Bathroom Adaptations for Elderly and Disabled

At Lacey Plumbing & Heating, our bathroom adaptations, or as we call them ‘bath out, shower in’ are great for future proofing your home, are really beneficial for the elderly or if you have a disability where getting into a bath is becoming difficult.  

We can follow NHS and occupational health guidelines, ensuring you are safe and secure in your home. As products are changing over time, we can also provide a really stylish shower area or bathroom when making these changes to your home.

Which bathroom adaptations are best suited for the disabled?

The most popular choice for bathroom adaptations for the disabled is to have level access to features, such as showers, as they are the perfect solution to those with mobility issues. 

Common examples include walk-in showers, which don’t have a tray to step in or out of or have a very low profile tray. They are great for wheelchair users as they can enter or leave without any assistance.

Bathroom adaptations usually come with safety features too, such as:

• Grab rails
• Non-slip flooring
• Fixed seats
• Assistance poles

Which bathroom adaptations are best suited for the elderly?

Again, one of the most popular adaptations is the level access shower, which does not have a tray or has a very low profile tray, to make access extremely easy and safe. 

Wet rooms are also a great option to help maximise floor space for those in wheelchairs or require assistance whilst walking.

Popular safety features include:

• Assistance poles
• Grab rails 
• Shower seats
• Light fittings

Bathroom adaptations from Lacey Plumbing & Heating

At Lacey Plumbing & Heating, we can provide bathroom adaptations to suit your specific mobility requirements. 

Wet Rooms

Wet rooms are fully waterproofed bathrooms with a shower on the same level as the bathroom floor. The water drains away through a flush drain system in the shower area which our expert team will fit for you.

As the floor of the shower is completely level with the rest of the room, wet rooms are ideal for those suffering from mobility issues and they act as a great way to utilise space effectively. 

We can install wet rooms on both ground floors and upper levels of your home, ensuring that any pipework is discrete and out of your way.  We would need to carry out a full survey to ensure that your home is suitable for a wetroom. 

Walk-in Bath 

Walk-in baths are a great option if stepping over the side of a bath has become difficult or dangerous due to your mobility. They provide the traditional comfort of a lying down bath, but are much easier and safer to get into. 

The design of walk-in baths have opening doors that allow low-level easy access, as well as slip resistant surfaces to prevent the chances of any accidents happening. 

If you are considering installing a walk-in bath, we can fit one for you in the exact position as your old bath. We will change any alter any pipework necessary in order for you to enjoy your new bath without any issues.

Walk-in Shower

Walk-in showers (or bath out, shower in) allow you to have direct access to your shower without having to open or close doors, or step into it. This is our most popular type of installation as it is closer to a modern bathroom and we can make them look really stylish in your home. 

They are ideal for all users as they can be modified to suit all levels of mobility, helping to make your showering experience safer, and more enjoyable

A popular feature of these types of walk-in showers is to have wet wall panelling throughout the shower space and you can choose different styles and colours of panel and shower screen, along with modern fittings for your new shower.

We are finding that the majority of our customers choose this type of installation before they have any mobility issues. They start to plan these well in advance to future proof their homes. 

If you wish to change your bath/shower facilities into a walk-in shower, our plumbing and heating engineers can remove your old bath and arrange all the new plumbing and fittings for you, allowing you to use your new shower as soon as possible. 

How do I know if a bathroom adaptation is right for me?

Generally, if you are unable to use your bathroom facilities with ease or it has become dangerous for you to get in and out of your shower or bath, you could look into getting a bathroom adaptation. You might also be preparing for any future mobility issues. 

Some bathroom adaptations are covered by the ‘housing aid for older people’ grant scheme – you may be entitled to a grant to help cover some of the adaptation costs. However this may not be ideal, as it can have delays lasting over a year. 

If you are diasbled, you may be entitled to a disabled facilities grant to make changes to your bathroom. This can include improving facilities and adapting heating controls for ease of use. 

Help with bathroom adaptations 

You may be able to receive adaptations through a charity like Age Concern or even your Local Council so it’s worth getting in touch with them first. 

At Lacey Plumbing & Heating, we will offer the best rates for disabled users, ensuring we provide the best prices possible when adaptations are not covered by charities or local councils.