Senior-friendly bathroom remodel?

My dream bathroom would be a complete wet room that is 100% accessible for anyone in a wheelchair. In my opinion an adjustable height shower chair is superior to any built ins, get something with a back and arms too. Put a diagonal bar or an L shaped bar on the back wall and a horizontal bar at the entrance, my mom was always looking for something to hold by the taps so maybe a small bar there too above the taps. Bigger/longer is always better and also more flexible. There are recommended heights but we just placed the shower chair and eyeballed the most logical positions. A hand held shower on a slide bar is a wonderful feature. 3M makes inexpensive no slip shower strips.

Toilet height is going to depend on how tall someone is, instead of opting for a higher toilet may people just use an extension or place a commode over the toilet with portable arms. Grab bars there can be a problem if walls are not withing easy reach, there are nifty systems available that attach on either side of the toilet and can fold up against the wall or very nice looking grab bars the can double as towel bars, don't make the mistake of placing a regular towel bar anywhere that it might be used as a grab bar since they are not sturdy enough. And of course finding studs is always a problem if you are not planning on opening the walls. One thing that was invaluable for me once I was assisting mom was something for her to grab directly in front of the toilet, I purchased a Superpole with a swing arm because there was no wall available.

Make sure your door is wide enough for a walker or wheelchair. Think of anti slip flooring. I opted for a normal pedestal sink as being multifunctional, a wall hung sink would have been better but also much more expensive.

Someone told me to imagine starting to fall in the tub, and where you instinctively put your hands to catch yourself would be a good place to put a grab bar.

I would put a grab bar vertically at the shower entrance and another horizontally along the back wall.

We got the "tallest " toilet that is on the market, but my mom still needs an extender.

A shower head with a removable spray nozzle is a huge help if you're going to have to bathe someone else.

Regardning the chair...one that's attached is more stable; but being able to move the chair is convenient too, especially if you don't have the shower spray nozzle.

If you can: consider widening the door (s) to the bathroom, so you can at least get a walker comfortably into the bathroom. If not, consider grab bars going into the bathroom along the walkway.

My mom has all kinds of safety equipment IN her shower, but nothing to help her GET into the shower, if you know what I mean.

I'm popping back in to mention that you should include some kind of accessory heating in your plans, even smaller bathrooms can feel chilly, especially to older people.

I had a shower put in my powder room. Worked because my laundry room was next to it.

I had a great contractor who had done many bathrooms. Because Mom would need to sit to have a shower, the bar on the wall was just at sitting level but high enough when she stood she could still hold on. This bar ran horizontally. There was a vertical bar she could grab on to going into the shower. The shower itself has a 2 or 3 inch lip. They do make them floor level. I use a shower curtain. It has been discussed before that doors maybe dangerous because people tend to hold on to the towel rack/handle which is not made to support weight.

I also chose to only have one set of shelves in the corner of the wall where the shower head is. I was afraid Mom would slip backwards and hit her head on the other set of shelves. It was recommended that no bench be installed. The contractor said people had complained they couldn't get to their backs to wash. I had a shower chair for Mom. I also had a handheld shower head. What is nice now is that you can get the regular shower head and the handheld in one. There is a knob where you can shut off one to use the other.

Toilet, I am short and have both a high one and short one in my house. The short one is nice because my feet touch the ground which with the higher toilet, just my toes. It is harder, though, getting up from the shorter one which was already in the bath I had the shower installed. I did need to get a high riser for that toilet. Found one where the seat was hinged for easy cleaning and was able to be permanent. You need to watch high risers that don't connect with arms. They tend not to be stable. Hopefully, they are obsolete by now. Our clients never liked them. We always recommended commodes over the toilet for people needing stability and arms.

Counters are pretty standard. At my Moms AL there were no cabinets under her sink so a wheelchair could be pushed under the sink. That, to me, would be where the height would make a difference. In my family its short me battling against a 5ft 10 DH. He is always putting things at his height forgetting about me.

