those combo toilet paper holder and grab bar and I highly recommend that approach. If possible, I would make sure that anything such as a shower shelf or towel bar be one of the dual purpose choices. You don't want any chance of having a user grab for the nearest surface to steady themseves and find the attachment is not sturdy enough.

Thank you, everyone, for all the good information. And the informative link to the bathroom Guidelines, Starcraft. We went ahead and built in blocking around the shower and toilet and I ordered 36” and 24” grab bars for the shower and two for the toilet. we can add more when the time comes. We did not realize the vertical bar for the hand held shower should be grab bar quality, but too late for that. I wish I had known about the Jaclo company products and wide range of finishes. It was interesting to read about the shower enclosure—I am going to have to figure out a workable solution for the entry door.

After reading the ‘Guidelines’ Starcraft posted I realize I have a lot of issues with our other master bath if/when either of us become impaired.

thx again.

I need to add grab bars to my tiled tub as well but unfortunately did not install blocking. I could add a short vertical bar on the wall just outside the tiling where you exit the tub. Would it be possible to install a longer angled bar in the wall studs to use to pull yourself up from the tub? Just wondering …..

Personally, I wouldn't put too much confidence in an adhesive product (no matter how great it might be).
When we had my very elderly relative stay with us for a bit, we actually had grab bars installed into the walls (through the tile with extra wood ). Do your own research through this resource. Pretty informative.