If you have a family member with a chronic condition or suffered a debilitating injury that resulted in a mobility issue, or you are taking in an elderly relative who requires assisted care, making some changes across your home can help make its amenities more accessible for everyone. One area you need to prioritize when planning a remodel is the bathroom. After all, it can present many challenges to people who use assistive devices like wheelchairs and walkers or need accommodations. Being a high-risk area for slips and falls, a bathroom remodel should be planned with the safety of every user, regardless of age and ability, in mind.
Read on as we discuss the bathroom improvements you can consider implementing for your mobility remodeling project.
Knowing What Your Bathroom Needs
Before you begin your remodeling project, you must first find out how the bathroom will be designed to make it more easily accessible for you, your loved ones, and other guests who may be using it. To accomplish this, you want to consider the needs of individuals with mobility issues, as well as the needs a timeless bathroom design will provide in the future.
During the planning phase, you must have hired a reputable contractor to guide you throughout the process. Through their industry expertise and full understanding of universal design principles, they can transform a small, dangerous bathroom into a safer, more accessible one. The following are some of the things to consider that will help you and your contractor draw up a bath renovation design plan:
- Activities you or a loved one currently need assistance need in the bathroom
- Actions you or a loved one can do on their own
- The need to include medical supplies in the bathroom
- The possibility of the mobility issue changing over time
- User preference, i.e. choosing between the tub or shower
Basic Bathroom Features You Can Modify
Below is an in-depth guide on the various bathroom features that can benefit from modifications to accommodate the needs of your loved one with mobility issues.
- Bathroom Entry
In an accessible home, a wider doorway allows individuals with mobility issues to enter and exit a room with relative ease. The bathroom doorway must have a minimum clear opening of 32 inches in width, with the door open 90 degrees, measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop. It should also open toward the bathroom, making sure not to obstruct the interior space. When space is limited, a pocket door is an alternative to the swinging door. - Vanity Sink
A wall-mounted vanity sink gives wheelchair users more legroom. Unlike the pedestal type, it allows them to get closer to the lavatory and faucet and reach for items sitting on the counter. It shouldn’t be mounted higher than 34 inches from the floor and should have a knee clearance of 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 11 to 25 inches deep. The door cannot swing and get in the way of using the sink, so make sure you maintain a clear floor space in this area of your bathroom. - Toilet
An ADA-compliant toilet, also known as a comfort height toilet, should be between 17 to 19 inches in height, from floor to seat. Also, its centerline must be between 16 and 18 inches from the sidewall. You can choose one with a bidet attached to it to assist users with cleaning themselves. - Shower
A walk-in shower should be level with the bathroom floor. It should also have a wide enough space for people with mobility issues to move around, whether they use a mobility device or not. It should be 36 inches wide for someone using a transfer seat and 60 inches wide for a wheelchair user to turn around in. - Tub
While some homeowners choose to convert the tub into a shower for their mobility remodeling project, others prefer to keep it. A walk-in tub has either a swinging or a cap-like fitted door to make it easy for the user to step inside without climbing over its side. It also has seating and easy-to-reach controls near the front edge.
Other Features to Add to Your Accessible Bathroom
To further increase your bathroom’s safety and accessibility, you should also focus on the following features to incorporate into your design.
- Grab Bars
Equipping these essential safety features in several places around the bathroom helps users to maintain their balance. Install grab bars in all bathing areas. For walk-in tubs, they should be installed on the sidewall at the standing and sitting range. All three walls of walk-in showers should also have grab bars. - Non-Slip Flooring
Waterproofing the bathroom floor lessens the risk of accidental injuries stemming from slips and falls. Rubber flooring outside of the walk-in tub or shower may help prevent water from leaving the bathing area. Non-slip mats are great alternative options as well. While ceramic tiles and grout are not waterproof, a membrane beneath these surfaces help protect your home’s foundation from excess water. - Bathroom Accessories
Installing door handles instead of knobs can make opening and closing doors easier. Walk-in tub or shower features to consider include handheld showers with a 60-inch hose, faucet controls located in an area where the user can adjust them without getting wet, and levers that can be pushed or pulled to turn the water on and off. If the user has limited use of the hands and arms, choose those with touch-sensitive sensors. Anti-scalding mixing valves in tubs or showers helps maintain a safe water temperature and volume when there’s a change in water pressure. - Easy-to-Reach Items
Consider the placement of items that a user will want to reach like towel bars, toilet paper dispensers, soap dishes, mirrors, and medicine cabinets. Make sure they are positioned at a comfortable height that can be easily reached from a seated or standing position. Toiletry holders in the shower or tub should be large enough so they don’t fall out onto the ground. Consider an above-the-sink mirror that you can tilt and adjust while standing or sitting. For light switches, install ones with a large toggle or push button. You can also lower them to make them reachable; otherwise, consider installing motion-sensing lights.
Ready to make your bathroom more stylish and accessible? Turn to The Bathroom Store! Whether it is a shower installation or a full bathroom renovation, our team is committed to transforming your outdated or inaccessible space into something you love. We feature products from The Onyx Collection, which are American-made and easy to install, allowing us to minimize our mess in your home. Designed to integrate seamlessly together, Onyx products give you a complete selection of bathroom upgrades with a lifetime guarantee.
Call (701) 223-1008 or fill out our contact form to schedule a conversation. We listen to your needs and walk you through our product options and design features so you can make the best choice for your bathroom remodel.