Shower chairs for the elderly are unlike any of the other fixtures in your home, at least from an aesthetic perspective.
That is, there really is no aesthetic perspective. Here it is almost entirely about usability and safety. Millions of seniors fall each year, and many of those falls occur in the bathroom.
So naturally, safety is paramount. With that in mind, here are 5 qualities any shower chair for the elderly must possess to be considered viable.
Stability
Stability is, in all likelihood, the most important trait that any elder shower chair could have. Look for a design that is made either with high-strength stainless steel or lightweight-yet-strong aluminum. Some polymers are suitable as well because they can be light, strong and also corrosion resistant.
Other traits to look for that engender stability include but are not limited to non-slip feet or bases and a design that locks in place.
General Durability
You do not want to get an elder shower chair that raises any flags with respect to durability, partly because durability is one offshoot of safety. A solid construction is an imperative in this arena.
A Design That Requires Little to No Maintenance
Shower chairs for the elderly should be simple in design and require minimal maintenance. The fewer parts the better, and the simpler the design and fewer materials used, the better, too.
All in all, look for a shower chair that more or less just needs to be wiped free of soap residue and water and then kept dry in between uses. Special cleaning protocols are not practical here, especially if the elder in question lives alone.
Few to No Moving Parts
Some elder shower chairs are benches that have no moving parts, others, like transfer benches, are set on rails so that the user can get in and out of the shower more easily and with less risk of slipping and falling.
Regardless, a design that has the fewest moving parts is best overall because any instance of design complexity is an opportunity for failure. All in all, a transfer bench on rails is better than one with wheels because, strictly speaking, the bench on rails is the moving part itself; it slides rather than rolling, which makes wheels a weak point. Wheels are also harder to clean and lubricate than a sliding track is.
A Design That Encourages Continued Dependence
Lastly, you should look for a shower chair for the elderly that encourages the person in question to “age in place” for as long as possible. The whole purpose here is to foster independence without sacrificing safety. Therefore, elder shower chairs and sliding transfer benches that don’t require help to use are better, all in all, than other options.
Also Nice to Have
In addition to the features mentioned above, the following are nice to have (but not essential):
- Compatibility with other bathing essentials.
- A pleasant aesthetic that works with a wide variety of interiors.
- A design that has space for storing bathing accessories, such as soap or shower wands.
- A design that is easily adjustable to (and for) the user.
- A lightweight design that can easily be adjusted, repositioned, or removed from the shower for cleaning.
Where to Learn More About the Industry’s Best Shower Chairs for the Elderly
Want to learn more about the industry’s best shower chairs for the elderly? Then visit SolutionBased before you do anything else. They sell a variety of roll-in shower chairs, shower benches, and sliding transfer benches that exhibit high-quality and simple usability. For more information visit their website or get in touch with them directly.
