Best Practices in the Design of Toileting and Bathing Facilities for Assisted Transfers

Bathtub

• Grab Bars. As getting in and out of a tub is generally considered to be a falls risk for individuals, designers were not encouraged to promote independent bathing in eldercare facilities. As a result, grab bars that would permit older adults to raise and lower themselves from the bottom of the tub were not included in bathtub designs. Rather, grab bars were provided adjacent to the tub for temporary support to enable an individual to steady him/herself while a care provider assisted with removal and replacement of clothing.

• Walk-in bathtub. For individuals who had the ability to ambulate, a walk-in fixture was intended to provide a safer alternative for independent as well as assisted transfers. It was felt that assistance would be easier (and safer for both caregiver and care recipient) to provide if a care recipient was able to walk, rather than climb in and out of a tub.