Shower Benches

We’ve all heard the saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When your weakest link is your back, mobility and safety become a major concern. Here are some suggestions to consider when dealing with a bad back.

1. A shower chair can give you support in the shower if you cannot stand for long periods.

2. Wearing skid resistant water shoes in to and out of the shower can prevent slipping. You can remove them to wash your feet and put them back on when finished showering.

3. There are grab bars designed specifically for getting up from the toilet. You can use your arms for the leverage necessary to get up from the toilet.

4. Gentle stretching each morning and evening can help your back muscles survive the day. No special equipment is needed—you can lie on the floor and loop a bath towel around one foot and the gently raise your leg toward the ceiling. (Remember to consult your doctor before starting any fitness regime.)

5. If your back is hurting, don’t wait to see your physician, chiropractor, or physical therapist. Not seeking medical attention can prolong recovery as your muscles begin to remember the wrong positions.

We hope these suggestions will help keep your back happy and healthy.

With five family members sharing a single bathroom, mornings can be rather hectic at my house. There is a constant stream of people coming in and out, putting privacy and space at a premium. On more than one occasion, I have been forced to brush my teeth while someone else was taking a shower.

Last fall my son broke his leg during football practice, and this only exacerbated the situation. One of the biggest obstacles was finding adequate time and space for him to take care of his morning routine in the bathroom. Luckily we were able to find a folding shower bench, so he was able to bathe comfortably and we could fold the bench and store it without much hassle.

The final qualification we will discuss for choosing your shower bench is whether or not you need a back on your bench.

Depending on your physical limitations, you may already know that you have to have a back on your shower chair. You may not have the stamina necessary to sit upright on the chair for long periods of time without a backrest, so you can eliminate all backless designs from the list you have already narrowed down due to style and materials, size, height adjustability, weight capacity, and portability.

For those just starting to slow down, a design with a removable back might be right for you. You’ll have a lightweight backless design now and can add the back for increased support later. This will resolve the issue of having to replace the chair in a few years due to your need for additional support—better for your wallet and for the environment!

We hope our ideas regarding the selection of a shower bench have helped you make an informed decision as to which shower safety bench is right for you. Come back to www.showerbenchesblog.com for fresh blogs several times each week.

Portability is the next feature we will discuss in choosing your shower bench. Do you plan to travel with your shower stool? Does your shower bench need to be moved from bathroom to bathroom? Do you have one bathroom that is used by a large family and you are the only one with a mobility issues?

Many shower chairs can fold for easy storage or to be packed in a large suitcase. Some have removable backs and arms. Many small shower stools weigh less than 6 pounds, which makes them easy to move from room to room. It is easy to stow the seat in a linen closet out of the way for the next bathroom user.

There are many portable shower bench options available, and those benches that are portable display the information prominently as it is a fantastic benefit. Unfortunately, I have not seen bariatric shower chairs that are foldable or extremely portable because the design needed to make them support 500-600 pounds simply cannot be compromised for storage and travel ease.

In the final installment of this blog series, we will discuss whether your shower bench needs a back.

The next consideration in choosing a shower bench is weight capacity. Everyday, the news is filled with stories of the obesity problem the United States is facing. More and more people are being affected by weight, and the health problems that invariably stem from being overweight such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and back and joint problems.

Shower chairs are described as bariatric if they are designed for people weighing over 400 pounds. Bariatrics is the field of medicine that offers treatment for overweight people. This treatment can entail diet and nutrition, exercise, behavior modification, lifestyle changes, and medications. Bariatrics also includes research into the causes of being overweight as well as prevention and treatment.

There are shower chairs designed and strength tested for up to 600 pounds. Thank goodness that larger folks are able to find the equipment they need to be able to get clean safely. Some styles are eliminated, as most bariatric shower chairs are the traditional hospital type, but I have seen some modern choices with weight capacities up to four hundred pounds. I have seen a few models with adjustable legs.

Please come back for Part 5 of our series where we’ll discuss portability and your shower chair.

