As we get older, our bodies aren’t as mobile as they used to be. At the same time, you should always be mindful of the home environment and how it can be the most dangerous place to be when it comes to accidents and injuries.
The home bathroom is the main area of concern when it comes to home safety, and so many people tend to make some changes for the benefit of accessibility. Whether that change in mobility is years away or perhaps will gradually become needed in the next few years, being proactive about it is better than waiting until something happens that causes injury.
Walk-in bathtubs are revolutionising home bathroom safety, eliminating the need for high, slippery tub walls that need to be stepped over for access. Let’s take a look at why walk-in bathtubs might be helpful to install for your health and wellbeing as you get older.
So what features come with walk-in bathtubs that make them a great option to incorporate into your bathroom space?
Traditional tubs tend to be higher in height, meaning you’ll need to lift your leg over a ledge that might stand at around 40-50cm. Walk-in tubs feature a low threshold and vastly reduce the risk of tripping or losing your balance.
Instead of needing to lower yourself to the floor, as well as trying to stand back up, you simply enter and sit on a comfortably raised moulded seat before closing the watertight door.
Such integrated safety features include strategically placed grab bars, textured non-slip flooring and easy-to-reach thermostatic controls that help to prevent scalding.
Many models will often include hydrotherapy jets, helping to alleviate joint pain, muscle tension and arthritis.
So how do you pick the right walk-in bathtub for you? Consider the following:
The door swing is important to consider. Outward-swinging doors are better for wheelchair transfers and those with limited leg mobility. Inward-swinging doors prove better for smaller bathrooms.
Try to prioritise bathtubs like the ones from https://vidalux.co.uk/walk-in-bathtubs/, which deliver on fast drainage so you’re not sitting there getting cold for too long. You’ll need to remain in the tub until the bath water is fully drained to avoid flooding your bathroom floor.
Check the dimensions and space that you want the bathtub to go into. This is important because you want to ensure the space is big enough for the bathtub and all the other aspects of the bathroom itself, not to mention your ability to move around the space with ease.
Finally, be sure to look for a low-step threshold and textured non-slip flooring, as well as other safety features that come with each model.
Other accessible features worth adding to your home include smart technology, adaptable fixtures and step-free access. This could be widened doorways, ramps on the external doors and motion-sensor lights. These features benefit both mobility, safety and independence for people of all ages and abilities.