Making a bathroom easily accessible to people with a disability can significantly improve their quality of life within the home. The bathroom has specific challenges for those who use wheelchairs or walkers, as well as people with mobility issues. Solving these problems with a remodel can help make the bathroom user-friendly and accessible for elderly or otherwise-abled members of the household.
Turning radius:
If you choose to modify the bathroom for a person who is using a wheelchair or a walker, make sure the doorway to your bathroom is large enough to comfortably allow a wheelchair to access. This means expanding the door to 36” wide to accommodate enough space to turn the wheelchair around completely. Remember that the turning radius for a wheelchair is typically 60” of clear space in the dead center of the bathroom.
Sink accessibility:
The sink in an accessible bathroom may mean a few different things. In a bathroom used by a wheelchair user, the sink needs to open underneath to allow the wheelchair user to wheel straight up to it. For someone using a walker for mobility, it may be necessary to raise the sink to 34” instead of 31”, so there is no need for the user to slump at the sink. You will also want to have a general contractor install lever handles on the faucet, rather than the type of handle which require the additional leverage grasping requires.
Tub accessibility:
An accessible tub contains:
- A door that is vacuum sealed when shut.
- The door is opened to allow the user to enter and sealed before filling.
- The tub must be fitted with grab bars to help the user to enter and exit safely.
- The shower head should be handheld and moveable to allow for greater control.
Shower accessibility:
An accessible shower contains:
- The shower must be roll-in, without a curb.
- If there is a small curb, it should be fitted with a seat.
- The shower must be fitted with grab bars to help with safe entrance and exit.
- The shower head must be handheld and easily moved to allow for greater control.
No matter if you have a tub or shower, you will want to have a lever or touch-operated valve system to operate the water. Levers will allow for greater control!
If it is time to assess your bathroom for handicap accessibility, please call Rossi Construction at 813.436.0177 to set an appointment for a free consultation.
