The older one gets the more grab bars should be installed.

I like the last photo the best. The LESS it looks like grab bars, the better. The bright colors only accentuate that a person needs a lot of help. :( Grab bars with "square" corners or "end caps" look best.

I like the last one best as well. I'm thinking I'm going to need a bathroom twice the size I have now if it comes to needing aides.

My vote goes to the last picture, too. The colors are cool but very obvious. I have a disabled 21-year old and the last photo bathroom would work okay for him, but I'd want it bigger. He can walk/climb/jump so a shower bathroom, where everything can get wet and not be a mess, is what I'd want for my son (he functions mentally at the age of a 15-month old so doesn't understand to not be wild in the shower). I saw a family do something similar to the last photo for their wheelchair bound son but used one entire wall, no window, for the shower area. Try to imagine an adult lying on the floor of that shower, taking up lots of space, and you can picture what it is like to shower my son. Love, love, love the open bathrooms that don't have separate baths/showers.

The last picture is also my choice. Looks more simple. The first two pictures look too much like an ad for safety equipment. Certainly, the elderly need these devices, but the idea of having a seat in the shower is workable for all ages.

I've known enough people with disabilities and enough people who've just plain had bad injuries and needed to recover that I plan to add accessibility features as I make changes, like we need to redo the ground floor bathroom eventually and plan to make the shower a flat entry, possibly even do the whole room as a wet room if it's not too expensive. It's useful for guests like aging parents, and should anyone unfortunately have an accident it will make recovering much easier since in my experience it's often a LOT nicer to be able to go home sooner and be comfortable in your own space.

As far as grab bars, I like the look of the last photo except that one thing I keep in mind when looking at grab bars and other bathroom fittings is what would happen if you slipped or slid and scraped against them or caught them awkwardly, and some of the designs that are trying to look less institutional also look like they'd cause some pretty nasty bruises because of sharp or squared off corners. I mean, the entire point is that they're to be helpful if you're unsteady on your feet - I don't need to ADD something that will easily injure me should I slip. :)

I've seen a couple that i quite like where the grab bar is part of a shelf unit or designed to look a little more like a towel rail - I don't know that I'd use those where someone explicitly needs a grab bar for safety, but I have my eye on those to replace existing shelves in the shower because realistically that's exactly what you're going to grab at if one is there anyway if you slip - it's an instinct - so why not have one that might actually help you catch yourself?

Like the last photo too. Even a person with a sprain ankle has diffliculty with step overs. A wet room w/no tub is a vast improvement

The last photo looks best, but it lacks a lot. Pick can see it for someone who likes to have a bar handy, just in case, but it doesn't meet the needs of someone who has real mobility issues.
The horizontal bar in the shower could be used to help push yourself up -- but not for stability. The seat looks small. I can't tell how wide the shower is; could an aide get adequate access?

I live with my husband, an extremely disabled man. First, of all, I like the last picture too! The shower bench/seat should be much bigger, padded with vinyl. Make sure the seat I'd SECURELY attached to the wooden skeleton under the drywall. Make sure products can be reached while in shower. Out contractor built nitches in the wall and tiled them. We also have two drains in the room: one in shower area, the other in front of the sink. Also, there should be ample room around the sink for toothbrushes, razor, etc.

Tiled niches in wall and more than 1 drain area. I would like them in the last photo as well

Thank you all for your comments.

First let me say that we selected the photos we did... because they best represent the grab-bar and handrail products we offer. Though we additionally do provide seats, glass-panels, shower pans and whole assortment of bathroom products for those with or without disability.

Not surprisingly, photo 4 seems to be the most preferred. It is the least antiseptic in design, while providing the same safety and functionality that the other rooms offer. As common in the photos there are various options available to accommodate your specific needs.

Hence why we love the ability to initiate discussion and hear your voices. It allows us to better understand the challenges you encounter and also the thoughts you have. We invite those within the Occupational Therapy field to join in as well.

TRENDING ACCESSIBILITY

http://ww.trendingaccessibility.com

Thank you - this is very timely for me!! Will be helping parents renovate a bathroom in a house my parents will be moving into in near future, and swapping out tub for accessible shower. Love the seat on the wall idea - and will have ability to securely attach since doing reno anyway. Dad uses shower chair now but it gets in the way too. The handrails that don't look so much like hand rails but are functional and safe are great too.

-kimjdenny- There are various options available to yourself and to others whom wish to swap out a bathtub for a shower pan while occupying the same space. We stock sturdy base shower pans that replace the existing footprint of standard tubs in the following sizes: 60" x 31", 60" x 33.375", 60" x 36.875".


http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/shower-pans-sturdy-base-pans.php

Should you likewise wish to occupy a larger space... we welcome you and anyone else to give us a call as we do have custom capabilities.