I put in an entirely new bath.  I did not go with built in shower seat, so now a roll in chair can go in.  At first, mom used freestanding, but now transferring is not easy, so I would rather move her into roll in shower chair in her room and wheel her in.

OK . .here's my list:

Two separate shower mixers in a curbless shower. One 3' high and the other adujustable higher. Bench or chair.

Wall hung toliet - make to ADA height (this makes it very easy to clean under it, or place a commode .

GFI near toliet -Toliet seat washlet (bidet sort of)

Floating vanity cabinets. Foot, walker and wheelchair clearence underneath.

36" wide or wider entrance to area.

Sinks should have single lever misers that can be pushed with hand, instead of grabbing (for arthritis or shakes)

Space for tall closable trash bin for diaper disposal.

Open shelving storage for easy to reach needed items.

Oh bless you! Bless you for thinking this through BEFORE you go ahead and have the work done - trust me, you would not believe how often it seems not to occur to people that such might be a good idea.

To determine the position, height and type of grab rails/bars, walk it through pretending you are your various seniors. Where does your hand naturally want to be? When you're showering, and perhaps having to balance, what will you hold tight to? Will you be able to install a drop-down shower chair? For all of these items, you also need to be sure that the walls/floors they will be fixed to are of strong enough construction. The freestanding ones do come in very sturdy design; their other advantage is that they can easily be positioned to suit a person's needs - one-sided weakness after a stroke, for example, or having to keep one leg out of the water, or needing a caregiver to wield the shower head. When looking online, try to match the choice to the person's build and bottom and do not be tempted by false economies. A forgiving surface to the seat is important too: arthritic or recently repaired hips make hard plastic extremely uncomfortable to sit on.

"Comfort height" toilets are ideal UNLESS you have a preponderance of tiny frail ladies. Dangling feet do not make such a lady feel very secure, nor are they any joke if one is constipated. You can get those steps that toddlers use when they're brushing their teeth, though, which would solve that problem.

Anticipating dementia: taps should look like taps (faucets, I mean). Not dolphins, nor brutalist stainless steel bars, nor "look no hands" magic props. And it should be easy to see which is Hot and which Cold.

Handbasins should be large enough, and have ample shelf space for: soap, 2 x flannels, nail brush, razor, shaving brush, plastic mug for rinsing after dental care.
Ideally, there should be space under the basin for the person to be able to sit comfortably using a perching stool.

The floor should be non slip.

The lighting should be really good.

There must be ample towel hanging space.

What range of seniors are you catering for, if you don't mind my asking? Any significant existing mobility or health issues?

grab bars in the shower, and one outside the shower. ask a social worker to come by and help with these questions. side diaganol near the shower head, straight on when you enter. take into consideration your person. How tall they are, what is their mobility, etc.
a portable shower seat... some geriatrics feel free to poop in the shower... and is more comfortable for them when dementia hits.
so a porta potty shower seat with open "seating" may be considered.
Do not put grab bars on the floor of the shower. That doesn't do anyone any good.. (joke)
Maybe a grab rail to transfer from shower to bathroom counter would be good.
Take into consideration how big this bathroom is, how long this person will be there, and able to transition from sink, to toilet, to shower on his/her own. Are these good for a healthcare person to help patient utilize them..

YOu may consider a wheelchair accessible shower.... geez.. I didn't think of that..

so many things... you just may want to take a tour of senior homes in your area to get an idea of what may or may not work for you.

If your father is significantly taller than most people who use it, a practical answer might be an over-toilet frame with built-in raised seat. Let me see if I can see an actual product...

There are many. They are called "free standing toilet frame with raised seat."

The reason I am so happy when I see these is that:

they are height-adjustable
they are easy to clean
they are easy to remove
they are easy to put back again
they have good sturdy handles, and their stability is aided by the person's own weight
and, not least, because the inside of the raised seat sits below the actual toilet rim, there are no opportunities for, um, spillage shall we say.

