If you or your loved one wants to age in place within the comfort of home, it’s important to consider how you can make each room safer, especially the bathroom. One in four seniors will fall each year, with about 80% of senior falls happening in the bathroom. Installing a walk-in tub is one of the best ways to decrease your chances of getting injured in the bathroom. Here, we’ll explore the many benefits of using a walk-in tub, but before we get into the details, let’s look at what makes walk-in tubs different from other bathtubs.
How walk-in tubs differ from other tubs
Regular bathtubs and tub and shower combos require you to step over the side of the tub to get inside and lower yourself to the bottom to take a bath. These maneuvers can be extremely difficult for someone with mobility challenges.
Walk-in tubs are designed differently. They feature a built-in seat, so there’s no need to get up and down or worry about slipping and falling in the tub. They also feature a swinging door. To use the tub, you open the door, step inside, sit down, and close the door behind you. The door locks in place with a watertight seal, so you can fill the tub and enjoy being immersed in warm water. A quick drain system drains the tub in minutes.
Walk-in tubs are more than convenient, though. Installing one in your home has many benefits.
Decreased risk of falling
Fall prevention is an important part of making a home safer for you or a loved one. That’s especially true in the bathroom, as bathroom spaces can be cramped and slippery.
Because walk-in bathtubs have a swinging door, there’s no need to step in and out of a deep basin tub. You don’t have to get up and down in the tub, either, because walk-in tubs feature a built-in seat. These features can drastically reduce your risk of falling, which is important, as it’s estimated that 300,000 older adults are hospitalized each year for hip fractures due to a fall.
If you have a particularly small bathroom or want to add a walk-in tub without removing your existing tub or shower, consider a walk-in tub for small spaces. With a small footprint, this type of tub can fit nearly anywhere, and it reduces your chances of falling in the bathroom.
Ease of use for those with mobility needs
A walk-in tub is safer and easier to use than a traditional bathtub. That’s especially true for those with mobility issues. It can be difficult for people with mobility issues to step over a traditional tub wall and stand in the shower. Walk-in tubs eliminate the need for either of these, as there is no wall to step over, and a built-in seat allows you to sit down easily while bathing.
Those who use a wheelchair can find it especially difficult to use a traditional tub. Wheelchair-accessible tubs feature large, outward-swinging doors that expose both the seat and the footwell. This design makes it easier to swing your legs inside from a seated position, further reducing your chances of falling in the bathroom.
Versatility of walk-in tub and shower combos
Getting a walk-in bathtub doesn’t mean you have to give up on your shower. You can find a range of walk-in tubs that include showerheads so that you can get the best of both worlds.
The best part of choosing a walk-in tub and shower combo is that they include a built-in seat. Although you can technically put a seat in a roll-in shower or your existing tub and shower setup, the seat is unsecured, so it might slide around. The built-in seats in walk-in tubs always stay in place.
You also have multiple options when it comes to showerheads. You can choose a traditional showerhead so you can shower while standing up in the tub, a handheld showerhead so you can use it while sitting down, or both.
Medical benefits of hydrotherapy
Bathing is important for hygiene but can also help you relax and destress. When you choose a feature-rich walk-in tub, it can help reduce the aches and pains associated with muscle stress and arthritis.
Some tubs include hydrotherapy jets, which turn your walk-in bathtub into a jetted tub. Jets are strategically placed to ease tired muscles and reduce the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. You can also find other luxury features, like aromatherapy, chromotherapy, and ozone sterilization, that will ensure you get the most relaxing, safest, and cleanest bathing experience possible.
Minimal renovation
Although some walk-in tubs look bulky, most have a footprint the same size as a standard tub. That means you can remove your old tub and have a new walk-in tub installed without changing your plumbing or bathroom layout. Because demolition is kept to a minimum, you can install a walk-in tub in as little as a day for much less money than it would cost to remodel your bathroom completely.
Maintain your independence at home with a walk-in tub
One of the most convincing reasons to install a walk-in tub is that it can help you maintain your independence at home. Most seniors can use a walk-in tub without assistance, which enables you to retain your privacy while decreasing the chances of experiencing a fall in the bathroom. Since they are easier to use than traditional tubs, you’re less likely to need assistance while bathing, which you might otherwise need with a traditional tub.
It can provide peace of mind to loved ones, too. They will worry much less when they know you can use the tub safely.
Ready to install a walk-in tub? Check out our list of the top five best walk-in tubs to find one that fits your needs.
