Question: I plan to live in my home as long as I can take care of myself. As my mobility decreases, I sometimes find it difficult to move around or reach everything in my bathrooms. What changes can I make to make access easier?
Answer: Mobility can become more difficult as we age or become infirm. One area of the house that can present a formidable obstacle is our bathroom; from entering the door to bathing and brushing our teeth, activities we normally take for granted can become laborious chores. We asked Derek Rogers, owner of Aqua Therapy Tubs, a Rosie on the House certified partner, to lead us through the steps necessary to achieve an accessible bathroom.
Find someone who will listen to your needs
Rogers says the initial step is to identify activities that challenge you. Identifying these activities puts you in a good position to select a professional to guide you through the process. Mobility struggles are very personal by their nature.
A professional who will listen to you is key to achieving a bathroom that is customized to your specific needs. They should ask many questions to help determine the best solutions for you. Everyone has different circumstances to consider.
The conversation should begin with asking about you. Questions should include:
Pain points: Which motions cause you difficulty?
Struggles: Which tasks do you struggle with?
Mobility challenges: Do you need a wheelchair or walker? Do you have balance issues?
What are your preferences?
You will likely have preferences of what you want in your bathroom.
A trained aging-in-place professional will be able to tell you the pros and cons of your preferences and help you find the right products for a solution.
For instance, someone who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis can’t physically tolerate bath jets that are too strong. A good choice would be a jetted tub with adjustable air and water jets.
Another example is someone who uses a wheelchair. If a shower is preferred, entrance is a challenge, and a curb-less entry would be a good solution. Tub bathing has its own set of challenges and may require a mechanical lift.
Looking forward to future needs and preferences is also part of the process. An appropriate solution can be applied when the right questions are asked.
Proper design
Connecting with a company that emphasizes design is a must. Someone professing a “one size fits all” product when addressing mobility issues will likely miss the mark. After listening to the client, Rogers reminds us that choosing the fixtures and equipment needed to customize a solution is critical.
Accessibility: If you are using a wheelchair or a walker or are concerned about falling, accessibility is important to you. Statistically, the most common location of accidents in the home is your bathroom. So, this is an appropriate concern.
Showers: If you prefer a shower, Rogers tells us that zero-entry showers are very popular. A walker and a wheelchair can be used in a zero-entry shower, as there is no curb or other barrier to the shower floor. If an attendant is needed to assist, then the floor area of the shower will be larger.
Bathtubs: A walk-in tub has many benefits. With a barrier-free sidewall design, the bather can conveniently open the U-shaped aluminum door and slide into the bathtub. Strategically positioned air and hydro jets allow for relaxation.
Grab bars: These are common bathroom aids to help in fall prevention. A designer will discuss your preferences. Based on what will work best for you, bars are installed horizontally, vertically or angled. There are lots of choices in grab bars; they come in many styles and finishes. Your bathroom can be beautiful and safer with the right placement.
Vanity and sink: The design of your vanity and sink are important, as well. Your needs determine the height and depth of the vanity area. A wheelchair user needs an entirely different configuration than someone with a walker. The right choices will make sink access easy.
Toilet selection: Your mobility constraints also determine the toilet height and location. Grab bar configuration and floor space surrounding the toilet needs to be correctly set for your specific needs. Many hands-free options in toilets are available that make independence and cleanliness easier.
Design standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to commercial and other public spaces but not to your home. Because of that, you can customize your bathroom to fit your specific needs.
Construction
Construction should always be performed by a licensed, bonded and insured general contractor. Electricians and plumbers also need to be licensed.
We asked Rogers about the zero-entry solution for showers and how they solve the water drainage problem.
For concrete floors, the concrete is removed. The concrete is repoured to accommodate the floor slope to the drain.
For wood frame or post-tensioned slab floors, a slope needs to be added. Sloping can be accomplished by using preformed shower pans, removing the subfloor in frame applications, or ramping the floor tile over a wide area to create positive water flow to a drain.
Help For veterans
Construction costs are always a concern, specifically when a fixed income plays into the equation. If you are a disabled veteran, the VA has a HISA (Home Improvement and Structural Alterations) grant that will pay up to $6,800 toward the cost of constructing the accommodations necessary around your home, including the bathroom. Aqua Therapy Tubs developed a unique system that allows them to apply for this grant on your behalf virtually. Rogers developed this during the COVID lockdown as a method of no physical contact application, allowing the construction to move forward and protect the client simultaneously.
There is a wide range of products for bathtubs and showers for residential spaces. Choose from
Walk in tubs
Hydrotherapy personal spas
Low threshold and zero barrier showers
Featuring grab bars, non-slip surfaces, handheld sprayers and other customizations, these units make for beautiful and efficient additions to your home. Each product line includes a range of features to meet your needs.
In the face of a recession and economic turmoil, how can you tackle home improvements? Financial planner Eric Maldonado told MarketWatch to start with an emergency fund. Veuer’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has the story.
