5 Things to consider when thinking about an accessible bathroom

Maybe you are getting to the point where you aren't as steady on your feet as you once were or have a disability that limits your mobility. In that case, you may be thinking of having your bathroom adapted to accommodate your mobility needs.

The good news is that there are many adaptations you can make to your bathroom to make it much more accessible and safer for you or your loved one.

Depending on your needs, you may need only need to make some simple adaptations to your bathroom to make it much more accessible, or you may need to completely install a new bathroom. 

Whatever your mobility needs here are a few considerations to think about making your bathroom safer and more accessible.

Bathroom Entrance

A standard wheelchair is between 60 and 70 centimetres wide. To accommodate wheelchair users, the door to your bathroom should ideally be around 90cm wide. This is even more important if your bathroom is entered at a 90-degree angle from a hallway, as you'll have to give yourself room to turn into the bathroom.

The size of your bathroom

If you are a wheelchair user, you will need a larger area to move about. The same is true if you need help bathing as there will be two of you in the bathroom.

However, for most people any size of bathroom can be adapted to accommodate mobility issues. For example, you may just need some handrails on the wall or a seat in the shower. Additionally, nonslip flooring is also worth considering if you are unsteady on your feet.

Making Your Sink Accessible

There are a couple of considerations to consider with sinks. Firstly the height of the sink may need to be higher than normal to save you from bending down. 

Having easy-to-use taps such as a single long-handled tap are can help if you have trouble gripping due to arthritis.

Space Around Toilet

Good positioning of your toilet will make it easier to use.  If you have trouble getting up, handrails or grab bars are a good addition as is having your toilet little bit higher will make it easier to sit down and get back up from

Accessible Shower

Getting in and out of a bath can be a difficult and unnerving time for many people with mobility issues. This is why many people opt for a walk-in shower. Even a small step up into a shower can be daunting and cause slips and trips so having a level access shower that is easy to walk into is preferable.

Some people may need or prefer a full wet room to learn more about the differences between a wet room and a walk in shower; you can read my previous blog here.

Do you need an accessible bathroom?

The chances are that if you are asking that question, the answer is yes.  A more pertinent question is often, what adaptions do I need to make to my bathroom to make it accessible and accommodate my mobility issues.

At Parish Bathrooms, we offer a free consultation with one of our project managers to discuss your mobility challenges and the best option for you.

You can book your free consultation, or you can just give us a call for an informal chat.

Contact us today on 0800 2118204