Which accessible bathtub options work best for elderly users?

For most elderly bathers the best accessible bathtub is a seated walk-in tub with a low step-in threshold, a built-in seat at about chair height and grab bars, because the bather steps through a sealed door and sits rather than climbing over a tub wall and lowering down to the floor. What is an accessible bathtub, and who are walk-in tubs designed for? explains that design, and the right option within it depends on whether the bather walks in or transfers from a wheelchair, whether they prefer to stretch out or sit upright, and how much room the bathroom has for the door to open. Where the person stays in a wheelchair or shower chair, a roll-in shower base with a nearly flush entry is the better choice.

The Features That Matter Most for an Older Bather

Ella's Bubbles builds every walk-in model around the same accessibility elements, and they are worth checking one by one against the person who will bathe.

• A low step-in threshold. The Capri, for example, has a 3.5 inch threshold, far lower than the wall of a standard tub. The figure varies by model, and Are Ella walk-in tubs ADA compliant? Accessibility and wheelchair answers points to the per-model list.
• A 17 inch seat height on most models, similar to a standard chair, so sitting down and standing up use the same motion as rising from a dining chair.
• Grab bars and textured, slip-resistant floors on all walk-in models. Most seated tubs include one or two deck-mount bars, and more can be added to the surrounding walls.
• A watertight door that closes on an integrated gasket with a multi-latch gear and shaft mechanism.
• A hand shower on the deck. The 2-piece and 5-piece fast-fill faucets include a pull-out hand shower, the 2-piece cartridge is certified with an ADA lever, and an optional shower column adds a 10 inch rain head for seated or standing showers.
• Comfort options such as a heated seat and backrest, easy-touch or digital controls, and on models that accept them a 24 inch hand shower slide bar or a 10 by 7.5 inch head pillow.

There is no ADA certification for any bathtub, because the U.S. Access Board does not evaluate or certify products, and private homes are not covered by the ADA. Ella tubs are residential tubs that carry many ADA-compatible elements, which is what matters in a home bathroom.

Comparing the Accessible Options

The table lists the options that come up most often for elderly bathers, with the figures from the current articles and product pages.

What the differences mean in practice: a bather who walks in chooses by the way they like to soak, so the Longer suits someone who wants to scoot down and stretch out, while the Deluxe suits someone who prefers to sit up in deeper water. A wheelchair user chooses a Transfer model by width and seat, starting with the narrowest Transfer26 and moving up to the Transfer32 or the bariatric TransferXXL as hip room and body size call for it. The Transfer26 also holds less water, which is easier on the water heater, and the 52 inch Transfer models include an 8 inch extension panel so they finish neatly inside a standard 60 inch alcove. A roll-in shower gives up the soak in exchange for the lowest entry of any Ella product.

Match the Door to the Bathroom and the Bather

The video below shows the three door styles across the Ella lineup. The brushed stainless steel door with frosted tempered glass swings inward and detaches, so hard-to-reach places are easier to clean. The acrylic outward-swing U-shaped door is made of high-impact composite with a decorative tempered glass screen and three latches on the gear and shaft mechanism. The lightweight aluminum L-shaped outward-swing door uses two latches on the same mechanism, and its opening allows toilet clearance of up to 21 inches in height along with space for a wheelchair. The Transfer family uses that L-shaped door, which leaves no sidewall beside the seat so the bather slides straight across from the chair; on the Transfer32 the door opens to 172 degrees with a 20 inch swing clearance callout on the drawing. How do I choose a wheelchair accessible walk-in tub? walks through the width, door and therapy decisions in that family.

Both in-swing and out-swing doors are available depending on the model. The Deluxe comes with an in-swing door, and the Monaco uses an out-swing door that opens away from the tub interior, as noted in Walk-in Tub Model Highlights: Longer, Deluxe, Monaco, and Transfer XXL. Because an outward door swings into the room, confirm the clearance in front of the tub with your installer before ordering.

When a Roll-In Shower Is the Better Answer

If the person bathing stays in a wheelchair or a shower chair, a walk-in tub asks them to transfer, and a roll-in shower does not. Ella's wheelchair accessible roll-in base is a curb-less pan the chair rolls straight into, with the drain position specified at order time and sizes outside the three standard ones made to order. A collapsible rubber shower dam keeps water in while a wheelchair rolls over it and springs back afterward. Caregiver options include a weighted anti-bacterial nylon curtain, a stainless curtain rod and a slide bar with hand shower, and a seat is optional, either folding benches and seats rated from 300 to 600 pounds or a 36 by 60 base with a molded seat. Shower products are sold per item, so a complete roll-in shower is put together from the base, a wall system sized to it and the accessories. Should I choose a walk-in tub or a roll-in shower? sets the two side by side.

What a Walk-In Tub Adds for Someone Who Can Step in

A walk-in tub keeps the soak. The models toured in the product videos have soaking depths of roughly 14 to 17 1/2 inches, and every model can be ordered as a soaker with no jets or with therapy packages such as air massage, hydro massage, foot massage, microbubbles, chromatherapy and a heated seat. The acrylic shell sits on a rustproof stainless steel frame, and every tub is assembled and tested to order before it ships. One thing Ella does not do is cut an opening or add a door to an existing bathtub, so a purpose-built walk-in tub is the answer when the current tub has become hard to climb into. Describe who will be bathing and any mobility concerns to your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, and they can match a model to the bathroom and the bather.

Watch: Wheelchair Accessible Walk-In Tub Door Options for Elderly & Disabled | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Choosing a Walk-In Tub on Video: Measuring Yourself, Doorways, Door Styles, Therapies, Hot Water and the Line Overview
• Which Ella walk-in tub is right for me? Choosing between the tub families
• Walk-in tub dimensions by model: exterior sizes, seat widths, and door types

Related Videos

Common Questions