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Tips on Choosing Grab Bars for Your Bathroom
By Christina Mulberry
Like millions of individuals I provide care for my aging mother. She continues to live independently in her home, but I assist her in making it to her many medical appointments, help to assure that she follows any medical advice, and continually assess her needs and make adaptations to her home as warranted. We've obtained a medical alert system to help assure her safety when she is alone and have made numerous adaptations to her environment, especially in the bathroom. Installing grab bars was one of the precautions we took to reduce the chance of a fall. Grab bars are something that many people eventually have installed. They're fairly simple to install, affordable, and effective in helping to reduce the risk of falls in the bathroom; the site where the majority of falls occur. In my experience, there are two main types of grab bars. There are those that are installed permanently which are screwed into the studs of a wall and then there are those that you can merely attach with a large suction cup. Clearly, the advantages of those that are permanently installed is that they can hold more weight and that they will stay in place much more reliably. They offer the greatest security but are more expensive and require some skill in installing. The suction cup type grab bars are affordable as well as quick and easy to install. In most instances, I would recommend the permanent grab bars but for some individuals these bars suffice. My mother chose the suction cup type of grab bar for her bathroom. However, there are some precautions that I would recommend when using these. 1. Clean the wall or surface completely before installing these grab bars. When I first placed these in the shower, we found that they would loosen every few weeks making them unsafe to use. This defeats the purpose of the grab bar! However, when I went back and thoroughly cleaned and dried the wall, and then re-installed them, we experienced much better success in keeping the bars securely in place. 2. Be sure the entire suction cup is in contact with a flat surface. Attaching these bars to the wall is simple and straightforward. However, when placing them on a smaller surface, such as the ledge on a tub, you need to assure that the entire suction cup has contact with the surface to assure it maintains it's grip. This also holds true on tiled walls, where you need to avoid grout lines where the seal cannot be maintained. 3. When selecting a suction cup grab bar choose one with an indicator that lets the user know if it is still securely in place. A light can signal when suction is lost, this could certainly prevent an accident. Without an indicator, the bar should be tested routinely. 4. The ability to reattach the bars is important. If the grab bar has an indicator or the individual tests it before using, then accidents should be avoided. However, if the individual is unable to reattach the bar, it's still not very useful. I would recommend that these bars should be used only if the person is capable of resetting them if necessary or that someone is routinely in the home to do it for them. In summary, I would say that grab bars are a good investment for anyone at risk for falls; for individuals who have poor balance, reduced strength, or range of motion. In general, I would recommend the grab bars that are permanently installed into the wall or side of the tub versus the suction cup style bars for the best security. If cost is an important factor however, the suction cup grab bars can be considered as long as precautions are observed to assure they are kept securely in place. |
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I have wondered if those suction grab bars work. If they came loose, it would be a disaster for the person holding onto it. I didn't realize some of them have an indicator. That's a big help. I think grab bars should be standard in all showers and baths. Small children, pregnant women, or anyone with a balance problem would benefit. Even slipping on a bar of soap would make you lose your balance, and having a grab bar would save you from a serious fall.
You are doing a fantastic job caring for your mother! More power to you. In my case, I could use a grab bar here and there when I need to shower after having had one too many (or ten too many) vodkas.
Great information, Christina. If you use a battery powered Stud-finder you can locate the studs behind the tub walls. This will then allow you to attach the grab bars with stainless steel screws.
Thank you for sharing.
Best to you.
Frederick
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This intel was contributed by mulberry
mulberry
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February, 2012
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