➤ Best Walk in Bathtub for Seniors ➤ The Complete Guide

June 01, 2022

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Contents
What Is A Walk-In Bathtub For Seniors?
The Pros & Cons Of Walk-In Tubs
Safety Features Of A Walk-In Tub
How To Choose Walk-In Tubs For The Elderly?
Types Of Walk-In Tubs
Aquatica’s Baby Boomer 2 Walk-In Bathtub For Senior Citizens

Accidents in the bathroom are a common problem, especially among individuals over 65. Regular bathtubs lack support such as grab bars, and the tub’s wall height makes it difficult to enter and exit. Walk-in bathtubs are specifically designed with safety features to provide a safe and comfortable soak for the elderly, (PRM) people with restricted mobility and individuals suffering from chronic conditions and illnesses. This is the best type of bathtub for granny flats, family homes with a bedroom for grandparents, senior housing complexes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement homes, day spas and rehabilitation clinics. The best walk-in tubs for the elderly can also be equipped with therapeutic wellness technology such as air massage and chromotherapy. This provides seniors with the opportunity to transform their bathroom into an exclusive spa sanctuary, designed to heal both the body and mind.

What Is A Walk-In Bathtub For Seniors?

A walk-in bathtub for seniors features a special water-tight door and a low entry step, ensuring bathers can easily enter and exit the bathtub. The tub includes a built-in chair height seat, allowing bathers to enjoy a relaxing soak, while sitting in an upright, seated position. This is much better for older people, than the traditional lying position while bathing, as it not only benefits posture, but it also makes it easier to breathe, and can relieve congestion for bathers who suffer from sinus conditions or colds. The height of the walk-in bathtub’s seat makes it easier to sit and stand, while the tub’s rails and grab bars are located in specific locations to provide additional support. Once sitting down on the tub’s built-in seating, you can fill up your bathtub with water. Walk-in tubs for the elderly are also much deeper than traditional bathtubs, allowing bathers to enjoy a deep full-body soak, while sitting up.

The Pros & Cons Of Walk-In Tubs

In general, walk-in bathtubs for the elderly offer many advantages, such as easy accessibility and comfort. Senior citizens usually require help when using a regular bathtub or shower, but a walk-in bathtub helps them to bathe more independently. This not only benefits the bather, by providing them with some privacy and independence, but it also helps to relieve some mental stress and physical strain of the carer. It is important to remember to choose a good temperature, which is not too hot or too cold. Usually before entering a normal bathtub, we fill the bathtub and check the temperature, but with walk-in tubs, you must sit inside, while it is filling up. A special system equipped with temperature control such as the Aquatica Tranquility package solves this problem, providing a perfect bath at your desired temperature, thanks to a special control keypad.

Pros

Easily Accessible

Provides independence

A comfortable & therapeutic soak

Safety features to prevent falling

A deeper full-body immersion

Cons

Additional parts to maintain

Takes more time to drain & fill

Must be careful with water temperature

Sometimes more expensive than regular tubs

Most walk-in tubs lack luxury aesthetics

Safety Features Of A Walk-In Tub

A walk-in bathtub must feature a number of important safety features to provide easy accessibility and ensure a safe bathing experience, including a low entry step, watertight sealed door, and special assistance handrails.

Low Entry Step

Easy accessibility is a crucial factor to consider when buying a bathtub for seniors. Traditional bathtubs are usually quite difficult for older people to get in and out of, increasing the risk of falling or slipping. Walk-in bathtubs for seniors should feature a low height entry threshold and an easy-to-access door.

Watertight Seal

Unlike regular bathtubs, walk-in bathtubs require a watertight seal to prevent water from leaking through the door. A well designed walk-in bathtub door protects against flooding, which is crucial, as bathroom flooding can cost a lot of time and money to repair. Some walk-in bathtubs feature swing-out doors and this can increase the risk of flooding. This is the reason most consumers choose walk-in tubs with a swing-in door.

