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The ability to wash independently is part of a daily routine that many of us are keen to hold onto as we get older. However, bathing can prove tricky if you have accessibility issues.
Our guide explains how bathroom aids can lend a helping hand and we run through adaptations designed to make your bathroom much easier to use. Our list includes quick solutions, such as bath boards, seats and cushions – ideal if you're working with a limited budget. We also cover larger adaptations, such as bath lifts and walk-in showers, along with telecare products, such as flood detectors and fall monitors.
Even if you’re not yet at the stage of needing specialist bathroom equipment, but you’re considering bathroom improvements anyway, adapting it in anticipation of future needs is an excellent way to futureproof your home.
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The bathroom is the most obvious place for support rails, as you're moving in and out of the bath or shower when it's often wet and slippery. Without support, a fall can be particularly hazardous in this area.
Plastic rails are the safest option in a wet area, especially if you choose one with a raised grip to prevent your hands from slipping. Metal rails in the bathroom should be earth-bonded for protection against electrical incidents.
Grab bars can also help provide stability next to the loo when you're adjusting clothing or getting on and off the seat. A rail next to the washbasin will also provide extra support if you're balance is poor when standing.
Make sure you pay attention to the claimed load capacity of the grab rail. Simple grab rails can be on sale for as little as £10, while larger, foldout rails can cost closer to £250.
For more information on installing grab rails, see our guide on ramps and rails for the home.
Cheap, non-slip mats are readily available and cheap. However, the best, and safest, option is to install specialist safety flooring – this might be rubber or vinyl-based and/or incorporate quartz crystals, aluminium oxide or silicon carbide to make the floor non-slip. Well-known slip-resistant floor manufacturers include Altro, Polyflor and Tarkett.
Laying a non-slip mat on the bottom of your bath (or shower) is equally important to prevent slips and falls. These come in a range of shapes and sizes, and fix to the bath with sucker feet. Expect to spend £15-30.
Anti-slip adhesive strips and shapes for the bath also perform the same function, as do spray-on slip-resistant materials.
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As using a bath becomes more difficult, you might want to opt for a walk-in shower or a standalone shower cubicle to replace it. A walk-in shower can cost anywhere between £200 to £2,000, depending on the quality of materials used.
A walk-in shower (also called a ‘level-access’ shower) is essentially one without a step that you could potentially trip on. These are the best option for most users with mobility concerns. They often come with drainage pumps, along with sloped or ramped floors to minimise water leaking into the rest of the bathroom.
If leakage is a major concern, a low-level-access shower with a minimal cubicle entrance height of around 1cm could also work.
A wet-floor area or a whole wet room is a bathroom that has been adapted with waterproofed flooring and walls. A showerhead is fixed to the wall and water runs directly onto the bathroom floor and into a drain, with no tray needed.
Wet rooms are useful if bathroom space is limited and you want to completely avoid having a shower tray. However, it’s vital to have non-slip flooring.
Check in with our expert guide on how to plan bathroom projects for more tips on keeping the space functional and practical
Although you can use portable shower stools or chairs in the shower, the most stable option is to get a seat fixed into the shower cubicle or wet-floor area. Ensure the seat is fixed at the right height for you and that grab rails, to be used in conjunction with the seat, are fixed at exactly the right spots. An occupational therapist (OT) will be able to advise you on this.
A sturdy wall-mounted shower seat will likely cost you £50-150. Make sure you note the claimed weight capacity and followed the accompanying instructions when deciding on its positioning.
Some shower controls are specifically designed to be easy to turn, grip and reach. They may also have preset dials and larger displays.
Showers with thermostatic controls ensure that the water is kept at an even temperature, or within a certain range. This prevents any possibility of scalding, or of the water becoming uncomfortably cold.
Take a look at our electric shower reviews to compare more than 80 showers we've tested, including models with useful accessibility features
If you struggle to get into and out of the bath but still enjoy a relaxing soak in warm water, there are alternative types of baths that could help.
Walk-in baths have a door built into the side, so you don’t have to climb over and risk a fall. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, from short walk-in baths with a small door (designed for sitting in) to long baths with a whole side panel that opens out, suitable for those who like a long soak lying down.
It's worth noting that you have to get inside before you start running the water – make sure you've got the heating on so you don’t get cold while waiting for the bath to fill up. You also have to wait until the water has drained away before opening the door to get out.
Walk-in baths don't come cheap, with many costing £1,000-3,000.
These baths have a seat moulded into the shell itself, at the opposite end to the taps. They serve the same purpose as a portable bath seat – allowing you to sit half-immersed in the bath – but baths with an integral seat tend to be more comfortable than a portable bath seat, as the latter normally has drainage holes or slats.
As with portable seats, you will need some upper body strength to manoeuvre
from the seat into the bath, and then to get out. Plus, these baths aren’t really suitable for reclining in, as the seat often gets in the way.
If you struggle to climb over the rim of your bath, and don’t mind the water being shallow, you might consider buying a bath that’s lower than the standard height. This might still require some agility and strength, but less than you'd need with a standard-sized bath.
Investing in either of these accessories can help increase your comfort while you're washing. There are some slight differences between bath boards and bath seats, so have a read through the following summaries and pick the best option for your needs.
