What Are the Best Walk in Tubs?

What Are the Best Walk in Tubs?

By Jeremy Allen
|
May 04, 2023
Walk-in bathtub with elderly and handicapped accessibility. There is a vanity sink with mirrors on the right and shower stall with frosted glass and aluminum frames.
Photo Courtesy: Adobe Images

Baths can be an enjoyable way to unwind and improve overall health, relieving pain while relaxing muscles. Walk in tubs are especially convenient for people with mobility issues who wish to take advantage of them without fear of falling or hurting themselves during their bath experience.

Walk in tubs are equipped with many safety features that can reduce your fall risk and save on hospital costs, including low threshold entryways and grab bars. These features may help decrease falls risk while saving on hospital bills.

Benefits

Bathing is an integral component of maintaining healthy skin. Dry skin can lead to irritation and other health issues, so taking a warm bath may provide soothing relief from eczema or other dry skin conditions.

Regular baths in a walk in tub can improve overall health and well-being, such as enhanced immune function, improved heart health, and lower blood pressure. Among its other advantages, relaxing soaks offer several other advantages as well. These benefits can include improved immune function, heart health benefits and decreased blood pressure levels.

A walk in tub can also help relieve stress throughout your day, leading to more productive workdays and overall improved sense of well-being.

Individuals with limited mobility or joint pain or stiffness can find great solace in hydrotherapy in a walk in tub. Hydrotherapy helps relieve tension and pain, enhance circulation, and increase mobility.

Safety features are an essential aspect of any walk in tub, including its ADA-compliant design and anti-slip flooring. Furthermore, many walk in tubs feature low thresholds to allow easy entry. Some models even feature wide doors to facilitate transfer from wheelchairs or other devices.

Safety First

Safety should always be of primary concern when purchasing a walk in tub, and many models feature built-in features designed to make bathing safer and more enjoyable for people with limited mobility.

Walk in tubs are specifically designed to make entry and exit easy, typically boasting low entry thresholds, sealed doors and grab bars to ease their use.

The best walk in tubs feature non-slip flooring to help ensure proper footing in the tub and thus can prevent falls and injuries from happening.

Anti-scald technology is another essential safety measure, helping ensure water does not become too hot during filling and protecting seniors from accidental scalds.

Additionally to these basic safety features, some walk-in tubs offer water purification systems or self-cleaning abilities as well as soothing chromotherapy features to soothe both eyes and mind. Such tubs make a wonderful investment for senior homeowners seeking to enhance both safety and comfort.

Brands

When it comes to walk in tubs, there are various brands to select. While some offer multiple models and styles, others only provide one or two. Finding the perfect walk-in tub requires doing research. Study their websites, read customer reviews, call representatives or visit showrooms before making a final selection.

American Standard offers an expansive selection of walk in tubs at various price points and styles, and has clearly marked each tub model's cost and upgrade options online so buyers can easily compare options before making their selections.

Hydro Dimensions offers an impressive selection of walk in tubs with multiple jet and therapy options available at competitive pricing compared to high-end brands. Their prices are relatively affordable as well. Their warranty policies are also industry leading.

Cost

A walk in tub can be an invaluable asset to seniors who prefer staying at home rather than moving into an assisted living facility, both for safety reasons and to preserve independence. Many older adults choose this route out of sense of independence.

Cost of walk in tubs depends on their size, brand and features; basic units range between \$2,000 to \$5,000 in cost.

Bariatric tubs can cost as much as \$10,000 and feature wider seats to accommodate larger users.

These boats feature L-shaped doors that make entering and exiting easier, and may even be wheelchair accessible depending on the model chosen.

Installing a walk in tub requires extensive plumbing and electrical work, so it's wise to hire an expert in order to complete this task successfully.