Grab bars

I'm putting a new bathtub in the house for my 74 year old mom and we are putting in a couple of 24 inch grab bars for her. The contractor said I need to decide where to put the grab bars. One will definitely go above the faucet handles. The other one I'm not sure where to put. I know that traditionally they are put on the middle wall of the tub but how do you not constantly bang your elbows on them when they are placed there? Do you have a grab bar in the middle wall of your tub? How high is it? Is it placed horizontally? Do you like it? I'm really interested in people's experiences with grab bars!

Thanks- Sal

a reply to: SallieSunshine

Yes, by all means put the bar according to standard directions in the middle of the length of the tub.

You are assuming, I guess, that she will using the bath tub. Older folks tend to like showers, so grab bars are always there for support, not just for getting down and up in the tub. Also, one of those handheld, personal shower-like attachments are liked by many females young or old.

Don't forget anti-slip strips for the tub bottom. Yes, they make it harder to clean the tub but they may save somebody from a broken hip.

Another thing to watch out for is the shower/tub surround itself. Many are made out of plastic/composite material that will crack when struck in the event of a fall. I have heard horror stories about people getting fileted like a samurai sword when falling.
Definitely use some type of grip tape or anti slip mat. In my mother's we also have a shower chair that has suction cups on the feet. It looks similar to a walker with a seat and backrest.
She fell and broke her hip, it was over 24 hours before anyone knew. You don't want that feeling.

I think she will be mostly showering but she is only 5' tall which means that the bars will be about the place where her elbows are. Have you ever looked into anti slip shoes to wear in the shower instead of placing anti-slip strips in the tub?

Sal

a reply to: Aliensun

I am replacing a fiberglass 1 piece tub with a porcelain steel tub & porcelain tile surround all the way to the ceiling. Sorry to hear about your mom- hope she is doing better. My mom was little miffed when I told her I was putting grab bars in the tub. She was saying "I've been getting in and out of tubs my whole life without a grab bar, so you don't need to put them in for me!" Just to make her feel better about it, I will put one in my own shower as well. ; )

Sal

a reply to: Natas0114

a reply to: SallieSunshine

I will add one more important aspect of grab bars. In the installation, make absolutely sure that the installer has anchored the bars properly. On an existing wall, whether painted sheet rock or tile, (typical in US bathrooms) the bars will need to make contact with solid wood substructural uprights, (we call them studs in the US).

The problem is that your walls might not have studs placed the typical 24 inches apart. About the only course of action is to angle the bars to the necessary degree so that both ends do match with the studs underneath. It won't look symmetrical at an angle, but that would insure safety and the bar not pulling out.

The bar kits should come with strong screws. DO NOT let the installer talk you into using any type of expanding anchor on a sheetrock wall. Good luck.

The one in my mother's house is on an angle or slanted and yes its in the middle also one at the end where taps are. The bar also has a texture to it so it's non slip.

I put quite a few of them in for people. You actually need to get them into the area and talk to them about them. Have one handy and ask her how she would like to have it, holding it in different places so she can get the feel of how it will work. It isn't easy figuring the best place to put them. I already put grab bars in our house in different locations, putting a grab bar on instead of a towel bar means you can still hang towels on it. Dual purpose. The ones by the toilets are the hardest ones to get placed sometimes. They have things that stradle the toilet if the toilet is far from the wall.

I bought five grab bars brand new at a garage sale for twenty bucks total one day a few years ago, one was thirty two inches long, others were varying lengths. I put a couple in older friends houses, I didn't even charge them for putting them in or for the grab bars. They are quite expensive, there was over two hundred bucks of grab bars in those five I got from the garage sale.

I liked mine in the tub/shower area and then one that I could hold onto getting in and out of the tub/shower. One last area that I really appreciated was by the toilet, set a bit lower to help me sit down and get up. I also liked having one to hold onto while getting dressed, but have always been able to use one of the other bars for the purpose.

Depending on the actual layout, sometimes you can get them to work dual purpose!

I would recommend against the shower shoes, but it depends on the situation. For me, getting them on and off was a real hassle.

I tried asking my mom where she wanted the grab bars but she just shrugged. She was widowed in December and she's still feeling like she just doesn't care about anything any more. It is amazing what you can pick up at a garage sale sometimes!

Sal

a reply to: rickymouse

The contractor specifically placed horizontal wooden studs for attaching grab bars.

Sal

a reply to: Aliensun

We have one in our tub, it was there already when we moved in. An older couple had lived here initially. Ours is placed towards the front of the tub, near the faucet and is angled downward towards the center of the tub.