Buying Walk-In Baths for the Elderly in 2020
If you're interested in buying a walk-in bath for an elderly person, want to know how they work, require some insight on the best type of baths available, read on...
Imagine living in a property for most of your adult life, building fond memories with your family there and becoming attached to this place you’ve called ‘home’ for decades. It’s mainly just bricks and mortar – but it’s your bricks and mortar, and you can’t comprehend living anywhere else.
Then, one day, you’re forced to move, simply because it no longer suits your needs.
This is the situation facing many people approaching older age.
And yet, when asked, most over-70s said they would prefer to continue living an independent life for as long as possible. In addition, half of people over 45 can think of ‘nothing worse’ than being moved into a care home in old age.
In fact, statistics show that more and more older people are choosing to ‘stay put’ rather than move into a care home. So, how exactly can you also do this in a safe way?
The key is future-proofing – modifying your home to make it accessible for your later years.
And what if you could do it, for less than the price of the associated costs of moving home, e.g. stamp duty and legal fees?
It’s possible, and the accessible renovation journey often starts with the bathroom. Central to this space, is a specialist walk-in shower bath for the elderly.
How to buy walk in baths for elderly:
Unfortunately, as we grow old, our mobility can deteriorate, making it difficult to get in and out of a shower or climb in and out of a bath.
Buying a walk-in bath - which is essentially a bath with door - for elderly people therefore has multiple benefits:
- Peace of mind
More often than not, we find that it is the children of elderly parents who buy walk in baths on their behalf. Worrying about a parents’ health is not an easy load to live with, so making adaptations can give children peace of mind.
- Safety features
A bath with a door has numerous safety features, including non-slip textured floors, safety bars, low step thresholds, comfortable seating and easy controls. These elements reduce the need for assistance, giving elderly people a sense of independence.
- Health advantages
The wellbeing benefits of walk in baths for elderly people are multifaceted. The relaxing environment of a bath reduces stress; improves circulation, which boosts oxygen levels; and creates less muscle tension, leading to better sleep.
- Improved versatility
Most walk-in shower baths have flexible options according to your needs. For example, they can be fitted with a hand-held shower head, and left or right-hand doors.
So, how do walk in baths for elderly work?
Walk in baths for the elderly are specially-adapted baths with door on the side, with access via a low-entry step. Easy Bathrooms offers some of the lowest-entry walk-in baths available.
The system ensures that you can walk in to the bath and out again afterwards, removing the need to lift your legs over the side of the bath.
Press the button and the door will fold inwards, allowing you to step inside. This system optimises the space available in the bathroom, providing wide access.
The walk-in bath is empty when you get in. The indicator light will show that the door is closed and sealed, ready to be filled. Once comfortable, you can fill the water up and begin to drain when finished.
A water sensor ensures that the door will remain inactive until the water has drained, to ensure the bathroom doesn’t flood.
For added safety, our walk-in shower baths are fitted with a battery pack, supported by an audible alarm, in case of a power cut.
There are different walk-in bath options available.
Choose from:
- A full length or sit up walk-in bath
- A front or side opening door
Easy Bathrooms’ range of walk-in baths for the elderly include:
This walk-in bath, complete with a moulded seat, is ideal for people with limited mobility and who also have a small bathroom space. It can be purchased left or right handed. With two wastes, it also offers speedy draining, minimising the time the user will spend sitting in lukewarm water.
Price: From £2,658
Best bit:
+ An ideal walk-in bath for small bathrooms
Measuring at 1700 x 800mm, the Truo easy-access bath is the size of a standard bath, and is made from durable acrylic, with an ultra-low threshold of 80mm.
This unit offers a stylish choice of white or black gloss or a Styrene side panel. It is also possible to add a bath screen, offering a versatile walk-in shower bath option for the whole family.
Price: From £2,056.50
Best bit:
+ Ultra-low threshold of 80mm
The Luna easy-access bath features a practical yet beautiful glass door, which can be fitted left or right handed. With a similar appearance to a standard bath, this walk-in bath is one of the most discreet options available.
Price: From £1,668.75
Best bit:
+ Most affordable option
The Munro Easy Living bath tub
This unique tub provides the perfect walk-in bath solution for the elderly. With a double-hinged door, which swings into the bath, it offers safe and easy access to the moulded seat.
Price: From £4,158
Best bit:
+ One of safest walk-in baths available
With a threshold of 205mm, this high quality walk-in shower bath is one of the most affordable and versatile options available.
Price: From £1,731
Best bit:
+ Combines functionality with design
While there are many walk-in bath suppliers on the market, it is important to ensure that you choose one from a reputable, established retailer.
Easy Bathrooms’ walk-in shower bath products from our Easy Living range come with 25-year guarantees, to ensure they will never leak.
What is the cost of converting bathroom for walk-in bath?
The price of walk in baths for elderly can be less than the cost of moving home and stamp duty!
Walk in bath prices depend on the type of walk in bath you choose and the configuration of features, but the investment will range from £1,730 to £4,440.
The cost of installation is another factor to consider, and again will be determined by whether you already have a bath or shower in place, and if the plumber will need to move pipework. It will take longer to install a walk-in bath than a standard bath, taking up to a day in job time. A rough estimate calculates this may cost up to £1,000.
If you’re looking for a reputable plumber, any of our bathroom and tile showrooms can recommend installers, which are based locally to you. Find your nearest Easy Bathrooms showroom here.
It may also be worth taking a look to find out if you’re entitled to financial help. There are grants available if you need to make your home more accessible.
There are plenty of other ideas for creating an accessible bathroom:
If you go for a walk-in shower bath, it’s a good idea to fit it with a thermostatic tap, so that it can be filled at a safe, comfortable temperature. When buying online, you can add the under-bath thermostat as an additional extra, and then choose a bath tap to suit your style.
Lever taps are easier to operate than turning ones. You could go for a bath filler tap, a bath-shower mixer tap, a waterfall bath tap or even a floorstanding bath tap. Colour options include chrome taps and on-trend matte black taps.
Don’t forget that a higher toilet pan – called comfort height toilets – are easier to get on and off, and could be worth purchasing to complete the accessible bathroom.
We also have a wide selection of anti-slip bathroom floor tiles, for additional safety benefits.
An alternative to the walk-in bath option, is a tiled-in, spa-like seating area in the shower. We worked with Leah Washington, to create a built in-shower seat for her. She went for marble-effect wall tiles and mosaic tiles for the seating area, creating a bathroom that not only looks good, but serves her needs.
Walk in baths designed especially for the elderly are an essential piece of equipment for your accessible bathroom needs, promising to meet your safety needs and keep you living in the home you love for as long as possible.
For more tips about choosing the right products for your requirements, check out our blog content or visit your nearest Easy Bathrooms showroom to explore the options up close!
Read more from us
May 21st 2015 | 4 min read | By Owen