Handrails

A handrail, also known as grab bar provides support, helping the bather to easily enter and exit the bathtub. The handrail helps individuals to pull themselves up, preventing them from losing their balance. The best walk-in tubs for seniors feature sturdy handrails made from durable materials, and have been placed in the optimum position to ensure easy access and provide maximum support for all bathers.

How To Choose Walk-In Tubs For The Elderly?

Tub Size

The walk-in bathtub size depends on your bathroom space and your personal requirements. Often rooms in nursing homes or caring facilities tend to be smaller, so in this case you would need to select a tub, which combines compact dimensions with a spacious interior. It is important to measure the size of the space where you plan to install the tub to understand the exact dimensions. Most walk-in bathtubs for the elderly feature a height of 30 inches. It is important to choose an extra deep bathtub, which is as high as possible, to guarantee full-body immersion. If you are choosing walk-in bathtubs for senior citizens who require a wheelchair, you may need a wide wheelchair accessible tub with a width of at least 30 inches. Bathers who weigh over 300 pounds (136 kg), may require a bariatric bathtub, which are specially designed to hold their weight and accommodate their shape and size.

Luxury Appearance

Most walk-in baths for the elderly do not feature attractive aesthetics, and do not match a luxury bathroom design. The bathtub’s style and appearance can make a huge difference, enhancing the bathroom’s overall image. Choosing a walk-in tub for the elderly with a luxury appeal makes the room feel less clinical and hospital-like. You can also choose a walk-in bathtub in a beautiful color to match your bathroom design. Aquatica offers the option to buy a walk-in bathtub in any color from the RAL color chart. Bright colors can provide the feel-good factor, while black bathtubs add a dramatic design statement, and light colored bathtubs such as pale blue can offer some tranquility.

Premium Materials

The majority of walk-in bathtubs on the market are made of fiberglass with a gel coating. This material is relatively inexpensive, but it is not durable and does not provide good insulation. Bathtubs made of this type of fiberglass are not expected to last a very long time, and the porous surface makes them tricky to maintain and clean. These types of walk-in tubs are also not aesthetically attractive. If you're looking to choose the best walk-in tub for the elderly, then you should consider buying a bathtub made only of premium materials, such as solid surface, as it will last much longer. Solid surface bathtubs provide better insulation, aesthetics, durability and are easier to clean.

Walk-In Tub Door

The best walk-in bathtubs for the elderly should feature a secure door with an excellent watertight seal and a strong latch made from durable materials. A door that opens inwards rather than outwards saves space and protects against flooding. You should check the exact material of the walk-in door, making sure it is specifically constructed for a safe and secure soak. Safe bathtubs for seniors should feature a door, which is extremely durable, shatter-proof and easy to clean. The walk-in bathtub should also be easy to open and close, but at the same time securely closes to prevent any leakage. A door with a large ergonomically designed handle can make it easier for bathers to open and close the door without straining any muscles or joints.

Types Of Walk-In Tubs

There are different types of walk-in bathtubs to suit the needs of the bather, including simple soaking tubs and walk-in tubs equipped with advanced spa technology such as air massage, chromotherapy, ozone disinfection, temperature control and keypads.

Walk-In Soaking Tubs

A soaker tub provides a sit and soak bathing experience without extra features such as air massage and chromotherapy. A walk-in soaking bathtub is similar to a Japanese style soaking tub, except it includes a door and safety features designed for PRM (a person with reduced mobility). The best walk-in soaking tubs provide an extra deep bathing experience. A soaking tub should include a wide built-in seat, which has been ergonomically designed for optimum comfort.

Aerotherapy Tubs

Aerotherapy walk-in bathtubs provide a therapeutic underwater massage, by delivering thousands of air bubbles from holes at the bottom and sides of the tub. Aquatica’s walk-bathtub for senior citizens can be fitted with aerotherapy technology such as the Air Relax and Air Relax Pro . These packages feature a modern capacitive glass keypad, controlling different air-massage pressure modes and our mood enhancing chromotherapy LED lighting system. Air massage treatments can help to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance healing, increase blood circulation, relieve inflammation and improve the lymphatic system by getting rid of toxins from the body.

