Shower&Bath
Shower
Chair
The shower is one of the areas of the home with a high risk of falling. People often shower early in the morning or late in the evening when they are likely to be groggy, hot water can be refreshing but can also affect your endurance and blood pressure. All of that on top of a wet, soapy floor and you’ve got a recipe for trouble unless you take some precautions. Simply sitting down to shower can make a world of difference. I recommend a shower chair to almost every patient I see where balance, coordination, endurance, or almost any other physical limitation is a concern. Pairing a shower chair with grab bars is advisable.
Stool
(click image for link)
Price: ~$31
Pros
Light: If you have good sitting balance and can get yourself up and down without additional handholds on the chair itself this is a great lightweight option.
Cons
Minimal: If you feel insecure without a backrest or handholds this model may be a bit too bare bones for your needs.
Chair
(click image for link)
Price: ~$46
Pros
Strength: Rated to hold 400 lbs. Solid design, reports of cracking/failure nearly non-existent.
Cons
Price: These will cost you about $10 more than similar products, though other brands are reported to break or crack more often than I’m comfortable with to recommend them.
Tub
Transfer
Bench
A tub transfer bench fills the same role as a shower chair with the added benefit of cutting out the need to step into or out of a high tub. The bench is designed to be wide enough to have two legs inside the tub and two legs outside the tub, allowing you to sit down like it was any other chair and then pivot while seated to raise your legs into the tub and slide over into position. It may take a little practice to get your shower curtain properly tucked under your leg to avoid flooding your bathroom, but this is a great solution if the lip of the tub is looking too much like a hurdle. Especially helpful for people who either can’t or aren’t allowed to put weight on one or both legs to step into a tub. A transfer bench can often be the answer to avoiding an extensive (and expensive) home renovation.
Basic
(click image for link)
Price: ~$63
Pros
No Highstepping: Sit, pivot and scoot over. Can make a tub shower easier to manage than a walk in shower in some circumstances.
Cons
Big: The dimensions are 30″ side to side with 19″ seat depth and adjustable height. Small bathrooms may feel crowded.
Wet Floors: It will take some practice to avoid damp floors, a handheld shower head (found below) will help out.
Swivel
(click image for link)
Price: ~$298
Pros
Swivel/Slide: The seat on this model slides to the edge outside your tub and then swivels to allow you to sit down or transfer to it like any other chair complete with armrests and a seatbelt. It then swivels and slides back into place making it a good fit if you are having difficulty weight shifting or sitting balance.
Cons
Price: I know people who swear by this bench. I was hard pressed to find a single problem with this chair other than the price tag. If you can scoot and pivot well while seated then this is overkill, but if this will make the difference between sponge bathing indefinitely and getting into your shower safely, it may be well worth a look.
Grab
Bars
Grab bars are a huge benefit for anyone that will be needing some extra support in the long term. They are the most secure and often the most helpful adaptation that can be made in the bathroom both around the toilet and in a shower or bath. Suction cup based or other removable grab bars are NOT recommended. Some installation will be required, but there are plenty of videos online to walk you or someone you know that’s handy through the process. You can also pay to have them installed professionally. They can be installed directly into studs or into ceramic, tile or even drywall with appropriate hardware.
Basic
(click image for link)
Price: ~$24
(varies by length)
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars.
Options: Comes in 2 diameters and lengths from 12 to 48 inches. Price varies slightly.
Hardware: Comes with hardware necessary for installation into studs.
Cons
Installation/Permanent: Installation required. It is a permanent modification to your home. True of all grab bars.
Flip Down
(click image for link)
Price:
~$80 (white)
~$100 (metal)
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars. Rated for 300 lbs.
Perpendicular Mount: This allows for grab bar placement on the wall behind the toilet. Useful for toilets that are not next to walls.
Cons
Installation/Permanent: Installation required. It is a permanent modification to your home. This model specifies installation into studs.