You can browse reviews for bath boards, seats and other bathing aids from the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RIDC) and Living Made Easy
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If your mobility is severely limited, an OT may suggest you get a bath lift, which lifts your body from underneath, or a bath hoist, which pulls you up from above. Although these can be expensive, they may still be cheaper – and sometimes more appropriate – than adapting your bathroom to meet your needs.
These are reinforced plastic seats that fix to the inside of the bath with rubber suckers. They’re operated using a battery-powered waterproof handset. You get on to the seat at bath-rim height, use the handset to lower the seat into the bath and then raise it when you’re ready to get out.
This type of lift often has a supportive backrest, some of which angle back, allowing you to recline in the bath. To use this type of bath lift, you need to have enough agility to be able to move your legs over to the side to get into and out of the bath.
Although it’s possible to remove these lifts from the bath, some models are easier to remove than others. The rechargeable batteries need charging regularly.
These are inflatable plastic seats that sit inside the bath, and you inflate them using an electric pump. You position yourself on top of the seat, which is level with the rim of the bath, and it then deflates, immersing you in the water. When you’re ready to get out, you can reflate the seat using the electric pump to take you back to rim level.
They’re the easiest type of bath lift to remove from the bath.
Manual bath lifts work in a similar way to powered removable lifts, lowering you into the bath and then raising you up again when you’re ready to get out. However, the motion is controlled by the weight of the person and the buoyancy of the water, using a hydraulic mechanism.
Your body weight sitting on the chair slowly lowers the lift. Then, when you’re ready to get out of the bath, you sit upright and push down on the bath rims to release the hydraulic piston, which is set at a personalised weight. This, combined with the buoyancy of the water, lifts you back up.
For this type of lift, you need to be flexible enough to raise your arms as high as shoulder height. You also need more arm strength and sitting balance than you need with powered lifts.
Fixed bath lifts are sometimes known as band lifts, as they work using a large fabric band on a roller. The band is fitted to the wall beside the bath by means of a wall-mounted unit. The other end of the band then slots into a floor-mounted bracket that sits beside the bath, so the band lies across the width of the bath.
You sit on the taut band, press a button and then it lowers you into the bath as the band slowly extends. To raise the lift, you press another button, which tightens the band to lift you back up.
The advantage of band lifts is that they lower you right to the bottom of the bath so you can lie back and have a proper soak. However, one big disadvantage is that there's no back support, so you need to have good sitting balance. They’re also the most expensive option for a bath lift.
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Bath hoists raise your body from above, rather than lifting from below.
Although they’re more expensive than bath lifts, the advantage is that they raise you high enough so you don’t have to lift your legs over the bath rim. This makes them more suitable for people with limited hip and knee mobility.
These are attached to a pole that slots into a base plate fixed next to the bath. You sit on a swivel seat or sling, which rises up and moves over the rim of the bath and then lowers you in.
Powered floor-fixed bath hoists use either rechargeable batteries or mains electricity, and you control them with a remote handset. Manual hoists work by another person winding a handle, so tend to be used by people who have a carer.
Mobile versions of this type of bath hoist are also available, which can be useful if you want to use the hoist in more than one room. The base of the hoist is wedged underneath the bath to keep it firmly in place.
These use a ceiling track, which has the advantage of taking up less bathroom space, but you need to make sure you've got a very strong ceiling. These hoists work in the same way as floor hoists, lifting you up and over the bath rim, although a sling normally replaces the plastic seat.
Equipment such as bath boards and seats or minor home adaptations are sometimes provided free of charge by local authorities, regardless of your financial situation – your local OT should be able to advise.
Alternatively, you can contact your local social services department via the Gov.uk website. Local authorities will only fund care, equipment or alterations that they have assessed as being necessary.
Adapting your bathroom might be more expensive than buying additional equipment and bath aids. But remember that costs do vary widely depending on your specific wants and needs, and on the quality of materials and design.
A completely new bathroom suite can cost anywhere from £300 to £2,000 before installation, but specialist adaptations can increase the amount substantially. Nevertheless, adapting your bathroom to suit current or anticipated needs is likely to be a worthwhile investment.
Explore our guide on getting a needs assessment, or see our advice on bathroom installation
If you have a chronic illness or disability that prevents you from easily getting in and out of the bath, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to cover bathroom adaptations.
Social services or your local environmental health department may offer DFGs of up to £30,000 (in England) to eligible people who want to make necessary home improvements. They also sometimes offer low-cost loans. However, your income and savings have to be assessed first, and referrals from an OT are normally required.
Buying bathroom adaptations can be expensive, which is why you need to ensure you're placing trust in reputable retailers. Whether you're shopping online or in-store, make sure you scrutinise the shop's returns policy.
Popular online retailers that stock bathroom aids and adaptations include:
Find out which retailers are rated highly by Which? members with our expert guide on the best and worst shops
While adapting your bathroom doesn’t have to be especially complicated, it’s a good idea to get advice from a registered occupational therapist before – and during – the planning. An assessment will help to pinpoint your needs and find out which adaptations and equipment will be best for you.
If you are finding it difficult to manage various everyday tasks, request a free needs assessment from your local authority. This will look at your care and support needs and decide if you are eligible for state support.
Some people are put off the idea of specialist equipment because they worry it will make their bathroom look ‘institutional’, like a hospital or care home. If this is a worry for you, you might want to consider customising your bathroom suite with the help of a specialist bathroom fitter – ideally one that is a member of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA).