Aging is a natural process of human experience. While aging can come with the prideful sense of a well-lived life, it also comes with challenges that can modify your ways of living. Restricted mobility, articular pain, and loss of balance can make it difficult to bathe in your old tub and make you think about how to make your bathtub more accessible.
There are increasingly more people who see their mobility reduced due to illnesses, accidents, or just because they’re aging, and, hence, low-raised toilets and bathtubs become a challenge rather than a help. Thus, it’s unsurprising that many seniors and their families start looking for DIY bathtub accessibility solutions.
You may think that making your bathroom more accessible for you or aging parents requires professional assistance, especially regarding bathtubs. You may think you’ll need to hire a contractor to demolish your old bathtub and install a new walk-in tub, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Multiple and affordable DIY solutions will appear on Google when you search “how to make your bathtub more accessible.”
4 DIY accessibility solutions all home bath safety tips recommend
When you search for bathroom accessibility solutions online, you’ll face several products, such as grab bars, non-slip mats, and walk-in bathtubs. Sometimes, you will even be recommended to get rid of your tub and build a shower, which, while it can be an excellent aging-in-place solution for seniors, can also become expensive.
The truth is that while every one of these products can provide you with great help and support while bathing, you don’t need to buy them all in one batch. You can start one step at a time if you define your priorities to buy the most essential items first.
For example, when searching for how to make your bathtub more accessible, you’ll often find recommendations for walk-in tubs and showers. This is because, as we age, we progressively lose our flexibility, mobility, and balance, and lifting a leg to get in the tub can result in falls and injuries. Therefore, walk-in bathtubs often top the list of recommended accessibility solutions for seniors.
1. Walk-in bathtubs
You quickly recognize these tubs for their very low sill, which enables senior people to simply walk in the tub instead of lifting their legs and helps reduce the chances of slipping. Hence, walk-in tubs also contribute to seniors keeping their sense of independence, as they don’t need the help of another person to bathe, making them a great aging-in-place solution.
They also come with doors or covers to seal the tub again and bathe normally. However, when you search for walk-in tubs online, you’ll often find options to replace your tub, which not only can go beyond your budget but also require professional help to install. This may discourage you and make you start your “how-to make your bathtub more accessible” search again.
But you don’t need to discard walk-in tubs completely. Luckily, tub conversion kits are available that let you convert your current tub into a walk-in bathtub without spending a fortune on a bathroom remodel.
These kits are among the most affordable DIY bathroom accessibility solutions since they often contain everything you need to lower your bathtub rail. Hence, all you need to bring is the tools and a few hours of effort.
2. Grab bars
Grab bars are one of the most common accessibility solutions out there. Despite their ease of installation, they provide significant assistance for support and balance when changing positions and moving around your bathroom, reducing falling hazards. Because of this, they are also recommended when you are looking at how to make your bathtub more accessible.
Different types of grab bars exist, but straight ones are among the most common due to their versatility. You can install straight grab bars horizontally, vertically, and diagonally almost anywhere in your bathroom. Since they often come with the anchor mount, all you need is a drill and some screws to install them, making them an easy aging-in-place solution to increase your bathrooms’ safety and accessibility.
For example, you can install grab bars in vertical positions inside your tub to provide grip assistance when raising or sitting in the tub. You can also install them near the toilet to ease its use. If you need support moving around your shower enclosure or transferring in and out a shower chair, installing horizontal grab bars is recommended when researching how to make your bathtub more accessible.
These ways, grab bars are one remarkable solution for those looking for DIY bathtub accessibility products. However, if you plan to install straight grab bars, ensure you know your priority spots to install them right where needed. You can follow the American Disability Act (ADA) and the ACA guidelines or sit down in your tub to figure out your main support points.
3. Tub-to-shower conversion
For seniors who still keep their balance and enough strength to stand for 5 – 10 minutes, showers can be a great option if you’re googling how to make your bathtub more accessible. Converting your tub into a shower can significantly reduce the attrition caused by the constant lifting, sitting, and standing movements that come with using a tub, preventing slips and falls.
However, as mentioned before, tub-to-shower conversions can be burdensome and expensive, costing most between $6,500 and $10,000, discouraging some people from converting their bathtubs.
The good news is that like walk-in tubs, tub conversion kits can help you transform your bathtub into a shower for just a fraction of the average costs of typical remodeling since you save the labor costs associated. That’s why they are gaining popularity as DIY bathtub accessibility solutions.
Tub-to-shower conversion kits remove a portion of the existing bathtub wall and replace it with a special insert, creating a safer, step-through entry. Hence, they often appear when you search for how to make your bathtub more accessible. After the insert, you can buy and install a shower head (fixed or mobile), grab bars, and other features to finish your tub-to-shower conversion.
4. Slip-resistant coating
These coatings are easy and affordable ways to increase your bathroom and bathtub safety, especially if you have fiberglass or acrylic tubs, since these materials don’t tend to have enough traction and become slippery when wet. Slip-resistant coatings cover these surfaces and enhance their slip resistance, reducing the risk of falls. Thus, they have become popular for home bath safety tips.
There are several types of slip-resistant coatings. But, if you are considering purchasing one to apply to your bathroom, shower, or tub flooring, consider going for easy-to-use, non-toxic, and eco-friendly coatings. These will help you enhance bathroom safety without compromising your health and wallet.
Make your bathtub safe and accessible by yourself with The Step Through Store.
If you’re on a mission to learn how to make your bathtub more accessible without breaking the bank or disrupting your senior’s daily life with remodelers making a mess in your bathroom, The Step Through Store products are what you need.
We provide seniors and their families across the U.S. and Canada with helpful DIY bathtub accessibility solutions such as tub-to-shower conversion kits installed in under 3 hours, grab bars, and slip-resistant coatings that reduce the slipper hazard and ensure your senior’s safety while bathing.
Visit our online store today and find the right solutions for you!