Why You Should Consider Wheelchair Showers Instead of Walk-In Bathtubs
Anyone who has a loved one with physical limitations or who has physical limitations themselves knows the difficulty it can pose to everyday tasks such as bathing. Fortunately, there are many wheelchair showers, not to mention bathroom renovations and products, available to help address this issue and make the bathroom a more accessible space.
One product that is often touted for its accessibility is the walk-in bathtub. While walk-in bathtubs are certainly a possible solution for some individuals, they aren’t necessarily always the best option. Here are a few reasons why more people are opting for wheelchair showers instead of walk-in baths for their accessible bathroom renovations:
- Time: Wheelchair showers save time because (unlike a tub) you do not need to sit and wait for the water to fill up when you get in or drain fully when you want to get out.
- Safety: To exit a walk-in tub, it must first drain completely, which can pose safety risks should an emergency occur. Wheelchair showers are a safer bathroom renovation as they allow for immediate entry and exit.
- Ease of use: Most walk-in tubs have a step that you must walk over to get in. For someone who is in a wheelchair, this makes getting in and out of the tub much less accessible. Wheelchair showers, on the other hand, typically do not have any sort of ledge, so they are truly accessible even for those with limited physical capability.
- Space: When thinking about accessible bathroom renovations, space is always a major consideration. As bathrooms are generally already small areas, adding a large tub can reduce that even more and crowd the room. This may also be an issue for caregivers who need to access those in there care with relative ease.
- Cost: According to industry estimates, people typically use around 30 gallons of water for a bath and 2.5 gallons per minute in a shower, which for a ten-minute shower would mean you’re saving at least 5 gallons of water every time. As such, wheelchair showers may cost less utility-wise than a walk-in bathtub and also typically have a lower upfront cost to install.
Accessible bathroom renovations are an important way to help those with physical limitations retain their independence. While there are many ways to make the bathroom a more accessible space, wheelchair showers are one option with many benefits and very few downsides.