Their only real drawback is where to put them when someone's using the bathroom who doesn't like sitting on it. But they're not heavy, and they fit easily enough in a standard shower cubicle while the loo is being cleaned, for example.

There is one other drawback, now I think of it: reaching behind oneself for personal care is difficult because of the limited space between person and raised seat; but as long as the person is able to stand and balance with one hand he'll be okay.

I would suggest that you talk with your plumber and have the type
used by most hotels and motels with the anti scald regulator on it. It will prevent the water temp being turn up whether by accident or intentionally.
They are cheap but really do work and you can still have your dishwasher at a higher temp if you like.
I was looking into one of these for my Luz. She only knew to turn the handle fully right or fully left. I did get in some jogging exercise when she would yell.
But she quit using the shower and used the step in tub only. And she loved that thing.

Hello. I saw your post, and figured i would put some of my knowledge in.. i do home remodeling for a living.
I dont believe the grab bar for the shower has a requirement on the angle. Ive always done them at an angle. It feels more natural to grab. The important part is that it is screwed into the studs. Usually there is one on the back wall. Id also make sure things like toilet paper holder and towel holder are into studs. They usuallly just put them in drywall and they will rip right out.
The heights for toilet seats are pretty standardized. I think they have 2, maybe 3 sizes.. the taller is usually preffered since its easier to get up. Usually another grab bar is put in the wall next to the toilet.. another thing thats over looked alot is ADA compliant doors. Wheelchair accessable. If the doorway isnt at least 32, might as well do it now.
I dont know much about the shower seats.. if you have a little space, id have the tile guy build a permant seat in a corner.
A few other things.. when my dad was in facilities, i noticed they had something wrapped around any plumbimg from the walls, i wasnt sure if it was so they didnt hit their head on it, or if its tamper-resisitance. Take a little time to look at some light switches. They have tons now-a-days, built in night-light, motion activated, some have phone chargers in them.. and outlets by the toilet are getting really popular... Check out "slow close" hinges for cahinets and the toilet seat, so you wont hear slammig doors in the middle of the night

With motion-detector lights, I HATE ours. I can't take a long bath at night anymore. And if your LO is in a wheelchair, motion-detector lights will consider the bathroom empty at all times. The detector is usually in the switch. I'd just make sure the grab bars are at the right height. And if your LO ever takes baths or you do a seat will interfere with that. Hand-held spouts are terrific.

I used to work for a builder. One thing to keep in mind is that you need space to turn a wheelchair. If I recall, our ADA-compliant bathrooms had a 60" circle drawn in the bathroom floorplans to allow for wheelchair turning space.

If u can’t find a high enough toilet we built a small platform 3-4inches off the tile Floor around our toilet. It sits between a wall and our shower so the area isn’t more than maybe 3x3 at most with the cutout circle for the drain/sewer line (sorry I am not technical) We put a grab bar set around it so my dad could grab if needed Didn’t want to use seat adjuster cushion because we only had one bathroom for everyone in home to use. We just used some plywood For the base/platform and covered it up with peel off vinyl tile squares. I believe there’s just a pvc extension pipe that connects the toilet down to the drain. The toilet sits securely in the platform and taller person can use it without much effort to sit and stand. We have squatty potty available so shorter people don’t have feet hanging. Since my dad was the one with a hip fracture and he’s 6’2” we wanted him to easily use it without all of us sitting on an raised extension cushion.

