Handicap Bathtubs
I'm not sure who first invented the idea behind handicap bathtubs, but that person must have been a genius suffering from a disability or painful disease such as rheumatoid arthritis. After all, there is really nothing better than soaking your tired limbs in a hot bath after a long, challenging day. But, after all the day's challenges, no one wants to face the challenge or getting into a bathtub. Even worse, no one wants to be assisted into the bathtub.
handicap bathtubs now come in several different designs and they are available with a lot of different features. You generally won't find them at your standard Home Depot store- or at least not the quality ones. Instead, you have to find handicap bathtubs at specialty online stores or through catalogues. Luckily, there is an increasing amount of companies specializing in products for independent living. At prices starting at about $2000, handicap bathtubs aren't cheap. However, a walk-in bathtub isn't something you want, it is something that you need.
Most modern walk-in bathtubs are the size of a standard tub so you don't have to remodel your entire bathroom to accommodate it. The bathtubs do seem a lot bigger though but this is because they have much higher sides. However, most handicap bathtubs are a bit shorter than standard bathtubs. This makes sense considering most users will be sitting, not lying, in the tub.
The door is the most obvious feature on walk-in bathtubs. Make sure you take into consideration whether you need a right or a left-opening door for the tub. If you choose the wrong side, it can be almost impossible to get inside. Generally, there is a small step of about 5" to get inside the tub.
Once through the door, there is usually a small drop into the tub and onto a seat. This makes getting into the handicap bathtub really easy. Just close the door, fill up the water, and enjoy the bath.
Almost all handicap bathtubs on the market today will also have anti-slip surfaces in the tub. If there aren't then you should put these in yourself for safety. Additional safety features for handicap bathtubs include contoured seats, leak-proof doors, hand-held shower heads, overflow protection drains, and grab bars. For special needs, you can even find handicap bathtubs which have lifts which will put you into the tub.
Because handicap bathtubs are so expensive, you will only want to buy one once. Look for the walk-in bathtubs which have lifetime warranties on the door since that is the most important part. You will also want to choose tubs made from a sturdy material like stainless steel to make sure that it will last a lifetime. For convenience sake, you may want to look into handicap tubs which have plumbing already configured.
Since you are already going to spend a lot on a handicap bathtub, it may be a good idea to splurge on some of the extras. The features like inline heaters and hydrotherapy jets can really do wonders if you can afford them.
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