For many seniors, aging in place is a desirable alternative to moving into an assisted living community. The question is, is it a safe enough alternative?
According to the CDC, falls account for an estimated 1 million hospitalizations among seniors every year, and home hazards can play a major role. While some safety measures are as simple as getting rid of throw rugs, others are a bit more complex.
At ZINTEX Remodeling Group, we’ve worked with thousands of senior homeowners who are seeking to create accessible bathrooms. Today, we’re going to talk about walk in shower design features for seniors (as well as costs and alternatives). Read on to get accessible shower design tips.
Table of Contents
- Safe Shower Seats
- Durable Grab Bars
- No-Slip Shower Bases
- Accessible Shower Costs
- Walk In Shower Alternatives
Low-Threshold Shower Entry
One of the best things you can include in a walk in shower design for aging in place is a low threshold entry. Walk in showers typically have what we call a curb, or a smell ledge that helps with water containment.
Standard curbs can be as tall as 6 inches, which is lower than the side of a tub, but may still be difficult to step over. A low threshold curb is 3 inches or lower, so you don’t need to lift your feet as high to enter and exit your shower.
Bonus tip: What if you’re looking to create a wheelchair accessible shower design? In this case, you’ll need a curbless shower, which offers seamless entry and exit for wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
Built-In Shower Seating
Having the option to sit down can make bathing significantly easier. This eliminates the need to, for example, balance on one leg. It can also make showering much safer for anyone who experiences symptoms like dizziness.
You can purchase a stool-style seat to place in your shower for a pretty low cost. However, these stool seats aren’t secured to the floor or walls, meaning that they can tip over.
As the name suggests, built-in seating is secured to the shower floor or wall, providing ample stability. Options include bench seats, which may have higher weight limits, or fold-down seats, which takes up less space when not in use.
Durable Grab Bars
If you only have the budget for one or two custom, accessible features, we encourage you to prioritize grab bars.
Grab bars give you something to hold onto while you get in and out of the shower, and during active shower use. This can be useful for homeowners with limited mobility, trouble with balance, and dizziness. They can also help you regain your footing if you happen to slip on the wet shower floor.
Once again, you can purchase grab bar installation kits and add grab bars to your tub or shower on your own. However, professional installation from an experienced contractor is going to provide more stability and durability. Plus, the grab bars we use at ZINTEX have a 500-pound weight limit (which is more than any store-bought grab bar can offer) and we’ll install your grab bars at the exact height and angle that best serves you.
Slip-Resistant Shower Pans
There’s no way around it: your shower floor is going to be wet when you shower. This inherently presents an increased risk of slipping, which is one of the reasons why in-home slip and fall accidents so frequently happen in the bathroom.
Acrylic shower pans are more slip-resistant than what many homeowners are currently living with. What you may not realize is that your current tub or shower floor may be more slippery than need be. For example, tubs typically have rounded floors, and that slight slope can be slippery. Some shower floor materials, like natural stone or large tiles, may also be exceptionally slick.
How Much Does an Accessible Shower Cost?
|
Price Point |
Features Included |
Ideal for: |
|
|
Standard walk-in shower |
$11,000-$16,000 |
-2 corner shelves -Basic shower head -Shower curtain rod |
Homeowners who are not in their forever home and aren’t currently seeking accessible designs |
|
Intermediate walk-in shower |
$16,000-$19,000 |
-2+ corner shelves -Premium shower head options -1 grab bar -Sliding glass enclosure |
Homeowners who need moderate mobility support or are remodeling now with future accessibility needs in mind |
|
Deluxe walk-in shower |
$19,000-$22,000+ |
-2+ corner shelves -Premium shower head options -2+ grab bars -Sliding glass enclosure -Bench or folding seat |
Homeowners who are embarking on their aging in place journey or have conditions that impact balance, cause dizziness, or otherwise limit mobility |
Walk In Shower Alternatives for Accessible Living
What if you need a more accessible bathing option than your current tub and shower combo, but you don’t want to lose the soaking feature of a traditional bathtub? This is where walk-in tubs can really shine. A walk-in tub offers the comfort of a traditional bathtub but with a 2-3” entry point that is safer and easier to step over than the average 14-16” bathtub ledge.
Like walk in showers, walk in tubs offer a variety of customization options, such as hydro massage jets and bath screens. If you’re looking for a walk-in tub and shower combination, shower head options including detachable shower wands are available.
Walk-in tub costs tend to run higher than walk in shower costs. On the low end, walk-in tub costs start at around $20,000. This is because they are more complex pieces of equipment with more complex installation requirements. That said, financing plans are available to make your walk-in tub attainable without tying up your finances in one big payment.
Learn More About ZINTEX Walk In Shower Costs
Aging in place requires smart planning to ensure that your home is safe, accessible, and supportive of your independence. With this guide, you can tackle one of the most important rooms in the house and invest in an accessible bathroom remodel.
ZINTEX Remodeling Group has been a leading bathroom remodeling company in Texas and beyond for 25 years. We have designed and installed thousands of accessible walk-in showers just like the one you have in mind. Learn more about how much our ZINTEX walk-in showers cost.
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