Thank you for planning ahead! As a rehabilitation specialist I occasionally worked with an architect who designed ADA home modifications for people with disabilities. When it came time to design the bathrooms in our home that would accommodate our mothers I had the benefit of his knowledge, as well as my own regarding ADA. My husband’s mom is a tall, big-boned woman who uses a wheelchair. My mom, 5’2’ and able to walk independently, although she uses a walker for longer distances (she tries to walk at least 1/4 mile daily). We installed a higher toilet, which worked for both. Also, zero-entry showers, large enough to allow an attendant’s help. Grab bars positioned horizontally, with (our nephew) an OT’s advice after evaluating both women. We found that both could use pedestal sinks comfortably, so these were installed. Rather than put in a shower seat, we use freestanding shower chairs. Also, freestanding toilet papers holders so they can access them however they need. Adjustable shower wands (some family members are really tall, others, really short) We did three bathrooms in a similar fashion, including our master because we are getting up there, and although in excellent health, we wanted our home to be comfortable for us as we age, and forfamily and friends. Additionally, the U-Shaped kitchen accommodates with plenty of wheelchair turnaround space, drawers for plates, etc so our moms can help unload (and load too) the dishwasher and put items away easily. Nothing looks institutional, as the bathrooms are nearly wet rooms tiled beautifully and the doorways are 36” wide in one suite. We used rocker switches instead of motion lights since those can light up inappropriately. Our home is a new build and our builder was very responsive to the design. My suggestion would be to consult ADA regs and an Occupational Therapist to meet your particular needs.

I put in a bidet toilet seat attachment for cleansing and consider it essential in my situation with a senior. Have a wand attachment for your shower for spot showers and bird baths and have it hanging on the side, low, within easy reach, and it must have its own on/off control. I put a tension shower rod across my bathing space which I use to hang bath brushes (on plastic S-hooks), shampoos, body wash, everything is handy, plus the shower cleaners, as well as a washable receptacle for soap, toothbrushes, etc.

My suggestion is place the toilet paper in front of the toilet if possible. It can be hard to get to on the sides for people with stiff shoulders or shoulder damages. Some of the fancy stand-alone holders have a place to put the roll in use also.

They sell ADA compliant toilets which is all they have (they are slightly higher than regular toilets) but my counter top is close enough to also serve as a means to help get up. Another grab bar was installed next to the toilet as well. you need grab bar to help get in and out of the shower (larger vertical type), and some horizontal ones for being IN the shower as well to help get up. and you need a shower chair. Those are pretty cheap you can get a Wal-Mart and a hand-held shower head.

Standing showers are absolutely God sent.

Here is what I would suggest after being a decorator for many years and living in AL for 4 years:
1: Grab bars in the shower on all three sides at a comfortable height. I am short, so the usual ADA height works fine for me and also worked for my husband who was 5'10".
2. Tile the entire floor so that you don't have to have either a lip or a squashable rubber thing at the entrance to the shower. I absolutely hate our shower because of this little thing you have to step over. Even though it was designed to allow someone to push a wheelchair over it, if you are walking into the shower it is easy to trip. There are also grooves in the floor of it for drainage. Unsafe. You can have your floor drain so that any water drains into the shower area, but the entire floor should slope slightly in this direction so that water from the shower doesn't run out while using OR CLEANING the shower. My brother actually built a guest shower this way in his beach home, and I love it!
3. There is a shower chair called Carousel that will swivel and glide. This is especially helpful if you are trying to bathe someone else. They just sit down in it facing outward. Then you push one button to glide them into the shower and another to then turn them a quarter turn to be facing the back or front of the shower. It's expensive, about $300, but worth every penny.
4. In our bathroom, we have a sink with no drawers underneath, but instead to the
side. The counter is long enough so that not only can I put a small free standing set of drawers the same color as the wood (Walmart), but there is enough room on the countertop to hold kleenex, lotion, etc. I even put a locking, 3 drawer, attractive, small filing cabinet underneath as well to hold my jewelry and other important things since theft is ALWAYS a problem in ALL the ALs. If you don't want to put it in the bathroom, it fits easily in a closet or little corner somewhere. Look at The Container Store for this and other organizational things.