Likewise, without bias we recommend you google, "bathtub to shower conversion" for additional information and to see what other choices are available.

In photo 2 I really like the swing down seat for the already existing bathtub. My 89-year-old mother uses a free-standing bath chair in her tub and, while fairly secure, I worry about the wiggle room in free-standing chairs. When visiting, I use my mom's tub for showers plus I give my adult-disabled son baths when visiting. Photo 2 would cover the main user plus visitors and I love the non-clinical red color. The grab bars are a nice addition, too.

-inpdx- Regarding your comment about the seat depicted in photo 4 and the shower space. The seat measurements are: 22.375-inches x 16.34-inches x 4.875-inches and it supports 330 lbs. The wetroom shower pan used for that depiction measures 47.24" x 47.24" and has an adjustable drain location.

(NOTE) The ability to have a shower pan with an adjustable drain location is a new concept here in the US but has passed all necessary approvals. It is primarily used to position the drain in a location that doesn't interfere with studs... though can likewise be used as illustrated in Photo 4 as a way to offset a drain in a near square shower space.

This is beneficial for those in wheel chairs or whom choose to use free standing seats in that the drain is not directly below them or at their feet.


http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/shower-pans-fusion-shower-pans-adjustable.php

-jeannierabbitt- Thank you for your comment also! As no doubt you are well aware, seats come in a variety of shapes and sizes. What was depicted in Photo 4 isn't an appropriate solution for all. Keep in mind however that this discussion is about Grab-bars... so we hadn't expected to discuss seats in this conversation.

Of course much as the surprises life naturally throws our way... so to has the Houzz community given soo much input that naturally other topics come up for discussion as well. We will at a later time raise some questions regarding seating options. But in the mean-time to not frustrate anyone in need or to lesson the valuable input you have provided from your experience, I will address seating briefly here much like I commented on shower pans in the above posting to Houzz user: kimjdenny.

We pride ourselves in the variety of seats we offer because we recognize personal preference, function and style play an important role in this area as it does relating to grab bars.

We offer seats that are padded and larger. We have seats that are wall mounted with or without legs as well as freestanding for total bathroom function and mobility. For stability and strength, we choose stainless steel, zinc-plated steel pipe coated in a bio-compatible finish of choice, or casted aluminum for our bases.

Our most common sellers support a weight between 330 and 450 lbs. We have seats that are designed specifically for bathtubs or shower spaces. We have a padded table that supports 900 lbs as well as free-standing seats that don't need to be wall mounted as the one depicted in photo 4.

We agree 100% with you that wall mounted seats need to be properly secured to the wall space.

For those planning in advance, we recommend not only bracing the studs for future support but putting up pressure treated plywood or even plywood that is waterproofed between the stud and the shower area drywall, tile board or shower surround space.

This provides reinforcement for not just seat mounting options but grab placement as well.

Infact, we have one kitchen and bathroom renovation contractor and a few builders in the Philadelphia metro-area that now do this as common practice in their bathroom spaces.

SEATS

http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/bath-and-shower-seats.php

Holiday Regards,
TRENDING ACCESSIBILITY

http://www.trendingaccessibility.com

@ Trending: thank you for starting these disability posts. While I hope I am a long way from requiring aides, it is very helpful to see what is available, not having been in an accessible bathroom in a private home.

-Mari O'Connor- We were ironically addressing your comments about your son's mobility next and likewise are happy to see that you are following this discussion and posted another comment as well. We will address both of them to you and of course to anyone else in the Houzz community that finds themselves in a similar circumstance.

We have found other caregivers and loving mothers such as yourself have found useful not just the transformation towards a wet room style bathroom but also through the implementation of water management techniques such the utilization of caregiver or shower panel doors.

Whereas shower panels are typically transparent secured fixtures in the bathroom, caregiver doors are more durable towards the challenge that your son presents. This way he can still have his splish/splash experience... while you can rest assured water will stay within the area it is supposed to.

For your mother's seating situation and your concerns about that. Seating we have found is a matter of personal preference. She may have chosen a free-standing seat because of limited options at the time or perhaps because the bathtub is shared when people visit. Then there is also the possibility that when company comes over... the seat is removed, almost hidden to make the bathroom more presentable.

All and more are possible scenerio's. We don't in anyway feel we have all the answers... we simply try to provide solutions to the multitude of questions our customers have.

