I would just advise that you visit a showroom where she can stand and sit in order to test it out and that you bring your bathroom’s measurements with you.

Best wishes,

Shelley

This walk-in tub post is the #1 searched and read post on my site so if a more accurate representation of this tub can be shown, then all the better.

It is expensive, complicated, claustrophobic, permanent and not conducive to aiding the backs of caregivers who might be assisting. The one good thing about it is it’s high side walls which help to keep elders from falling out of the shower.

My feeling is that a better choice would be a ground-level entry shower with a door wide enough for a wheelchair or shower chair to enter. Aging in place designers have some wonderful options.

Thanks again for writing, Angela. It gave me the chance to reiterate my feelings. My father has passed on now and the walk-in tub remains unused because it’s not a pleasant experience to use it.

My mom, who is *highly claustrophobic* and vulnerable at this stage of her life, has been convinced by the excessive ads that she needs one of these tubs and that it will give her freedom of some sort which is odd since she showers with absolutely no issues.

I agree that some seniors might benefit from these tubs, but we were sure from the get- go that this was not something my mother would benefit from at all. Unfortunately the ads are still calling to her and my father is beside himself, knowing she has never particularly liked baths, but afraid that she will go ahead and order it the next chance she gets regardless of his concern and the fact that it will remove the sole shower from their home and make it into an odd bathing arrangement.

I might add that she does not have dementia, but that she has recently been released from the hospital and is recovering from a major illness. Also, if it would even possibly benefit her we would both be more than happy to get one regardless of price.

Again I applaud your honesty and publication of your review to counter the dozens of sellers who have flooded the market with glowing “reviews” that are obviously planted by spammers and those who want to sell the tubs. My favorites being from concerned “children” who did not have to put their aged parents into a senior home because this product gave them complete independence and relieved all their worries.

Sincerely,
Angela

Here is my very first comment on your site. , I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. . It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask. Is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?

If you want to know more about walk in baths or bathing products just visit http://www.nationwide-mobility.co.uk

Regards
Richard Roberts

Best,
Shelley

Walk-in tubs work great for those with very small spaces (i.e. a shower stall of less than 4 feet) or for those who are not likely to loose the ability to walk and prefer showering to bathing. Smaller, lower-end walk-in tubs can also be an economical choice for the smaller bather on a budget. Larger bathers need larger models and may find that the larger models take up too much space, take too long to fill and drain and use too much water. Another consideration is drain and fill time and the amount of water used. For those with septic tanks or average-sized hot water tanks, the amount of water a walk-in tub takes can be an issue.

Walk-in tubs are not the best choice for everyone. There are other bathing products on the market.

I work for a company that manufactures an accessible slide-in bathtub that looks like a regular tub once you are in it. The bather can stretch out in a 5 foot deep soaker tub, and the door latches automatically. The Aquassure tub also gives full caregiver access to the bather’s body without bending, kneeling or lifting. It is wheelchair, walker and lift accessible and priced in the middle range of the options out there.

However, Aquassure does not recommend that people with dementia bath unassisted. If they panic in the tub, or get confused and forget how to let the water out and open the door, it is important that a caregiver be there to assist. And our hand-held shower is likely to lead to the same confusion, but you might want to consider putting the shower on a wall-mount slider bar, to make it less confusing.

Another thing to consider is the size of the person who will be using it. Because it was designed for those who may wish to sit while bathing, there is not much room and may cause some folks to feel claustraphobic. I’m just 5’2 & 110 pounds and even I found it a bit cramped.

The hydrotherapy is indeed a great feature for those with pains, arthritis, etc.

And the side walls are about hip height which decreases the risk of falls for those who are standing.

~ Shelley