Safe Showers – Walk In Tubs Make Your Life Easy
To those with limited mobility, standard showers and bathtubs can be difficult and unsafe to use. This can make the once simple task of bathing frustrating and complicated. Frequently, showers don’t have the anti-slip protection and grab bars that are needed, or a seating area that can make the task easier. Walk in bathtubs, however, have all this and more, contributing to both safety and relaxation.
Increasingly, manufacturers are producing walk-in bathtubs with safety features that traditional showers miss. These easy to install, handicap accessible tubs include height-adjustable, easy-to-use faucets and shower heads and strategically located grab bars as well as many other amenities that can enhance comfort, safety and ease of bathing.
While handicap accessible showers feature a very low threshold or are even level with the floor for the ultimate accessibility, walk in tubs offer the flexibility of either taking a shower or enjoying a nice soak in warm water without worrying about how you will get in and out of the bath. Having the option for a bath is not just a luxury – soaking is therapeutic, easing bodily aches and pains. These baths usually come with a shower head that can be either hand-held or wall mounted and can be adjusted to the exact height for your needs.
An astonishing variety of walk in bathtubs are available on the market today. What they all hold in common is some kind of inward or outward opening door in the side of the tub. This allows for a low threshold that is far safer and easier to step into than in traditional baths. Outward opening doors are considered to be safer in some cases, as the door can be opened even when the tub is full in case of an emergency. However, inward-opening doors are advantageous because they are “self sealing” due to the pressure of the water on them when the bath is full, and they also require less room.
Excellent for either showering or bathing, “sit-in” tubs are generally the most popular models. They feature a chair-height seat that is easy to get in and out of. Other units feature powered seats that can lower and lift you safely and easily in and out of a traditional height bath. This allows you to enjoy full-length bathing without the worry of slipping and falling. While practically every model boasts anti-slip surfaces and convenient grab bars for added safety, many newer tubs also have hydrotherapy jet options. These jetted tubs have added therapeutic properties that can aid further in soothing aching joints and sore muscles.
These handicap accessible tubs are available in a wide variety of sizes to meet your needs and lifestyle. Shorter models can be found for a variety of hard to fit places, including bathtubs that are specifically made to take up the same amount of space as a standard shower stall. Long tubs are more spacious and similar to traditional bath sizes, giving you room to stretch out and relax.
Since being inside the tub is a necessity both while it fills and empties, walk in tubs have special features. The most important of these is a thermostatic mixer, a regulator that makes sure all water comes out at the right temperature for your safety and comfort. More advanced units may have a quick filling option. It is also important that the tub drain quickly. Seniors could catch a chill from sitting for several minutes in cool water while waiting for the water to drain. To solve this problem, many tubs offer dual drain systems or even pumps that can drain the unit in under a minute.
Whether you mostly prefer showers with just the occasional bath, or you’d like to be able to soak in the tub every day, walk in bathtubs make your life easy by offering the ultimate in safety and in comfort.
Want to find out more about walk in bathtubs? Pace Bathrooms is a family owned, full service company specializing in handicapped bathrooms. They can convert any room for bath safety, no matter how large or small. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services