Safety Shower Stalls

Uses

• According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, elderly people can be injured while climbing in and out of some types of showers. Showers that use sliding doors instead of hinged doors can cause falls if they are grasped for balance or support. Most elderly participants could not tell the difference between safe, weight-bearing supports and towel bars. Properly constructed safety shower stalls can be used to prevent injury by supplying beneficial safety features and eliminating decorative but unsafe features like towel bars.

Doors

• To be considered safe, a shower stall should have a hinged door that offers support or a curtain that can't be mistaken as a support item. Since sliding doors are considered a safety hazard, they should not be included in a shower intended for use by an elderly person. Eliminating sliding doors can also help other members of your family shower safely; children may slip and fall if they use sliding doors as a support as well.

Bars and Seats

• Safety bars should be professionally installed or installed following the product's directions precisely. Decorative bars designed to hold soap or towels and bars that simply suction cup into place are not strong enough to support the weight of an adult. More than one bar may be required for safety. Shower seats allow a user to get clean without risk of falling. Just like bars, shower seats need to be installed correctly; a seat that is simply placed in the shower could slip around and pose a safety risk.

Materials

• Safety shower stalls should be constructed of non-slip material and have a level surface to further reduce the risk of falling. Handheld or removable shower heads can be used to help a bather while remaining in a safe position. Don't overlook the importance of the floor surface outside of the shower since tile and other common bathroom floor surfaces can be slick when wet. Using a non-slip bath rug will reduce the risk of injury as well.