A hardwood in the mint family, teak is one of the best known and most durable types of tropical wood. The wood can most often be found in many different parts of southeast and southern Asia. They are indicative of vegetation that thrives in a monsoon forest. By tree standards, they are very tall. As such, they range from 30 to 40 meters high. Generally speaking, there are three major types of teak: common teak, Dahat teak, and Philippine teak.

Dahat teak, in particular, is very rare. This version is only found in Burma, where it is considered an endangered species. Philippine teak is also confined to the Philippines and is endangered. Therefore, many of the common products, such as a teak shower seat or a teak bench, are made from Tectona grandis (common teak). While you can find this wood distributed throughout the world, it is most widely distributed in India along with Indo-China.

The third question that you need to answer when choosing your shower chair is: Do I need a shower chair that is height adjustable?

If you are the only person who will be using the shower chair, you probably do not need a height adjustable model. Simply look at the specifications on the website or on the packaging that displays the height and select a chair height that is most comfortable for you.

If multiple people will be using the same shower chair, you need to consider how tall each intended user is. My mother and father could not use the same fixed height shower bench because my mom is only 5’2” and my dad is over 6 feet tall. They would need to select a shower chair with at least a 6 inch adjustment for it to work for them. Luckily, height adjustable shower chairs come in many styles and materials and sizes, so that by now you will have narrowed your search further. Next time, we’ll discuss weight capacity as your next consideration in Part 4 of ‘How to Choose Your Shower Bench’

The second question that you need to answer when choosing a shower bench is what size is appropriate for how and where you will be using your shower chair.

It is very important to think about size in two different contexts when selecting your shower chair. First, are you putting the shower chair in a small stall shower, a shower/tub combination, or do you have a large oversized shower? A small shower stool is appropriately sized for a small stall shower. As your space gets larger, you can consider larger shower chairs with a back and arms. Remember that you still need to be able to move within the shower to get in and out. You do not want to be trapped by arms that you need to angle around to exit the shower. If you need the extra support of the arms and back, and have a small space you need to know the exact size shower you have to work with, which leads us to our second question.

What size is the shower chair you are considering? Any reputable dealer will prominently display all dimensions for the shower bench including width, height, and depth, either on their website or on their packaging. Be armed with your shower measurements when you shop so you can make an informed decision.

Please come back for Part 3 where we’ll discuss the need for height adjustability in your shower chair.

There are a lot of different styles of shower chairs, shower benches, and shower stools available. We have compiled a list of questions to ask yourself before selecting the seat that’s right for you. We will talk about some things to consider before you buy in a 6 part blog series.

What style shower bench are you looking for and what materials should make up its construction? There are two basic styles—traditional and modern. Each style is made with particular materials.

A traditional shower bench is made of aluminum legs with rubber tipped feet for stability. The chair portion is usually made of hard, smooth, molded plastic and can come in several colors. These shower chairs have an institutional style that you would expect to see in a hospital. They remind me of the chairs at my daughter’s pre-school—stout, sturdy, and all business.

A modern shower chair is highly stylized and is normally made of white molded plastic. There are still rubber tipped feet, but no metal legs to show water spots. Most modern shower benches offer adjustable legs. Design of the modern shower chair puts the fun in functional.

Come back again for Part 2 where we will discuss size and your shower chair decision.

The idea of a shower stool that has a swiveling seat is quite ingenious. You can enter the tub straight on without worrying about turning around to be seated after you’ve entered the tub. This greatly decreases your chances of a fall. You can simply sit down on the chair and then turn the seat and your body toward the faucet. It’s like a giant lazy Susan!

Also ingenious is the transfer bench with sliding mechanism. Even those of us without severe mobility issues can have trouble scooting across a plastic or upholstered seat. This is even harder when you are undressed and ready to bathe. Once you have moved from the wheelchair to the Snap-N-Save Sliding transfer bench, the seat can slide you on rails to the proper shower position. There is a strap for safety and the seat locks in place. You simply reverse the process to get back to your wheelchair.

Everyday new ideas come forth to make your bath safer and these are two great ones!