Bath Benches for the Aging or Physically Challenged

Do you worry when your aging parent or physically challenged loved one is in the shower? Have you considered what could happen if this person fell and was injured? Worry no more. Bath benches are available to ease your mind.

A bath bench or shower bench is excellent for reducing the risk of injury to someone physically challenged or elderly. Medical professionals and caregivers recommend the use of a shower bench or bath bench. Set up is very easy.

Two legs of the bench are outside the tub, and two legs of the bench are inside the tub. The legs positioned inside the tub, to ensure the top of the bench is level, need to be shorter than the legs on the outside. Now the individual can sit from the outside of the tub, swing their legs over into the tub in a safe sitting position to prevent falling. They are safely in the bathtub without the need to lift their legs up and over the tub in a standing position, which is a primary cause of bathroom injuries.

Who should use a bath bench or shower bench?

Any individual bothered by endurance, strength, or balance issues should use a bath bench. If you feel unsafe when lifting your legs up and over the side of a bathtub when getting in and out.

Balancing on one foot when attempting to get into the bathtub is very risky for the elderly or anyone with balance issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 235,000 falls occur in the bathroom each year.  According to the National Institute on Aging, seniors suffer 80% of the falls that occur in the bathroom.

Unfortunately, there are some that should not use a bath bench or shower bench.

Seniors with tiny bathrooms may find the benches too large. They may interfere with moving on or off the toilet safely. A shower board should be used in this case.

  • A shower board spans a bathtub's width and requires a fair-sized lip on either side of the tub for safe use.
  • The shower board sits on the lip and is secured with dials.
  • Not all shower boards are adjustable.
  • These are helpful for anyone who needs to sit while taking a shower.
  • They are easy to install and very affordable.

Anyone with decreased flexibility, such as the inability to bend at the knees or hips, may find a shower bench or bath bench challenging to use.

The use of a shower bench or bath bench makes good sense for anyone to use. Those on medication, regardless of age, can be prone to dizziness or loss of balance. A shower bench or bath bench provides safety and peace of mind for the user and their loved ones.

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