Many people have been experiencing the need to change their bathroom in order to ensure that it can accommodate a wheelchair due to varying reasons. One such reason is the preparation of the house due to old age. Another reason is if you live with somebody who has any special needs that limit their mobility. In such a situation, it is vital to ensure that your bathroom is very accessible, comfortable and relatively easy to use. All these alterations can be made quickly hence ensuring that the bathroom conforms to all these given requirements.
The bathroom is a very risky place, which poses many challenges for people who have to use a wheelchair in their day-to-day lives. The safety of the bathroom is paramount, as it is a very hazardous area. This necessitates the design of the bathroom in a universal fashion that makes it wheelchair accessible and comfortable without compromising on the style. This article looks at several ways in which a bathroom can be made accessible to wheelchairs based on the users’ abilities and unique preferences.
- Installing a Roll-In Shower
The access of a tub is quite difficult for someone who uses a wheelchair. This can be remedied using a curbless shower, which eliminates any inhibitions resulting to full access. This ensures that people who cannot maneuver over a curb or a tub wall can now do so with consummate ease. The walk in shower should therefore be huge enough to accommodate a shower chair or a wheelchair. This is because it allows someone to walk straight into the tub without the need to climb in order to enter through one side of the tub. The installation of a built-in seat could also be very instrumental for people who would prefer sitting while showering.
- Bathroom Sink, Vanity and Toilet Accessibility
The sink should be installed on the wall without any cabinet underneath. Single handle and hands free faucets help to make the sink very accessible. The use of sturdy vanity is crucial as it can be grabbed to help with maneuvering in instances where the grab bars are distant and not within reach. The vanity could also have an adjustable height hence enhancing accessibility to wheelchair users. A toilet seat ought to be high where it can be lowered in order to enhance the transfer from the wheelchair to the toilet.
- Installing Grab Bars
For a tub, you should install two bars on the walls in both the standing and the sitting range. A roll in shower should have three grab bars in each of the respective walls whereas a transfer shower should have grab bars in its two walls. The controls should be close and adjacent to the grab bars for enhanced wheelchair accessibility.
- Having An Accessible Bath
This kind of tub automatically fills and subsequently drains after the user has entered and sat down. This tub has walls and a door that renders it quite easy to enter and step out and it is a good alternative for anyone who does not prefer walk-in showers.
- Non Slip Flooring
This is very crucial in order to curtail any instances of bathroom slips and fatal falls. The use of a wood tray, which is categorically placed over a concrete floor or the installation of textured tiles accords a wheelchair user some very good nonslip floors that significantly reduce any bathroom hazards.
- Proper Storage
Ample storage ensures that there is adequate space to place any bathroom products hence making sure that they do not fall. You should also ensure that they are easily accessible and within reach for the wheelchair user.
- Have Adequate Lighting
The replacement of shower curtains with glass walls and the installation of overhead lighting ensures there is more lighting, which further increases safety and wheelchair accessibility.
- Controls
Controls should be installed in an area where they are readily accessible without necessarily getting them wet. This is pivotal in enhanced wheelchair accessibility.
- Use of Hardware for Enhanced Stability
This may entail using a removable showerhead and using sink handles that have motion sensors or others that are easy to push and pull. This can be done without making any massive renovation plans.
This article has clearly illustrated the various ways, which can be used to make a bathroom wheelchair accessible. You can implement these tips if you need to make the bathroom accessible. This could be for you or for any other person who uses a wheelchair in your household.