Find Quality Handicap Shower Seat

 If you or a loved one is disabled, you should have a handicap shower seat in your home. Handicap showers allow those with disabilities the luxury of having a full shower, providing them with a true clean feeing, rather than the semi-clean that results from a bed bath.

There are certain guidelines for having a handicap-accessible bathroom, and your shower is one of the most important features. Simply installing support bars on the walls of your shower does not make it completely handicap-friendly. A handicapped shower seat is an essential part of your handicap shower. Also important in making your shower accessible to those with disabilities is no threshold between the shower and the bathroom floor. This allows a wheelchair to roll easily into the shower, and makes it easy for people who cannot lift their legs very well to enter the shower too. The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requires a roll-in shower to be at least 60 square inches, so that a wheelchair can enter and turn around easily without hitting the sides of the shower. However, if the user will be transferring from their wheelchair to a handicap shower seat, the dimensions can be smaller.

When choosing handicap shower seats, it is important to think of the future as well as the present. While perhaps you can easily get in and out of your seat now, it may become more difficult in the future. You may want your handicapped shower seat to be more accommodating than a simple shower-chair. You can install a seat directly in your shower that can fold up to allow for better wheelchair access. This choice is also good because your handicap shower seat will be affixed to the wall, lending much more stability than a freestanding one.

 If you decide to install a handicap shower seat in your shower, make sure it is located near your removable showerhead and any shelves you use, so you can easily reach and use the showerhead and shower products without too much strain. It is also important to include grab-bars that are located in good, easy-to-reach positions in relationship to your seat, allowing you to help yourself in and out of the seat. A good idea is to put a chair in your shower and sit in it, noting the convenient locations for grab-bars. You should also put grab-bars at the entrance to the shower, to help the user get in and out.

 When choosing your handicap shower seat, there are many options available. There are small, barrier-free models that are little more than simple platforms. These range in size and material from wood to padding to simple plastic, but most fold up against the wall to free up space when not in use. There are also seats with arm support and even commode seats, which allow access to more areas of the body without having to shift your weight or stand up. Make sure you consider all your options and pick the shower seat that is right for your needs.