Bath Safety Aids

A bathroom, or more specifically a bathtub, can be the most hazardous spot in your home. Thousands of accidents occur in bathtubs and bathrooms across the country every year. For people in wheelchairs it can be even more dangerous. This is why it's a good idea to learn about and practice all areas of bath safety.

Bath safety includes following certain safety procedures, but it also includes equipment and facilities - such as modified bathtubs, showers and toilets. People have various physical limits and strengths, so your bathtub, shower and toilet should be modified to suit your personal requirements.

Walk-in bathtubs are one type of accessible tub. These don't hinder your entrance or exit because you don't have to climb over the edge of the tub to get in and out. Walk-in bathtubs allow you to simply "walk-in" through the water tight door of the tub sit down on the raised seat and fill the tub with water. The raised seat is ideal for people who can't sit down in a tub without fear of falling. Raised bathtub seats are also contoured with back rests. Walk-in tubs are just as relaxing as standard bathtubs. Jets can be added to turn your walk-in bath into a therapeutic spa to sooth your tired muscles and aching joints.

If you prefer to have showers, accessible devices such as hand held showers can instantly turn your bathtub into a safer place. Hand held showers are mounted on the wall and can be detached to allow for seated washing.

Additional safety aids for bathrooms include safety bars, or grab bars as they're sometimes called. These should also be built into the walls and sides of walk-in tubs for added security when entering, exiting and moving around inside the tub. If you are unstable on your feet, special slip-resistant tub floors will make sure you always have stability on the tub floor. Anti-slip tape or anti-slip liquid can be applied to your bathtub floor to help make it slip-free.

If you use a regular tub instead of a walk-in bath tub there are various items that are designed with your safety in mind. They include things like transfer benches, transfer stools and transfer seats and grab bars. Other areas of your bathroom can also be modified to include safety features such as toilet safety frames, commodes and raised toilet seats.