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bathing safety devices ." title="Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images" /> Grab bars are bathing safety devices . One-piece tubs and shower enclosures consist of a single gel- coated fiberglass shell . Grab bar mounting brackets made specifically for fiberglass installation have discs that safely distribute the weight of a person and prevent the fiberglass from cracking. By attaching the brackets to wall studs with bolts, you ensure that the grab bar will not pull out from the tub or shower wall when in use. Grab bars can be purchased in sets of two, which allow you to install a vertical grab bar in a one-piece tub and shower for standing assistance and a horizontal grab bar to help people rise up or sit down in the bath tub. 1 Locate a stud on the shower wall near the shower head with a stud finder. Find the center of the stud 33 inches up from the floor and mark it with a long piece of low tack painter 's tape. This is where the vertical grab bar will be...

The following excerpt is taken from Chapter 7 of Life on Wheels: For the Active Wheelchair User , by Gary Karp, copyright 1999, published by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. To order, or get more information about Gary's book, call (800) 998-9938. Permission is granted to print and distribute this excerpt for noncommercial use as long as the above source is included. The information in this article is meant to educate and should not be used as an alternative for professional medical care . The bathroom is often the space that is the greatest challenge to make accessible. In a 1993 U.S. Census Bureau report , 4.5 million people with disabilities reported having difficulty bathing, and 2.1 million had trouble using the toilet. Millions of people are inconvenienced--even endangered--by inaccessible bathrooms. Any impediment to easy access to the bathroom can lead someone to delay their bowel or bladder program. A bathroom that is easy to use protects your health ( see Figure 1 (cli...

Taking a tumble is no laughing matter for elderly folk. They can suffer head injuries or fractures that may confine them to a wheelchair. Falls in the bathroom are quite common, said Ms Shirleen Sim , an occupational therapist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital . While there are no official figures, she estimates that at least a third of elderly rehabilitation patients in the hospital have fallen in the bathroom. She points out the hot spots, and what can be done to guard against falls. SLIPPERY SURFACES The floor can get slippery from soapy water, so if an elderly person does not feel steady on his feet, he should sit on a chair while showering. Try not to let him sit on the covered lid of the toilet seat as the smooth surface can easily get slippery and cause him to slide off. Installing a vertical grab bar in the shower cubicle may be helpful, allowing him to hold on to it when he stands up to wash. One can also place non-slip mats in the wet areas of the bathroom. But lay them out proper...