A simple pleasure most of us take for granted is taking a shower.
Whether it's a cold wake me up type, or a nice warm one to relax your aching muscles, it's the little things in life that go unnoticed.
But what about someone who is elderly who has trouble standing in a shower and are afraid of falling? Or someone who is in a wheelchair? Think about how difficult it could be taking a one under those conditions.
Thankfully there are solutions to this problem.
Handicap shower stalls are showers with the handicap in mind.
These are designed to help a person feel more secure and comfortable in a shower.
This also allows them the pleasure of being able to shower again.
A handicap shower should be a bit larger than your existing shower.
You can convert a traditional shower to a handicap one, but it may be easier to do a complete remodel.
It will all depend on your budget and the amount of space you are working with.
Is this for a person in a wheelchair? Do they plan on showering in a wheel chair, or do they plan to use a bench in the shower? Depending on the person will determine what type of shower to get or convert.
If they plan on using a wheelchair in the shower, then the shower should be a minimum of 60 inches by 30 inches.
This will allow room for a wheelchair to turnaround.
You will also have to remove the threshold to the shower in order for the wheelchair to enter.
If the threshold is too high, then you will not be able to get the wheels over it.
If this is the case, you will be looking for barrier free shower bases or pans.
These are shower bases that will tilt in so the water from the shower doesn't go all over the bathroom floor.
There are even some showers with a threshold that will "collapses" as the wheelchair goes over it, then spring back into position to form a dam to keep the water in.
If they don't plan on using a wheelchair in a shower, then you should install a shower bench.
The preferred kind is one that is mounted in the shower.
When mounting a shower bench, you will want to make sure it is anchored into the studs behind the shower.
One type of shower bench you should look at it one that will fold up against the wall when not in use.