May we suggest additionally you consider seating which fits the contours of the tub for greater stability that is not affixed to the wall. The only negative we have heard from our customers is from those with larger body types whom do not fit comfortably in the seat. (See photo 4 of this reply post)

WATER MANAGEMENT

http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/water-management.php

REVERSIBLE / REMOVABLE BATHTUB SEAT
http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/shower-seats-premium-bath-tub-seats-st3219w.php

Thanks!
Trending Accessibility

I love the reversible/removable bathtub seat. I could see that working well for a shared bathtub.
For folks like my son (Autism, profound MR, CP) I see the shower/wet room working best, with fold down seats (although my son would stand on it, in a heart beat, probably falling, so I'd be inclined to leave the seat option out for someone like my son). The grab bars are useful for the aide/caregiver to grab on while showering the person. I have slipped too many times and at 56 I have to worry about my back/health/safety. My daughters once joked that we should outfit their brother's bathroom like a slaughter house with stainless steel and a large drain in the center. We recently retired to a house which has a large, full-sized steam room/shower. This works very well for our son. He can sit on the wood benches or lie on the floor (about 3 feet by 6 feet space) while we clean him. When this wears out we will have it outfitted perfectly for his needs. I'm studying what is available so that I'll be ready to strike when the time comes!

To move away from the hospital look of some grab bars and add a dual function to the purpose these bars provide... is it safe to say that some of you would be more inclined towards something more fluidic such as those depicted below?


http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/grab-bars-rails-fluidic-design.php

Definitely while you have walls open for renovation, install as much as possible 'behind the scenes' to prep for the addition of future grab bars, even if you're putting some in already. Once you start using a space or as needs change with time, you're quite likely to find that you wish you had one just here or just there, and who wants to have to rip everything open again to do that?

Also, with bathtub seats, one of the attractions of the freestanding ones is also that you can move them around in the tub. I've used some accessible shower designs in hotels that were quite nice, level entry, EXCEPT that the only option was a fold down shower seat and because they were trying to make the shower spacious, it ended up annoyingly far away from the shower controls and bracket for the hand held shower. With a freestanding seat you could move it to the ideal position for you for what you were trying to do. (I.e. for washing I might want it in one place, but if I just want to spend some time sitting with hot water massaging my shoulders, I'd position it differently.)

And that reminds me - hand held showers. Go with a design that has an on-off control ON THE HANDLE. It just makes everything so much easier.

@Trending Accessibility - I like some of those except again, very pokey looking ends. Those make me nervous, particularly if anyone is on blood thinners. (I'm not worried so much about a well made grab bar causing a cut, but if you're on blood thinners you often bruise very easily also.)

-PirateFoxy- Your point about those on blood thinners is an interest point. We will have to talk that one over with our design team. Your comment about the "pokey looking ends" made me think out our comfort grip product line. These units have a soft polymer extrusion embedded into the grabbing area.

Personally I like this series because it gives your the flexibility to make your own configuration. We sell 90, 60, 45, and 30 degree angles pieces to additionally help with corners and turns.

Would this be sufficient to satisfy your needs? Or are you more thinking that some end cap of sorts for the other grab bars be offered.


http://www.trendingaccessibility.com/grab-bars-rails-comfort-touch.php

Thanks...
TRENDING ACCESSIBILITY

I agree with #rawketgrl... as a designer my clients desire easy access rooms. I never heard of the "lip/trip free" term. But its what my customers want. Trending... thank you soo much for spending your weekend answering our questions, i like this topic of discussion and find it very informative.

Trending Accessibility, great ideas in the last 2 posts. Pirate Foxy is right to be concerned about the people who are on anti-coagulation medications, they can easily get skin tears and bruises. Some older folks have fragile skin, and most of us will be on some sort of blood thinners as age. I think it is smart design to craft your products to be skin friendly. Unfortunately thin skin wont be the only issue: motor control problems, reduced vision, impaired balance, reduced sensory awareness for a variety of reasons, etc... can all make for challenging activities of daily living.

While new construction is certainly an important part of the market, please also consider how your products can be retrofitted into the existing home set ups most of us already have. Thank you Trending Accessibility for making things easier for all of us and for talking the language of inclusion in design. Next time I am in town at the Mütter Museum/Penn Museum and cruising by to look at all the 115 mm Howitzers in AMVETS or VFW yards, I will look you guys up!

@Trending Accessibility - I still like the sleeker looking designs, but I prefer rounded end caps or ends that curl under so they're harder to run into - so if you did run into it you'd more slide off rather than get a nice gouged in bruised area. I didn't really think about it much as an issue beyond 'I don't know if I like that' until my mom was on blood thinners recently and she gets some ridiculous bruises from the tiniest bumps, to the point where a bump that would be a bad bruise for me could put her in the hospital due to blood loss or mobility problems.

I had a look at your website and I'm quite interested in the linear drain you have - that's an interesting look. We're thinking of turning the downstairs bathroom which currently has a shower into a wet room type flat/no lip shower and I might like to do that in there. I have to investigate more of how involved it is - we at least have good access to the underside of the room via the basement, which will hopefully make things easier.