Handicap Shower Seats

It's important to realize that handicap shower seats are a necessary addition to handicap showers for a variety of reasons which we'll look at here in this article.

Users will appreciate the extra information and hopefully this will help those who do not actually need to use them but are close to someone who does will better appreciate the need for this highly necessary item of handicap bathroom accessories.

Strength and Robustness

Firstly, this type of seat by necessity will be built to be strong and robust. It will be able to take excessive weight without collapsing and will be durable and resistant to corrosion.

Most good quality handicap shower seating will be made this way and for this reason it's advisable if you are having a new handicap shower installed to make sure you opt for the best quality you can afford. It also has to be said here that you should be wary of cheap imports as they do exist and while they may look OK, chances are they will be of inferior quality and could collapse under the weight of a heavier person.

Different Sizes for Different Folks

Next, if you're wondering why these chairs need to be able to accept greater weights, it's a sad fact that many people with disabilities who are limited with regards to mobility tend to become overweight.

This is generally caused by their inability to exercise in the same way that able bodied people can (even though plenty do not).

However, everyone is different and there are plenty of folks with limited mobility who are either at their correct weight or even underweight, so you can't really generalize here.

So to the main use of handicapped shower seats by people that need them.

When Standing is Not an Option

A large number of people with disabilities are not able to take a regular shower standing up for a variety of reasons.

For this reason, the specially adapted seat fills the void by enabling, say a wheelchair user to easily transfer from the wheel chair to the seat to take a shower with dignity and comfort.

The same goes for anyone who cannot stand for long enough to enjoy showering in full. This would include the elderly or those with debilitating physical conditions such as arthritis or muscle wasting conditions, MS, Parkinson's disease etc or those that have had partial or full leg amputations.

OK, it's hard to talk about certain conditions, but the truth is that they exist and cannot be swept under the carpet, so we're not pulling any punches here and prefer to tell it like it is.

Along with the convenience and necessity of a specially made seat installed in a specially adapted or designed handicap shower stall, there also should be sufficient hand rails to help the user move about safely inside the shower enclosure. They are an absolute necessity for transferring to and from a wheelchair safely and for the same reasons as mentioned above they should be very strong and well anchored into the walls of the enclosure so even very heavy people can use them safely.

At the end of the day, this handicapped bathroom design accessory is an absolute must to enable the user to enjoy showering unassisted where possible, with comfort, ease and above all with dignity.


Originally posted: October 20, 2009

[BACK TO TOP]