skip to main content

Location of foot rest in handicap shower?

13 years ago

We are building a new bathroom to accomodate my dad who is severally handicapped. We've spoken with his therapist. She had some great suggestions, not only for him, but also for the safety of other bathers and for caregivers. The shower is the main motivation for the new bathroom. For several reasons, his therapist prefers the 3'x3' showers. Although she would actally prefer something a little wider and a little shallower. So we are considering a marble shower with interior dimentions of 38" wide x 34" deep. His therapist recommended a foot rest for the safety of other bathers. The purpose of the foot rest is to keep a bather who is seated on a wall mounted bench from tumbling forward as they reach down to wash their feet or shave their legs. I know I've seen a picture of a shower with a protruding foot rest running from the far wall maybe half way to the front. Can anyone recommend appropriate dimmensions for such a foot rest? How high should the foot rest be? How deep front to back should the foot rest be? Given that we expect the foot rest to run from the back wall toward the front, how wide should the foot rest be?

Thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

desertsteph
13 years ago
did the therapist have a preference for the material you use on the shower?
lsoh
Original Author
13 years ago
The therapist did not have a preference for material. However, cost is an issue. My mom has ruled out tile because she does not want to deal with grout lines. What are your thoughts?
Related Discussions
$65 Sq foot to build
Q
Comments (41)
Just to echo what others have said, it totally depends on what part of the country you're in and how much of your own blood sweat and tears you're willing to put in. We're on track to be at $75/ft, and maybe looking like we might even be under that a bit. But we're in southeast Alabama where materials and labor are super cheap. I think the best thing you can do if you're really wanting to watch a tight budget is to carefully plan out your floor plan. Try to keep as few corners as possible and make as many walls as you can work out into 4 and 8 ft increments. You'll have less waste and labor in not having to cut up all that material.
...See More
Handicap Bathtub?
Q
Comments (5)
I highly recommend a tub transfer bench with a hand-held shower like the one mongoct posted. I used to work in home care as an occupational therapist and found the benches very practical.They guarantee a person won't fall in the tub because bathing is done from a seated position. (Of course a person can stand once they're in the tub, but it is also perfectly possible to complete a shower from a sitting position). The problem with remodeling for a current level of ability is that in a year or two, your wife's abilities may change. I'm interested in why you want to turn a small bedroom into a bathroom instead of using your current bathroom.
...See More
Can I fit a tub (drain location)?
Q
Comments (1)
Drain pipes can be relocated. A plumber can help discuss your specific issues on site. Could be easy to break a little concrete and move it over, depending...
...See More
Handicap sticker
Q
Comments (115)
Pawprint, please don't feel sorry about starting this post. It has been very informative, and I imagine everyone has learned something from it. I know I have. I hope whoever it was that asked about blind people having handicap placards notices #7 on the requirements list you posted. PTSD IS recognized as a mental and an anxiety disorder. It can be, and often is severely debilitating. I would like to very strongly and kindly suggest to the person that made the rather snarky comment about fireworks making vets nervous do a little research and enlighten herself/himself on the subject. I have a handicap license plate. But there are times when I park in a 'normal' spot because maybe that day I'm not hurting quite so much, the weather is pretty, and a little extra exercise is good for me. It is not so unusual for me to look for a 'normal' spot just a few feet farther away than the handicap spots. On not so good days I am very appreciative of that plate! And I also want to thank whoever pointed out about the 'van accessible' spots. I have honestly never thought about them being needed for loading/unloading people in wheelchairs. (And I confess I have parked in them, but I surely won't in the future.) Probably because the public transportation vans around here do that in front of the store entrances, they don't park. Nor have I ever seen a spot reserved for pregnant women or people with children, But I think it's a wonderful idea! Our Walmart does have a few spaces reserved for people picking up prescriptions only, limited to 15 minutes. I have seen the line at the prescription pick-up counter long enough that it might be quite a trick to get back to your vehicle in 15 minutes. Rusty
...See More
joanr
13 years ago
What about something like a small teak or redwood bench that you cut the legs down on or possibly have someone build for you. You could attach some suction cups on the bottom legs to keep it from moving and that way you could remove for entry in and out of the shower.

