Walk in Tub: Safe Bathing Solutions for Seniors

It’s no secret that aging may make performing some routine tasks, once taken for granted, more difficult to tackle. Bathing shouldn’t be one of them. That’s why so many seniors are turning to the solution walk in tubs provide.

Walk in tubs are especially designed to eliminate one of the biggest hazards found in most bathrooms: the 20-inch step over required to access traditional tub designs. This step over can make it especially perilous for people with mobility or balance challenges to access a bath tub or bath tub/shower combination. By replacing the step over with a watertight swing-in or swing-out door, walk in tubs make gaining entry to the bath or shower safer by design.

Walk in tubs also address another concern many seniors have in the bath. Even when getting into and out of the tub is achievable with ease, weakened leg muscles, arthritis-related pains and other complaints may make standing up for the duration of a shower difficult. Since some people do prefer showers over baths, this concern can be a big one for some seniors. Thanks to the built-in seating provided by many walk-in tub models, seniors who can no longer stand up for a shower have a solution that meets their needs. Courtesy of grab bars and slip-resistant flooring, safety may be enhanced even more when this style of tub is selected for home use.

While many seniors or their loved ones seek out walk in tub models solely for the enhanced safety features they provide, this type of design may offer other benefits. Depending on the model and/or upgrades selected in a walk in tub model, seniors may also experience these benefits during regular baths:

• Pain relief – Some walk in tubs may feature heated seated, hot air massages and heated water jets. The three features can work on their own or together to help with relief of pain related to muscle strains and sprains, arthritis and other related concerns. Depending on specific health-related concerns, such features may help improve mobility, blood flow and range of motion.
• Stress reduction – Aside from alleviating safety-related concerns in the bathroom, walk in tubs may also promote relaxation. Going beyond spa-quality features, such as hot water jets, these special tub designs may be upgraded to include other stress relieving features. Chroma therapy and aromatherapy features, for example, promote relaxation while potentially helping lower blood pressure in the process.

When bathing becomes a challenge due to age-related concerns, seniors may find the solutions they seek in a walk in tub. This twist on the traditional tub can be purchased to suit a variety of spaces. From standalone models that are compact by design to those meant to retrofit an existing bathroom, walk in tubs make excellent additions to any home.

Safety Bath Walk in Tubs has been manufacturing tubs since 1992. Our tubs are made with the highest quality materials, from one piece Fiberglass backed acrylic to aluminum door systems with auto locks.