Walk-in bathtubs

[ysi]

We discussed these last year over on MSN. Mom and Dad have been using theirs for quite awhile now. No leaks so far knock on wood. They are in a condo with cement pad underneath. The plumbing to replace the one piece shower unit with the tub appeared quite simple. They opted for the one with whirlpool jets which they use like a foot spa. I tried it once-I am 5'11" and felt too tall (and wide) for it. I either knock my elbows or hang over the edge and drip. The standup option for the shower means you have the shower curtain draped and clinging to you. So it's value is for the elderly imo-give me a great big walkin shower I could put a plastic bench in to sit on :-)

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I'm not a big bath person, so if I were going for this type of remodel, I'd rather have the better shower experience. It seems more and more hotels are installing the zero-threshold style open showers. I like the idea of an accessible bathroom if I ever needed the accessibility without sacrificing on the aesthetics. I've been trying to make mental notes of which layouts I can use without getting water all over the floor.

But I'm glad your folks found a solution that works for them.

[schildi]

Was there a question somewhere? Not sure.
Anyway, I can see how these are really nice for older people who have problems getting in and out of bathtubs. As you mentioned, I'd be a little worried about leaks. But even if it does, I guess it would not be the entire tub's water all at once, I'd expect it to develop a small leak first that probably could be fixed.
Yeah, they sound like a good idea for folks who have problems to safely get in and out of bathtubs. Not so much when you are younger and healthy, I suppose.

[ysi]

I stayed in one of those hotels with the zero threshhold shower-really liked it. I didn't like the builtin bench because I was too far from the water flow-if they installed the handheld spray on the side wall to use when sitting it would be ok. Otherwise, because I have always been a make-do person, I would just put a plastic camp cooler in as a bench. My other specification is that I want the hot/cold handles to be outside the range of the water/soap/scum/etc instead of directly under the shower head.

[michelyn8]

Mar 21, 2011 6:41:01 GMT -5 @sroo4 said:

Ok random question (probably a silly one ) what do you do while the water drains? I mean presumably you can't just open the door and hop out. Do you sit there and shiver while it drains?

I'm not sure why, but I've always been intrigued by these things.

That's something I've always wondered about too. I mean, you can very easily use a standard shower with a bench instead of a tub but to use the tub feature of these, you're pretty much stuck until the water drains to a certain point causing you to get chilled which can contribute to illness for some of us.

[cronewitch]

I would run the hand held shower to put hot water on me while it drained.

What I wonder is how the person who is too handicapped to step into a tub can side that low then stand up again without help. My mom got stuck in her tub almost once while bathing. It took her a while to figure out where to put her hands to help herself up. She figured it out and was fine but now she has a transfer bench so she can sit outside the tub then slide over and put her feet in while sitting. She can then either stand up to shower or sit on the bench and wash with the hand held shower. This sort of tub would not be much help since you need to sit down and stand up and if you can do that you should be able to get in and out of a tub. They would be ok to use as a shower but I can't see using it home alone if you are handicapped.

I have a bad ankle, hip and knee but like to soak in the tub and getting to standing is much harder than stepping out. I roll over and use the water buoyancy to get my knees under me, place my hands on the edge walking them back so I am able to get my best leg foot down to get standing on one foot then both. Getting in and out of the tub is still easy.

When I build a house I will put in the shower without a barrier so I could use a wheel chair if I had to. I would put in a nice big tub with grab bars but might not want to take baths often.

[tractor]

I built a zero entry shower last year. I love it, and made the opening big enough for my walker to get into when I need one (hopefully in 30 or so years).

[Wisconsin Beth]

Quick question - Zero entry showers = the ones with the rubber "speed bump" thingie, right? Or something along that concept? I've seen Mike Holmes put them in a bathroom for a lady in a wheelchair.

[tractor]

Mar 21, 2011 10:26:29 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Quick question - Zero entry showers = the ones with the rubber "speed bump" thingie, right? Or something along that concept? I've seen Mike Holmes put them in a bathroom for a lady in a wheelchair.

Basically. Mine has a one-inch lip on it to help keep the water in. If I can't raise my leg that far, or get my walker/wheel chair up over a one inch bump, I probably shouldn't be bathing myself either.

[ysi]

The water drains out really fast, probably because its a column of water over the drain instead of a log of water. I do remember feeling slightly chilled. The price is ridiculous. It's also difficult to clean since there are no clear expanses of surface to scrub.

That being said, I can't get myself in and out of a bathtub without a good deal of risk and pain, and I am 30yrs younger than my parents. If one of them became wheelchair dependant, it would have to be replaced again with a shower. I did look at what else the company offers and they have extra wides for bariatric pts, they also have long low bathtubs that have a swing open door, plus large door options for wheelchair transfers.