Maybe this suggestion will help others think of something!
flseadog
13 years ago
lsoh, because I don't know your Dad's therapist full thinking on this matter I will just relate some of my recent personal experiences. Due to an accident I had a cast on my lower leg for six weeks and still will not have full mobility for another 8 weeks. While in the cast I needed to have my leg elevated at all times. This added complications, in addition to dealing with keeping the cast dry, when showering.

During this time I have had occasion to use both a small (30x36) shower with a step over curb and a large (54x60) roll in shower with grab bars and an adjustable shower on a slide bar. The first thing I noticed about the large shower is that while it was great because of all the special grab bars, etc., it would have been impossibly big without those special fittings. In both showers I used a very inexpensive plastic shower seat (I think it cost around $30) that was light weight, easy to move, easy to clean, and most importantly easy to position in different ways.

Because I had to keep my foot elevated I just used an 18" high plastic waste basket turned up-side-down until the cast was removed. After that I used a big plastic tupperware bowl turned up-side-down to make it easier to shave and wash. Neither of these solutions was particularly elegant but did have the advantage of being cheap, easy to use, and easy to clean.

This experience has led me to believe that built-in shower seats or foot rests for people with mobility problems may not always be the best solution. I didn't always position the plastic seat in the same way and I'm sure someone of a different size or with a different issue would have wanted the seat placed differently. Particularly in thinking about having a foot rest to the side rather than to the front would have been problematic for me.

So, as I said, this is just my experience, not a professional opinion but I hope it helps.
desertsteph
13 years ago
"The therapist did not have a preference for material. However, cost is an issue. My mom has ruled out tile because she does not want to deal with grout lines. What are your thoughts?"

I was hoping they'd given suggestions of material to use that was least slippery. I think the place I'm moving into has a fiberglass type shower. I'm hoping it's in good enough condition I don't have to replace it but was doing a little research just in case I do. Have you priced swanstone? I do agree with your mom - I don't want to deal with grout!

Related Stories

BATHROOM WORKBOOK 5 Ways With a 5-by-8-Foot Bathroom

By Mitchell Parker

Look to these bathroom makeovers to learn about budgets, special features, splurges, bargains and more

HOUZZ CALL Houzz Call: Show Us Your 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom Remodel

By Mitchell Parker

Got a standard-size bathroom you recently fixed up? We want to see it!

HOUZZ TOURS Design Lessons From a 10-Foot-Wide Row House

By Mitchell Parker

How to make a very narrow home open, bright and comfortable? Go vertical, focus on storage, work your materials and embrace modern design

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: An 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom Gains Beauty and Space

By Mitchell Parker

Smart design details like niches and frameless glass help visually expand this average-size bathroom while adding character

TINY HOUSES Houzz TV: Step Inside One Woman’s 140-Square-Foot Dream Home

By Mitchell Parker

You may have seen the story on Houzz — now check out the video tour of Vina Lustado’s warm and welcoming tiny house

BATHROOM DESIGN Room of the Day: Kids and Adults Share a Bright 40-Square-Foot Bathroom

By Annie Thornton

Splashes of lime green add a playful touch to this efficient and economical second bath

SMALL SPACES Houzz Tour: Room for Everything in a 275-Square-Foot Beach Studio

By Mitchell Parker

A San Diego couple needed storage for their beach gear and private space for personal time. Here’s how they fit it all in a studio

MY HOUZZ My Houzz: 750-Square-Foot Creative Haven in London

By Roberta del Vaglio

A couple — architects with a passion for DIY and upcycling — transform a former public housing unit into their perfect family home

GARDENING GUIDES Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom

BATHROOM DESIGN Shower Curtain or Shower Door?

By Lara Sargent

Find out which option is the ideal partner for your shower-bath combo

Sponsored

Dream Baths by Kitchen Kraft

12 Reviews

Your Custom Bath Designers & Remodelers in Columbus I 10X Best Houzz

More Discussions

What are these countertop spots?

16

Bathroom countertop material

4

Kohler Heated BubbleMassage with Bask tubs

0

Bath remodel with walk in shower

1

black faucets in bathroom

2