5 Different Types of Shower Chairs for Elderly

The elderly are prone to falls and injuries due to limited mobility. And shower places are the trickiest places because of the wet floors, absence of support, etc., could lead to serious falls. However, today there are a lot of products available which can help you avoid them. For example, shower equipment that helps you maintain your balance and take showers safely – Shower Chairs.

It acts as an aids for the elderly to maintain support and have their bath comfortably without the fear of falling down because let me tell you that the fear of falling can prove to be as harmful mentally as the injuries harm physically. And the stress of that can decrease quality of life and mess up with other things that also gives birth to new mental issues. So, let us learn more about this helpful equipment.

What are Shower Chairs?

These chairs are furniture that is specially designed for bathroom use, significantly to help the people with limited mobility. It is designed in a way that it keeps up the utmost safety and comfort standards for the user. Mostly, shower chairs are useful for the elderly to provide them support, safety, and convenience while bathing regardless of their mobility issues.

Types of Shower Chairs

There are several types of shower chairs with different purposes and with materials. Most of them have rubberized feet, but each type can be distinguished with its key features. Here, we have mentioned some of its popular types, which will help you to know which shower chair includes those features that you want.

Standard Shower Chair

These shower chairs have rubberized feet that keep them firm in their place. They also have hand grips that help the user to stand up from or sit down on the chair. Additionally, it also has a customization option. According to your purpose or needs, you can choose the shower chair with or without the backrest. Generally, elderly with support limitations choose the one with the backrest.

This way, their back can get support too. You can have this chair fixed in the shower space or use the portable type of shower chair, which you can easily carry in the shower. Portable ones are best for traveling purposes.

Transfer Bench

Transfer benches can be the best option for individuals who have extreme mobility limitations. In transfer benches, two of this chair's feet are longer that need to be placed outside the tub. The other pair of feet needs to be placed inside the tub. This setting will allow the patient to easily slide in and out from the tub.

Folding Stool

This can be an option for the people having less difficulty in balancing themselves. It is easy to use and affordable too. This is a portable shower chair that one can use to get in or get out of the shower and can sit on it while bathing. But these stools do not have backrests or hand bears. So, this option will not imply the support for hands and back.

Rolling Shower Chair

If you require a little more mobility support and adjustability, then a rolling shower chair can be an ideal one. It comes with wheels for easy moving. You can even lock the wheels for a safer shower experience. This can be perfect for people with limited disabilities that allow only minimal movements.

Many rolling shower chairs also provide seats that you can lift to fit the commode. This is also known as a portable toilet. In this type, you can use the chair wheels to roll the chair wherever you want, and you can even attach its seat whenever you want.

Fold-Down Shower Chair

This is a more permanent option for a shower chair. The chair has a backrest that is mounted on the wall of the shower. This way, the chair remains stable and in place. To use it, one just needs to pull it down, take a shower and then fold it back again to the place. Most of these chairs have water draining capacity. Additionally, you can install a support rod as a handgrip to provide more support. Also, this is an ideal option to choose if you want to save your shower space and have support equipment too.

To choose the ideal Aid for the elderly, you need to consider the requirements. This way, you can explore the options for shower chairs that fit your requirements. Here, consulting a doctor is also necessary because they know about their patients well. They will help you to choose the ideal shower chair for the elderly that caters to their limitations with support and comfort.

Paul Clifford is the Owner & CEO of Medguard. He aims to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure of the country by supplying medical devices and consumable products of top-notch quality.