Random thoughts on step-in vs. wheel-in:

- If you're in a wheelchair now, or if you have a debilitating condition that might suggest future need, consider the wheel-in options. If you don't fit that profile, your chances of being permanently in a wheelchair (due to normal aging) is about 4%. That's pretty low -- and if you were in that 4%, you'd probably need to move anyway.

- Someone will say, "Better to have it ..." Yeah, I see that line of reasoning, but roll-in showers are more expensive to build, require more space, and (because they're harder to install and fewer people have experience with them) they more often spill water out onto the bathroom floor. Don't spend more and risk trouble for a low-possibility event, especially when other options exist.

- Consider that step-ins aren't all the same. My bedroom shower curb (from the 1970s) is something like 6" high, and I stub my toe on it fairly often -- hate that thing. A minimum curb is only 2" -- we went with that when we replaced our hall shower, and it's a whole different ballgame -- a wheelchair can roll over 2", especially with help entering /exiting the shower. Consider, too, that shower curbs can be very narrow or rather wide -- and that can make a difference in stepping over.

- Consider a slide-in bench. These are wide benches that allow you to sit down, then "slide over" into the tub /no curb concerns.

- Or consider the most simple of all options: A simple hospital shower chair; most wheelchair users can walk a few steps (especially if you're talking about normal aging and not trauma or neurological issues) and get into the chair.

- Do not build in a bench -- if you want seating now, go with a teak stool. A built-in bench could remove the possibility of using these simple add-ons later.

- No to a full wet room. That's overkill.

Other thoughts about making a shower elder-friendly:

- Definitely place your grab bars now. Adding them later will almost certainly penetrate your waterproofing barrier and cause mold behind your tiles.

- Ideally you'd have a vertical bar just outside the shower /another just inside the shower to assist with entry /exit. And you'd have a horizontal bar across the back side of the shower. And you'd have a vertical bar next to the shower head so you can hold onto it while reaching for the shower head.

- Note that grab bars "cut into" your shower's size -- so go a bit larger than you think you actually need.

- Instead of the expected glass door, go with a shower curtain. It's easier to keep clean now, and -- if you need it in the future -- it'll allow you wider access to the shower.

- Go with a floor-to-ceiling curtain (perhaps custom-made), and it'll look better than a glass door too.

- Definitely go with a hand-held shower head. (No need for a standard shower head in addition.) Consider one on a sliding rail, which will allow you to easily use it from a standing or sitting position. Be sure, too, that the shower head can reach the farthest corner of the shower enclosure for easy cleaning.

- Position your on /off switches so you can reach in and turn the water on without entering the shower /without committing your body to the initial cold spray.

- Place your shower niche (or other storage) low enough that it'll be useful from a sitting position.

- Position your towel bars so that you can easily reach them from the shower.

- Consider a Tornado Body Dryer and eliminate the need for towels.

- Consider that if you need a walker or wheelchair, you may need to get rid of throw rugs, which are trip hazards. As my grandmother neared 100, her #1 problem wasn't getting through doorways or entering the shower -- it was those nasty thresholds and changes in flooring and throw rugs, which would make her fall /throw her to the floor. If you think loss of your bath mat will really bother you, consider building in heated flooring.

- Everyone on this board seems to consider tile a necessity. Consider linoleum instead. It's softer underfoot and will be kinder to your ankles and knees as you age, and -- if you do fall -- it's softer /less likely to lead to a broken bone. It's also warmer underfoot.