What should a bathroom have to be safe, comfortable and independent?

We meet in the bathroom or toilet. Daily hygiene provides great benefits and should be carried out with as much independence as possible and above all safely. Using the bathroom with maximum autonomy is important, taking into account the intimacy of this daily activity. In this humid and slippery environment we must prevent falls more than in any other place in our home. To think that it is usually a small space with little maneuverability.

Getting into the bathtub or shower tray requires bending the knees and hips to get the legs over the edge. The shower is not always the most comfortable option, although the transfer is generally easier. With the right seat, in the bathtub or shower, the person can be just as safe.

To access the bathtub or shower we must assess the following aspects:

• The balance, strength and joint limitations of the person.
• The strength and dexterity of the assistant.
• If the shower or bathtub is going to be used by other people, it may be necessary for the seat to be removed and/or disassembled, so the weight and size of its different parts must be considered, and the storage space when not in use.
• The necessary maneuver space including the user, the mobility aids used and their assistant.

We are going to make the choice of the product according to whether we have a bathtub, a shower tray or a walk-in shower tray (fully adapted bathroom).

In the bathroom with a bathtub (even if the person can stand up, if they have impaired balance, it is safer to shower or bathe sitting) it is essential to bear in mind that if the seat rests on the bottom of the bathtub, the position of the caregiver's spine is flexion, with a great overload on the intervertebral discs, so the risk of suffering an injury is high.

Let's start with a product where the person requires good trunk balance and being able to raise their legs over the edge of the bathtub, by themselves or with the help of an assistant: the seat board bathtub (the bathtub must have a minimum of 2.5 cm of support surface on each side to safely place the board).

1. The person sits on the widest end of the table, which should be on the outside and is specially designed to make it easier to get in and out of the bathtub.
2. The grab bar should be on the inside of the tub and away from the wall to allow enough space to grab it, it offers extra security when getting in and out.
3. The grab bar The center of the bathtub is often narrower to facilitate access during intimate hygiene. By sitting inside the bathtub you can enjoy the bath comfortably and safely.

Depending on the physical and cognitive state of the user, it is necessary to carry out hygiene fully seated, in a seat with a backrest that is easy to use for both him and his caregiver.

In this situation, we have the swivel bathtub seat. The seat is firmly located in the bathtub, without requiring works or fixings and can be removed instantly to use the bathtub normally.

Seat safety is very important; It has integrated armrests and a lever with 4 positions that can block the rotation of the seat for greater security when entering and exiting.

In bathrooms designed with more space between its different elements, we can use the bathtub bench. The person can sit outside the bathtub and slide on the seat until they are inside. Although it has a backrest, it requires good balance of the trunk and being able to raise the legs over the edge of the bathtub.

Finally, we would have the seat that would give us the greatest independence and would be the only one that would allow us to "bathe ” inside the bathtub and not just “shower” like those seen previously. This is the Bathmaster. The user will be seated inside the bathtub and not on it, as is the case with the swivel seat. The Bathmaster allows you to take hot baths that favor muscle relaxation and reduce joint pain, since you are completely submerged.

KEEP ATTENTION, A GOOD PRODUCT CHOICE CAN MAKE LIFE MUCH EASIER .