If you are someone who uses a wheelchair, or are building a bathroom to make less travelling problems for those who use them, it is important that your design meets requirements so people can access everything and be comfortable. Therefore, here is a complete guide of how to provide them with a wheelchair-friendly bathroom.
The Shower and Tub Accessibility
- One of the options is having a roll-in shower seat or one that is fixed in the shower, The shower seat should be anywhere from 17 to 19 inches high. A plastic chair or a stool will allow the person who is showering to sit in the shower but also take it out if someone who doesn’t need it.
- Another way you can make showering safer and easily accessible is by installing a curbless shower. The opening should be at the same level as the floor, but a bit sloped so the water can drain. If someone is using the transfer seat, it should be 36 inches wide and 60 if someone in a wheelchair is going to be using it, so they are able to move and turn.
- The most important thing, no matter which type of bathtub you decide to go with, is the non-slip floors. That way, you are preventing falls from happening. Anything like a textured tile floor or a slatted wood tray that is put over floors will provide you with a non-slip floor.
- Another important thing to install is the anti-scald mixing valves, which will help maintain a safe temperature of the water as well as water pressure changes. The best limit to set is about 120 degrees.
- One thing that not a lot of people think about is the lighting. To provide better lighting, make sure that there are overhead lights in the shower as well as having glass wales instead of the normal shower curtains. That way, you are letting the sunlight come in the shower as well as increasing the safety.
Disabled Toilet Accessories to Help With Care
- The recommended height for the toilet should be anywhere from 17 to 19 inches. That is the most comfortable height of the toilet for any user.
- By having raised toilet seats, you are making it much easier to assist someone with using the bathroom. In most cases, the padded raised toilet seats will fit on top of your normal seat, which will drastically help the person to use the toilet.
- Bidet bowls are the best option for people who find it hard to clean themselves after using the toilet, so a bidet extension or a separate bowl can make the whole process easier. You can find bidets online that will fit inside your toilet bowl as well as using warm water for the washing.
Don’t Forget About Bathroom Sink and Vanity Accessibility
- Your sink needs to be mounted to the wall, and there shouldn’t be a cabinet underneath the sink. That goes for both people in wheelchairs or standing people because there is not enough knee space.
- If there is a sink that is approached from the front, the rim height should be the maximum of 34 inches, and the clearance for the knees need to be 27 inches so you can approach the sink from one side.
- Make sure that you have faucets that are single-handle, so they are easily turned on and adjusted though someone has to twist or grab the faucet. If it is in your budget, you can install hand-free options that have sensors that will detect the hand under the faucet.
- If you are installing mirrors, make sure that you are mounting one a bit lower or having one that is extra-long so that every person can use it while in the bathroom.
- When you are picking out furniture for the bathroom, make sure you are picking things that are sturdy and can be used to grab on and maneuver about the bathroom.
- Make sure that you are installing drawers that are low and easy to pull out and store their things that need to be easily accessible. Nowadays, there are vanity’s that are electrically adjustable, so its height can fit all the users.
These are some things that you need to think about when you are designing a wheelchair-friendly bathroom, but there’s more that can be added to provide extra support.
Mia Ackerson is a Melbourne-based writer. Loves writing about home decorations and home improvements. She’s also interested in reading books, movies, music, baking, and gardening. You can follow her on Twitter.
