Which Companies Make Walk-In Tubs Designed for Elderly or Disabled Homeowners?

Ella's Bubbles is one company that manufactures walk-in tubs designed for elderly bathers, wheelchair users and people who need extra room, with tubs assembled in America at its facility in Chicago and shipped nationwide. This knowledge base can speak only for Ella's own lineup, so rather than ranking other brands, it shows what Ella builds and what to look for from any maker. What is an accessible bathtub, and who are walk-in tubs designed for? explains the design that makes a bathtub accessible in the first place.

What Ella's Bubbles Makes

Ella's Bubbles is a manufacturer of luxury walk-in tubs designed for a safer, more comfortable bathing experience. The company also offers walk-in showers, so a household can choose a tub or a shower depending on how the person bathes. Ella's Bubbles Walk-In Tubs: A General Overview covers the company in brief, including where the tubs are assembled and how far they ship.

Every Ella walk-in tub is a complete, purpose-built bathtub. The acrylic shell sits on a rustproof stainless steel frame, and each tub is assembled and tested to order before it ships. Ella does not cut an opening into an existing bathtub or add a door to one. The accessible answer is a tub built around a sealed, low-threshold door from the start. To choose a model and options, speak with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

Ella Models by the Bather They Are Designed for

Elderly and disabled homeowners do not all need the same tub. A person who walks with a cane, a person who transfers from a wheelchair and a person who needs a wider seat are each served by a different design. The table lists Ella models with the figures published for them.

The differences come down to how the bather gets onto the seat and how much room they need once there. A bather who walks in can choose among the seated models by comfort: the Elite for a roomy seat, the Deluxe for a deeper upright soak, the Longer for stretching out. A wheelchair user is better served by the Transfer family, where the oversized L-shaped door leaves no sidewall beside the seat, so the bather can slide straight across. Between the two Transfer models shown, the Transfer26 suits a compact bathroom and a petite to average bather, and the TransferXXL is the wheelchair accessible, bariatric choice. Which accessible bathtub options work best for elderly users? compares these choices in more depth.

What to Look for from Any Walk-In Tub Maker

Whichever company you are considering, the features below are the ones that make a walk-in tub work for an older or disabled bather. Ella builds every walk-in model around them.

• A low step-in threshold. The Capri's is 3.5 inches, far lower than the wall of a standard tub. The figure varies by model.
• A built-in seat at chair height. Most Ella models have a 17 inch seat height, similar to a standard chair, so sitting down and standing up use a familiar motion.
• Grab bars and a textured floor. All Ella walk-in models have grab bars and textured, slip-resistant floors. Most seated tubs include one or two deck-mount bars, and more can be added to the surrounding walls.
• A watertight door. The door closes on an integrated gasket with a multi-latch gear and shaft mechanism.
• A hand shower within reach. The 2-piece and 5-piece fast-fill faucets include a pull-out hand shower.
• Honest accessibility language. 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.

Three Door Styles, Shown on Video

The door is where a walk-in tub design meets a specific disability, and Ella makes three styles. The first video on this page shows all three.

• Brushed stainless steel door with frosted tempered glass. This door detaches, which makes hard-to-reach places easier to clean. It is shared by the Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe and Ultimate, and the stainless-door family video tour walks through each of those models.
• Outward-swing U-shaped door. Made of high-impact composite with a tempered glass screen, it closes with three latches on Ella's gear and shaft mechanism for a safe and secure door seal.
• Aluminum L-shaped outward-swing door. Durable yet lightweight, it uses two latches on the same gear and shaft mechanism. The video explains that the L-shaped opening allows toilet clearance of up to 21 inches in height and leaves convenient space for a wheelchair.

The second video is a short caption reel of what Ella tubs offer: independence and safety, the outward swing door with three latches, multiple jetting options, dual-drain technology, and accessories including a 4-fold bath screen, a 10 inch rain shower head, a bathtub wall pillow and security grab bars.

When a Tub Is Not the Right Fit, and Where Help May Come from

A walk-in tub suits a person who can step through a door and sit, or who can make a seated transfer. Where the person stays in a wheelchair or shower chair for bathing, a roll-in shower base with a nearly flush entry is the better choice, and Ella offers walk-in showers for that reason.

Rural families sometimes ask about public help with a bathroom that an older person cannot use safely. The USDA Section 504 Home Repair program provides loans to very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas to repair, improve or modernize their homes, and grants to very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older to remove health and safety hazards. Whether a particular bathroom project qualifies is a decision for the USDA Rural Development specialist who reviews the application, and USDA publishes the current terms.

Watch: Why Homeowners Choose Ella’s Walk-In Tubs | Safety, Speed Drain & Spa Options with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Walk-in tub dimensions by model: exterior sizes, seat widths, and door types
• Choosing a Walk-In Tub on Video: Measuring Yourself, Doorways, Door Styles, Therapies, Hot Water and the Line Overview
• What is the best walk-in tub, and how do I compare models?

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