Older Americans and old-style bathrooms can be a bad combination. Slips and falls in bathrooms too often lead to trips to the hospital. The good news is that you can remodel your bathroom to make aging-in-place easier and, no, it won’t look like a hospital bathroom.
The trend is often called universal design or “visitability,”and the Roanoke plumbing experts at Southern Trust Home Services have an array of products, services and design ideas that can make your bathroom safe for everyone.
Remodeling your bathroom to make it more welcoming is a wise idea. If you experience health problems or a disability, you can stay in the comfort of your own home. You can keep your kids and grandchildren close by. It can be less expensive to have a caretaker or visiting nurse come into your home instead of being forced into a care facility.
One of the first things to consider is widening the bathroom doorway to 36 inches so that it can accommodate a wheelchair or walker if needed. Add a freestanding seat that you can move around the bathroom. The sink should allow either standing or seated access. You can install dual or multi-level sinks, so the lower sink is accessible to someone either seated or in a wheelchair. Faucets should have ergonomic lever handles, and you might consider installing hands-free sensor faucets that are even easier to use.
New comfort-height toilets are 17-19 inches high, as much as five inches higher than standard toilets, making it easier for those with achy knees to get on and off.
Bathing can be worry-free. A standard bathtub can be replaced by a walk-in shower or even a curbless shower that allows a wheelchair to be rolled in. There are walk-in bathtubs that come with a water-tight door and a seat for a relaxing bath. Behind the wall, the shower valve should be pressure-balanced to prevent scalding, and the shower head should be removable and its height adjustable. Grab bars are decorative these days. Many are available that will match the design of faucets, cabinet hardware and toilet paper holders.
As the Roanoke plumbing leader, we will never sell you something that you don’t need, and our upfront pricing means you won’t pay more than the price you agreed to when the job was started.
If you’re ready to learn more about our bathroom remodeling services, contact Southern Trust today or call (540) 343-4348 for more information.