5. There are some very attractive medicine cabinets with a mirrored front, or no mirror, that are available at Home Depot or online. This has been a life saver for me. I put all my medicines, hair spray, bandaids, and other things at a very handy level and yet out of sight. Also, since the cabinet is on a right angle wall to the left, I can open the mirrored door and see the back and sides of my hair when I am brushing so that I don't walk out with the "rat's nest" in the back I see on so many older women!
6.I love the heater in the ceiling right outside the shower. It's on a 30 minute timer, and even with the 9 ft ceiling, I can still feel the warm air when I am sitting in my chair to apply makeup.
7. If you go with a pedestal sink, which is OK if you HAVE to, but you will really miss your storage, especially for a woman. There are corner shelves you can buy at Home Depot for the essentials, but it's not the same as having drawers.
8. There are two grab bars by the toilet, one in back, (which I have never understood), and one on the side wall. While you can also use this side bar for hanging a towel, you will probably like a towel bar above it or at least on another wall. The placement of all the bars is regulated by the ADA requirements in commercial facilities, but you can do what you want in your home.
9. In my bathroom, there is a recessed area next to the rear of the shower with several shelves. This is wonderful for extra towels, diapers, bathmats, and anything else you need to keep close by. There is space underneath for a clothes basket for dirty clothes, or in my case, for my kitty's litter box! Hidden away from guests!
10. Make sure you have the door opening wide enough for a wheelchair. I would do 36". I have a friend who moved into Independent Living and promptly ran into the door frame while in her wheelchair and caused severe damage to her legs that she is still dealing with after 1 year.
11. The shower we have is a plastic one piece prefab. Terrible.

As an amputee - bilateral - I use my wheelchair in the bathroom. We moved into this house 3 weeks before I got sick, resulting in my amputations. Here is what works, and what doesn't.

Our toilet is inside a small cubbyhole in the bathroom, which allows for grab bars on both sides of toilet. The vertical grab bars are positioned on to the front of toilet, to the side. I can use the grab bars to transfer off my chair onto the toilet, and vice versa. Horizontal bars would not work. I need to be able to pull myself forward to transfer either way. When I am in my prosthetics, I grab the bars as a aid in sitting or standing.

Horizontal bars would not work for me. Horizontal bars work for balancing, not for help sitting or standing. Perhaps diagonal bars are a compromise between vertical and horizontal. For me, they are the worst choice, as they don't work well either way.

We installed a bidet on top of the original seat. This works really well. I'm vey pleased with using a bidet.

My husband had to take the door off the bathroom so I could get the chair through. We need a wider door frame.

Our shower is a long tiled rectangle with the shower head at the back. It has a step over lip at the front "entrance." The shower handle is at the side halfway between the front and back, on the wall. Love being able to reach the shower handle without being under the shower head. We put a chair in the entrance with a movable seat. I transfer to the chair, move the seat into the shower, then use the faucet which is nicely within reach. I use a hand-held shower head with a long hose. We have a small built-in shelf for soap, etc. This works, but I would prefer a no-lip shower so I could transfer to a seat inside the shower. If I had water-resistant prosthetics, I would have grab bars on both sides of the shower, minimally. I like vertical bars, as mentioned above. I am a bit mystified by grab bars behind a seat, either a shower seat or a toilet seat. Perhaps useful in certain configurations when sitting down, but useless when standing.

Our sinks are too high. They are placed inside a cabinet with doors, which is ok, though I would like to be able to get my chair under the sink. Shelves with no doors that get in the way would be much better. Also, shelves accessible from either my chair or standing in my prosthetics would be better.

I like the previous suggestion of "no doors." Doors are difficult for me, at best. I do like door frames, though. They give me a place to grab when I need a rest or when I need extra help with a turn from my chair.

Hope this helps.

I just did an on-line search for ADA Guidelines and found the actual guidelines as well as some "blog-type" articles about how to use these in a home. They an be overwhelming, so don't get bogged down in the details. There are also dealers who specialize in the ADA compliant equipment that you need--that is a separate search. It is amazing what is available and many come in several options for finishes.
My best advice is to contract with a remodeling company that has done a lot of ADA compliant remodels or original builds. Ask to see pictures and a list of people for whom they have done this that will allow you to contact them.

