A Handicap Bath Tub Provides Bathing Freedom?

Answer 1

For many who are handicapped or disabled, the opportunity to soak in a hot bath may seem an impossible dream. Getting into and out of a traditional bath tub alone is too dangerous, but they may not have anyone they feel comfortable asking for help with such an intimate task. This is especially unfortunate because soaking in a hot tub could help ease aches and pains associated with a disability. With a handicap bath tub, though, private baths can become a reality.

Many people who are handicapped try to convert a traditional tub to one they could use by adding grab bars or a bench seat. This helps, but it doesn’t go far enough and still leaves the user vulnerable to falls. A handicap bath tub, also called a walk-in bath tub, a safety bath tub or a bath tub with a door, greatly reduces that risk.

A handicap bath tub is wider and deeper than a traditional tub, sometimes closer to a square shape than a rectangle. One side of the tub has a door which swings in, running nearly down to the floor. There is still a small lip at the base of the door, but it’s short enough to be cleared with a normal footstep. One end of the tub has a built-in bench. This is placed so that a user can immediately sit down once she’s entered the tub. The door closes with a watertight seal so the tub can be filled without leaking around the door.

Once seated in the tub, a bather runs water from easily accessible faucets. These tubs do eliminate the possibility of running a bath before getting in the tub, as the door can’t be opened when the tub is full. Many handicap tubs have a hand-held shower attachment as well, adding the ability to shower instead of bathe, or to rinse off after a bath. Some handicap bath tubs are available with optional water jets, turning the bath tub into a therapeutic whirlpool.

Some handicap tubs are built to be installed in the opening where a traditional bath tub once stood. Freestanding models are also available, which eliminates the need for remodeling, though it does require a large space with access to Plumbing to install the tub.