4 Main Cautions On Bath Tub Security For The Elderly
Walk-in bathtubs have flourished as the U.S. population has more seniors. Sadly, few bath tubs attend to the four types of tub safety: entrance and exit, rising from the seated bathing spot, scalding from hot water, and over-extension while reaching for the bath tub faucet and drain.
Quality walk-in tubs use easy-to-open doors built into the side or front of the bathtub. This does away with the need to ascend the high edge of a typical bath. The doors lessen the risk of slipping and falling on the floor of the bathroom or tub. The door controls should be easily opened with barely any force necessary, yet still maintain a water-tight seal to prevent leaking.
Getting up from the floor of a classical tub can be troublesome for the elderly or the disabled, even with grab bars fixed on the sides. It requires a good deal of upper body force to raise oneself out of the bathtub. Walk-in tubs have built-in seats, so little upper body strength is necessary. This diminishes the humiliating consequence of being stuck in the bathtub, not being capable of getting out.
When people grow older, their extremities become less responsive to temperature. It is possible that an individual could be scalded without knowing they are being exposed to very hot water. Sadly, simply reducing the water heater temperature increases the possibility of Legionnaires disease. Walk-in tubs with an anti-scald valve installed reduces the hot temperature of the water reaching the bath, reducing the possibility of scalding.
The last concern of protected bathing is the capability to easily get hold of the bath controls. Situating the tub faucets, latch on the door, and drain controls within accessible reach of the bather reduces muscle sprains from over-reaching and controls balance.
Good walk in bath tubs pay attention to these four areas, providing a safe and pleasant bathing experience for seniors and the disabled.
