Universal Design Bathtubs and Showers

Summary

There are also good business reasons for Universal Design. Such features in bathrooms, for example, can give homes a competitive edge in the market by addressing the increasing demand for accessible living environments by today's homeowners. Bathtub features such as fold down or integrated seats, built-in lifts, doors on bathtubs, soft padded surfaces, and roll-in or transfer shower modules provide accessible bathing environments that can be used by any members of the household, not just those with physical disabilities. An investment in Universal Design can make your homes stand out from the rest by adding value that today's homebuyers appreciate.

Details

The percentage of senior citizens has almost doubled since 1950, and approximately 49 million Americans have some type of disability. These groups represent the two fastest growing population segments. Designers and manufacturers recognize the demands of these population segments and are creating spaces and products to accommodate them. One of the most important places for Universal Design features is the bathing area.

Kohler has a range of tubs and showers, such as a bathtub with a built-in door, which not only accommodates a person with a wheelchair, but gives a walking person the option of not climbing over the edge. The bathtub floor is 8" to 20" for easy transfer directly onto the bathtub floor. This innovation also allows one to clean the bathtub or bathe a child or a pet without kneeling on the floor. Freedom Bath makes a whirlpool tub with an automatic sliding wall. These door designs include gasketed joints to seal in water.

Kohler and Aqua Glass manufacture molded bathtubs with seats integrated right into the tub. Fold-down seats offer the user extra space should they not need to sit up high. Bathtubs with built-in lifts provide some independence for many who would depend on caretakers or home attendants to help them bathe, or allow a single caretaker instead of two to help a person into the tub. A soft bathtub, by International Cushioned Products (ICP), is an option to conventional hard plastic, vitreous china, or metal, and can prevent or reduce injury from a fall. It is made of elastomeric material covering a foam shape lined over a fiberglass inner shell. Its softness and heat-retaining properties increase comfort.

A versatile shower that accommodates both the able bodied and those in wheelchairs is the "transfer shower." This can be built from individual components or purchased as a completemodule with a seat, grab bars, and controls. Integral or fold-up seats are available, and threshold-less designs allow easiest access. At 36" x 36", the advantage to the transfer shower is its precise dimensions to provide support and control within the user's reach at all times, and its sense of enclosed privacy. Transfer shower modules are available from most of the large manufacturers including Kohler. Aqua Bath has a shower enclosure with an integral seat and non-slip surfaces that is made to retrofit a standard tub via a kit-of-parts system.

Roll-in showers allow a wheelchair user to bathe without transferring to a shower seat. Although the user must first transfer from a wheelchair to a rolling shower chair, it is often easier than transferring inside the more restrictive shower enclosure itself. Some shower chair designs require an assistant to move a person in and out of the shower. Roll-in showers are at least 30" x 60", with 48" x 60" being preferable. With its large size, a roll-in shower may have added convenience and aesthetic appeal to the able-bodied market as well. Roll-in and transfer shower modules are available from Kohler as well as most of the large manufacturers. Kohler's barrier-free shower doors retract and pivot to provide unobstructed access. Eliminating the bottom track and the header bar makes shower entry easier for everyone. Tub Master has a shower door with no threshold but a flexible vinyl water barrier to dam the water but allow easy wheelchair passage. Otto Bock Rehab manufactures shower chairs.

Installation

These tub and shower modules are usually the same size as conventional tubs, allowing easy retrofit and space planning for new construction. Tubs with lifts require equipment clearance below or and elevated installation, as well as electrical service. Threshold-less shower applications require waterproofing the adjacent area, and may call for sloping the whole floor toward the shower drain. The addition of grab bars and seats will require structural blocking in the walls.

Benefits/Costs

While the price of some accessible features can be high, many are available for modest cost. Accessible fixtures are not required by code or law, but such features should appeal to many homebuyers, adding value and marketability to the home.

Limitations

Accessible features may be perceived as not being cost-effective.

Code/Regulatory

Federal guidelines require clear floorspace in front of bathroom fixtures to provide accessibility for people in wheelchairs. However, there are no requirements for accessible bathing fixtures.

Three Federal laws include information relating to accessible bathrooms: The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) references the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and covers buildings built or operated by federal funding. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) includes legislation that applies to all housing built or operated using state and local government programs or funds. The Fair Housing Act (FHA) applies to all multi-family housing with four ormore units built for first occupancy after March 13, 1991.

These regulations reference the ANSI A117.1 Standards for Usable and Accessible Buildings and Facilities. Potential inconsistencies between the regulations is being addressed through research.

Availability

Many manufacturers have accessible bathing fixtures and accessories widely available through distributor stock.

Contact(s)

Do you have a specific question about this technology and/or its 'real life' applications? Try the contacts listed below:

The Center for Inclusive Design & Environmental Access
School of Architecture and Planning
State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14214-3087
716-829-3485

Center for Universal Design
North Carolina State University
School of Design
Box 8613
Raleigh, NC 27695-8613
919-515-8556
http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud

Association for Safe and Accessible Products (ASAP)
c/o SWA
50 Washington Street
Norwalk, CT 06854
203-857-0200
ASAPCT@aol.com

The National Kitchen and Bath Association
687 Willow Grove Street
Hackettstown, New Jersey 07840
908-852-0033
http://www.nkba.org

Shelley Siegel, ASID
Accessible Interior Network
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334
954-491-6075
http://www.accessible-interiors.com

Kohler Co.
444 Highland Dr.
Kohler WI 53044
800-4-KOHLER
 

Aqua Bath Co
Linido USA
1090 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37404
800-698-4504
http://www.ottobock.com

Tub-Master Corporation
413 Virginia Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
407-898-2881
http://www.tub-master.com

Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry, Inc.
3000 Xenium Lane North
Minneapolis, MN 55441
800-328-4058
http://www.ottobock.com