We remodeled the bathrooms in my parents' house and found toilet paper holders that had built-in grab bars. What a find! The bathrooms are so tight that there was no room for full-sized bars next to the toilets, so we bought Delta Faucet DF704PC toilet paper holders.

Also, we bought a shower/bath faucet set for the shower and installed the bathtub faucet about a foot above the shower floor. The intent was to make it easier to wash feet or give a sponge bath without drenching the person from above with the shower or having to wrestle with a hand-held shower. We never got to use that shower as my dad died and my mother had to move to a nursing home, but it seemed like a good idea, especially for my mom who absolutely hates being showered.

- An automatic soft night light that they cannot turn off ( can automatically increase when movement, until they find proper light switch)
- An emergency light in case power goes out. ( happened at my mom's and bathroom with no window, became total blackout enen during day time ! Some residents who were in their bathroom got injured trying to find way out, easily desoriented ..)
- Little strap to keep shower curtain open and attached to the wall when not in use , so thay are not tempted to hold on to it as it will not and they may fall into bathtub.
- No sharp edges on vanity
- No free standing pedestal sink, may not be solid enough to hold on too in case of a fall.
- No busy motifs if wallpaper
- Contrast between appliances and wall, ( hard to see contour of all white toilet on all white wall and all white floor.

I have a handheld shower head and the pole is an ADA grab bar. My bathroom floor is one continuous tile into the shower, no lip or edge. It is graded but when your contractor does it tell him to go deeper than required. Our shower water still gets under the glass door even tho the tile tile slants down toward drain. Definately need a towel bar at far e.d of shower, which works if your shower is the tub length. Also, a grab bar opposite the glass door/shower exit. Also, you could skip the door if you put a full tile wall at shower end, still leaving the floor a continuous flow. Think ahead a d leave room for a shower chair, maybe a wheelchair. Also, fill out medicare paperwork forst so you can get reimbursed!!! The built in shower seats are never the right ht and they are not sanitary. Toilet risers are ok. Get the tallest toilet to start with if your person is at least 5'5 otherwise go with the shorter toilet and get a 2" riser when/if needed.

Looking forward to your answers! We are doing the same thing! Just ordered a shower to replace tub.

Imho, would it be worth it to do a walk-in shower since the "senior" will age?
Comfort height toilets are 17 to 19" high.
Standard bathroom countertop=31".

My DW and I upgraded two of our 3 bathrooms in the spring of 2018. The bathroom in the Master BR was built to be friendly to the handicapped. We have three children currently at home 2 adults college age, and a 13 yr old.
The master bedroom has been changed from a combo shower/tub to a stand up shower with just a small step of about 4 inches to help from water flooding the floor. We tore down the drywall and made the shower area walls with a really good tile, with accent around the three sides of the shower, and tile on the floor.
Our contractor knew that I had Muscular Dystrophy as well as Early onset ALZ. He suggested we put in a built in Teak Shower Seat mounted to the end wall and two Horizontal Grab Bars, one 18 inches on the front wall just below the shower faucet and one on the right hand sidewall that was three feet long.
There have been approximately 4x that the grab bars and shower seat saved the day, as I was home alone. I'd suggest all seniors and disabled people that have the means to pay for the remodeling make those changes for yourself and loved ones who may have to come to the rescue.
The remodeling of these bathrooms have not only saved me from myself, but have been worth every penny spent, and we enjoy our remodeled bathroom, and our children are happy with the remodeling job done on their bathroom. The toilet is 19 inches tall from floor to the top of the toilet seat. I hope this is helpful.
The vanity has a marble top and stands about 3.5 ft above the floor.

Make the shower do you can wheel in a wheelchair. Flat entrance , no lip.

i thought my shower was a nice senior shower but when I had my 80 year old mom she could barley step over the 3” high entrance to the shower.