Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Bath/Shower Safety Bar
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10-01-00, 10:35 PM
I have a bath/shower which I plan to install a safety bar for my mother-in-laws upcoming visit. The safety bar is an L shaped 1 inch diameter stainless steel pipe with approximatelly 4 feet length on the long side and 2 feet on the short. My question is, should the short end be at the end of the tub where the shower head is located or at the other end where the entry through the the sliding shower door is made? This is a tub where a double sliding door has been added to make it a shower. My reasoning is that it should be near the entry door so a person can steady themselves better for getting in and out of the tub/shower, and it seems to me that when taking a shower, the faucet handles and shower head are available for grabbing. Plus, there is always the long part of the safety bar along the side wall. Any ideas where the majority of shower/tub accidents occur, especially for elderly people, my mother-in-law is 82.
10-03-00, 04:31 PM
Mike Cowell:
I don't think there is a standard height and orientation to install a grab bar. I would drop into a seniors residence and see where they put them and if they're happy with that location.
I agree it's probably most needed in a location where there's nothing else to grab on to because usually it's going to be used just to steady the person, and the odd time when they're going to fall they're not going to have time to think about where the bar is.
I don't think there is a standard height and orientation to install a grab bar. I would drop into a seniors residence and see where they put them and if they're happy with that location.
I agree it's probably most needed in a location where there's nothing else to grab on to because usually it's going to be used just to steady the person, and the odd time when they're going to fall they're not going to have time to think about where the bar is.
10-06-00, 09:11 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nestor Kelebay:
Mike Cowell:
I don't think there is a standard height and orientation to install a grab bar. I would drop into a seniors residence and see where they put them and if they're happy with that location.
I agree it's probably most needed in a location where there's nothing else to grab on to because usually it's going to be used just to steady the person, and the odd time when they're going to fall they're not going to have time to think about where the bar is.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nestor: Thanks for the reply. Have decided to locate it at the entrance. Also decided to locate it 3 foot above the bottom of the tub. Hopefully this will work both for getting up from the tub when taking a bath and still be practical for entering and exiting the shower. I used my wifes hip height to come up with the 3ft.
Mike
Mike Cowell:
I don't think there is a standard height and orientation to install a grab bar. I would drop into a seniors residence and see where they put them and if they're happy with that location.
I agree it's probably most needed in a location where there's nothing else to grab on to because usually it's going to be used just to steady the person, and the odd time when they're going to fall they're not going to have time to think about where the bar is.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nestor: Thanks for the reply. Have decided to locate it at the entrance. Also decided to locate it 3 foot above the bottom of the tub. Hopefully this will work both for getting up from the tub when taking a bath and still be practical for entering and exiting the shower. I used my wifes hip height to come up with the 3ft.
Mike
10-07-00, 11:48 PM
Anchoring the grab bar so it will be secure should be a consideration as well as how you anchor it. Can you anchor into studs?
patricia@www.twelvepole.com
patricia@www.twelvepole.com
10-08-00, 11:08 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by twelvepole:
Anchoring the grab bar so it will be secure should be a consideration as well as how you anchor it. Can you anchor into studs?
patricia@www.twelvepole.com<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks: It's a done deal. I installed it last night. Got a stud near the entry bracket and used two #8 SS screws. Along the side wall I thought I had one stud, but my cheap stud sensor was wrong. So once I had drilled the hole and hit nothing, I used those large drywall anchor screws and # 6 SS screws for both the sidewall brackets. Bar now feels like it could be used for pull ups. Having the stud mount at the entry makes me feel better. Looks good, and the wife is happy. Final height is 3 foot and it seems to feel right for standing/showering and also for getting up out of the tub. Entry side was definitly the right way to go.
Anchoring the grab bar so it will be secure should be a consideration as well as how you anchor it. Can you anchor into studs?
patricia@www.twelvepole.com<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks: It's a done deal. I installed it last night. Got a stud near the entry bracket and used two #8 SS screws. Along the side wall I thought I had one stud, but my cheap stud sensor was wrong. So once I had drilled the hole and hit nothing, I used those large drywall anchor screws and # 6 SS screws for both the sidewall brackets. Bar now feels like it could be used for pull ups. Having the stud mount at the entry makes me feel better. Looks good, and the wife is happy. Final height is 3 foot and it seems to feel right for standing/showering and also for getting up out of the tub. Entry side was definitly the right way to go.