Five Steps to Building a Custom Bathtub for Seniors
CUSTOM WALK IN BATHTUBS FOR SENIORS
Building a Walk in bathtubs for seniors, or someone with a mobility handicap, may become a necessity as time passes. Things that seem simple, like getting in and out of a raised tub, may become impossible. But a specially designed tub that takes into account the needs of an aging adult can help ease your worry and make the task of bathing easier.
You can probably complete a bathtub project in less than a weekend, as long as you make a checklist of what you need to do it and follow it. How many of your do-it-yourself projects end up taking longer than expected because you didn’t follow your things-to-do list? Keep this list handy, and you will stay on track and have your tub installed in a timely fashion.
Pick the right bathtub for seniors
There are options. Plenty of them. Keep in mind the person’s current and future mobility. Don’t custom build a bathtub for seniors today that will need to be redone in five years. Planning ahead will save you headaches in the future. You can find tubs that will accommodate someone who does and does not need a wheelchair. Ultimately, pick the tub that works best for the person who will use it. Get their input. They may not like that they need a new tub, so make sure you keep that in mind when you talk to them.
Create a Realistic Budget
How much can you spend to remodel the bathroom? You may need to address other issues in the bathroom along with the tub. Don’t worry about building out the current bathroom unless there is or may be a wheelchair involved. Modifying your existing tub will cost less than installing a new tub, but modifying your tub now and then installing a new tub in the future will have a higher cost than installing a new tub now that will continue to be functional and usable as the adult ages.
Get Estimates on your next Walk in Bathtubs For Seniors
Estimates are important if you’re going to install the tub yourself or if you’re going to find someone to do it for you. Get estimates on how much a new tub, and how much modifying an existing tub, will cost. If you decide to hire someone to do the work for you, talk about how much of the work you can do yourself. You may be able to install grab bars, flooring, and mats in the tub, which will lower the overall out-of-pocket costs associated with hiring someone to take on a bathroom remodel.
Install Grab Bars
Grab bars and slip-proof flooring may be all you need to do to make your bathroom and tub safer and easier to use. Consider the person’s current and future mobility in any decision you make. Do they need a seat in the tub? Will they need a seat in the tub?
Any Extras?
You can easily increase the function of a tub, as well as any future resale value, by including built-in steam features, Jacuzzi-style jets, and showerheads that have different speeds and that may detach from the wall. Choose extras that fit the décor of the bathroom.
Building a bathtub, especially one that takes into account all of the challenges an aging adult may face, can be moderately difficult. But the benefits inherent in making sure your loved one is able to safely take a shower or a bath are innumerable.
But we can help.
What we at Independent Home can do is make sure your aging loved one never has to worry when he or she steps into the tub again, which means you never have to worry. Our walk-in tubs are designed to make sure the elderly, and men and women with mobility handicaps, can safely enter and exit the walk in bathtub for seniors. Call us at 800-373-4322 any time or fill out this form and we can get back to you when it’s convenient for you.
