Accessible Bathrooms: For the Elderly, Wheelchair Users & Disability-Friendly | Duravit
Accessible Bathroom: For the Elderly, Wheelchair Users & Disability-Friendly
Knowledge
Comfort and convenience are
important bathroom design elements – and everyone should benefit from them
equally. Accessible
bathrooms make this possible. Everyone can use an accessible bathroom,
including those with limited mobility caused by issues related to old age, for
example, or because they use a wheelchair. In accessible bathrooms, potential obstacles for
these users have been removed. But what are some key considerations when
planning an accessible
bathroom? What elements make a bathroom accessible? We have gathered all of the relevant
information for you below.
Adequate space:
Providing space makes it
possible to maneuver a walker or wheelchair and allows enough room for a second
person to come in and provide support if necessary. An accessible bathroom is still possible in a small room, but it will
require detailed planning.
Grab bars or support rails:
In addition to providing support for standing, sitting down and getting back up again, they can also help the visually impaired orient themselves within the room. Make sure that these support handles can hold a person's entire bodyweight, and make sure they are anchored with this in mind.
Remove or reduce thresholds and entry barriers:
If possible, doors should
not have a threshold at all. Even in an accessible bathroom with a shower or a bathtub, thresholds should be
avoided altogether whenever possible. Alternatively, aids will be needed at the
entrance.
Non-slip flooring:
This reduces the risk of falls in
the bathroom in general, and in the shower or bathtub in particular.
Bright lighting:
An accessible bathroom needs to have good
lighting. Providing a high degree of contrast should be taken into account in
order to make shapes and outlines easier to see.
Everything within easy reach:
It's not just the necessary bathroom items that should be within easy reach in an accessible bathroom, but also the light switches, outlets, door handles, and faucets.
Appropriate doors and door areas:
Doors in accessible bathrooms
should open outward. This ensures that the door won't be blocked in the event
of a fall. The door should also be easy to open. In addition, there needs to be
enough space behind and in front of the door for maneuvering a walker or a
wheelchair.
Our tipp:
Shower toilets in particular are recommended for accessible bathrooms. The
ease of use prevents potential difficulties – such as those caused by impaired
motor function, for example – when using the toilet, and the high level of
hygiene is an added bonus. Everyone else who uses the accessible bathroom will also benefit from
the increased hygiene in addition to the general comfort and convenience of a
shower toilet.