Heated Tubs

If you're looking for a bathtub for seniors ensuring a therapeutic and hygienic bathing experience, then take a look at heated tubs with chromotherapy and ozone disinfection. Aquatica offers the option to add the Tranquility therapy package to walk-in bathtubs for the elderly. Our heated walk-in bathtubs feature an effective recirculation system with heating, delivering constant water temperature in 20-minute increments. Aquatica Tranquility bathtubs are equipped with an ultra-quiet circulation pump, temperature control, an ozone disinfection system, chromotherapy LED lighting and easy-to-use glass keypads.

Aquatica’s Baby Boomer 2 Walk-In Bathtub For Senior Citizens

Aquatica developed the Baby Boomer 2 Walk-In Bathtub to provide luxury homes, high-end caring facilities and wellness spa centers, with a fashionable and functionable designer product. Perfectly combining comfort with style, the Baby Boomer 2 is the only solid surface walk-in bathtub on the market. Ergonomically designed to offer the elderly and individuals with reduced mobility a comfortable and relaxing bathing experience, the Baby Boomer 2 features a secure and easy-to-use door, a low entry step, grab bars for support, and a wide seat for optimum comfort. The walk-in bathtub’s height of over 42 inches allows bathers to benefit from an extra deep full-body immersion.

State-Of-The-Art Solid Surface Material

Made of an in-house developed stone composite solid surface material AquateX™ , the Baby Boomer 2 features a non-porous surface with non-toxic, durable, scratch-resistant and easy-to-clean properties. The matte surface is soft to touch with a perfectly silky smooth texture, while the material’s strong interior provides excellent heat retention.

Secure & Easy-To-Use Swing In Door

A curved high molecular cast acrylic glass door, opening inwards, is easy to use and provides bathers with a safe and secure soak. The door is durable, shatterproof, easy to clean, waterproof & UV resistant, and features outstanding thermal and acoustic insulation. A watertight door seal protects against leakage and flooding. This special door sealing gasket is not expensive or difficult to replace if needed. The frosted door provides bathers with some privacy, while also enhancing the overall design with a modern appeal.

Ergonomically Designed Door Handle Extension

Door handles can sometimes be difficult for older people to use, especially those suffering from conditions such as arthritis. The Baby Boomer 2 features a large door handle extension , providing better control, making it extremely easy for older bathers to open and close the door without straining any muscles and joints. It is available in white, red, orange, green or blue.

Custom Made Stainless Steel Parts

Aquatica’s Baby Boomer 2 Walk Bathtub features high-quality marine grade stainless steel hinges, handles, lock and grab bar. All of these parts have been specifically designed for older people and individuals with limited mobility. The walk-in tub also features a stainless steel underbody with a weight bearing frame underneath the bath’s seat and bottom. This provides extra rigidity and enhanced weight bearing capacity. Aquatica only uses premium steel, which is rust and corrosion resistant, ensuring excellent everyday performance.

Optional Spa Packages

Design a therapeutic spa bathroom for seniors by adding one of Aquatica’s spa packages to the walk-in bathtub. The Air Relax, Air Relax Pro and Tranquility packages can be found in the therapy systems add-ons section under product modifications on the Baby Boomer 2 product page. These special wellness packages are equipped with cutting edge equipment, such as chromotherapy LED lights, air massage technology, advanced water heating systems, ozone disinfection and recirculation tools.

Optional Antimicrobial Surface Protection

Bathroom hygiene is extremely important especially for the elderly who are more vulnerable and can easily pick up illnesses and viruses. Aquatica offers the option to add the BioSan™ Antimicrobial Surface Protection to the Baby Boomer 2 Walk-In Bathtub. This protects the bath by reducing bacteria and mold growth by up to 99.9%. It is proven to eliminate influenza A H1N1, and even reduce a strain of coronavirus by 90% in only 2 hours.