Pole
(click image for link)
Price: ~$160
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars. Rated for 300 lbs.
Versatility: Can be placed at any point with a clear path from floor to ceiling. Wide support at the top minimizes risk of damage to your home. Secured by tension, a good solution for mobile homes or renters where permanent installation into a wall poses a problem.
Cons
Cost: These will run you a bit more than a basic grab bar. May feel wobbly in areas with high ceilings, though rated as safe with 7-10 foot flat ceilings.
Note on Installation
If in your heart of hearts you can’t consider yourself a handy person, you may want to call in a favor from a family member or friend, or pay a professional. I’m not a contractor but I can point you to a few resources that may help if you decide to handle it yourself. I found that this video was very complete and informative for installation, and this article was a good guide on placement.
Handheld
Shower Head
If you’re going to be sitting down in the shower, you’ll quickly find you’ll either have trouble getting a spot wet, or you’ll be getting sprayed in the face the whole time. A handheld shower head is typically a very easily installed solution that gives you much more control over your bathing experience, not to mention better hygiene.
Temporary
(click image for link)
Price: ~$17
Pros
Price: Very affordable.
Length: 5’6″ hose should be adequate.
Cons
Quality: The hose has been reported to spring leaks occasionally. If you’re strapped for cash or will only need to get a few weeks or months out of it while recovering from an injury or surgery then this is probably a good bet for the price.
Dependable
(click image for link)
Price: ~$30
Pros
Dependable: This model has defects like leaking or breaking reported very rarely.
Cons
None to speak of.
Long-handled
Sponge
If you’ve got movement restrictions of one kind or another, you’ll likely find it difficult to give your lower half the love it deserves. Long handled sponges are an easy fix for that that won’t mind scrubbing your gross feet for you.
Brush
(click image for link)
Price: ~$13
Pros
Quality: While these kinds of tools are almost always referred to as sponges, none of the sponges work as well as you would hope. This wooden handled brush will do the same job without a bendable and breakable plastic handle, and for the same price.
Cons
Length: At 17″ this brush could stand to be a few inches longer, though it should be adequate for most people’s needs.
Non-slip
Mat
These are an easy pick up that can make a big difference, especially getting out of a shower or tub when you’re soaking wet. Couple this with a towel waiting for you on the floor just outside your tub or shower to catch your first steps out and you’ll be well on your way to wherever your clothes are waiting for you.
Bathtub
(click image for link)
Price: ~$14
Pros
Non-slip: It will get the job done. Just don’t go crazy, even with the mat be sure to rinse suds down the drain before standing.
Size: This is plenty large for most any tub. If it’s too big feel free to cut it down to a size that suits you.
Cons
Textured Floor: The suction cups have some trouble with moderate to heavily textured bath tub floors and tiled surfaces.
Alternative
Bathing
Every so often a proper shower or bath just isn’t in the cards. Whether it’s a narrow doorway or a flight of stairs or waiting on some necessary equipment to arrive, these products will help you (and anyone within 30 feet of you) weather the storm.
Bed Bath Wipes
(click image for link)
Price:
~$4 (8 count)
~$36 (96 count)
Pros
Bed Bath: Many people report these made a short or long term situation with limited shower access bearable.
Cons
Price: Spending nearly $40 on wipes never feels good, though 96 wipes should last you quite some time. You can get a pack or two of the 8 count if you don’t anticipate needing to bed bathe for long.
No Rinse Shampoo
(click image for link)
Price: ~$19
(48 fl oz)
Pros
Bed Bath: Valuable for anyone with hair who can’t make it to a bath or shower easily.
Cons
It won’t replace a full head washing in a shower, but it will get you close.
Note: I recommend these specific products based on what I’ve seen in my professional experience working with people who have benefited from using them, as well as comparing online reviews, ratings and features to maximize the chance that the specific product models linked here will be a good fit for you. If you choose to purchase products through these links I will receive a small commission, though there is no extra cost to you.
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