As far as grab bars go my gut take on all of them is this; They look to industrial and remind me of public toilets - for the most part, cheap and hospital like. I sourced an excellent supplier here in Canada that can custom make them for me in any size. These custom grab bars are pricy but worth the money. I also received a package from GreatGrabz showcasing their complete product line and this company has some tasteful good looking grab bars - Are all these ADA approved - I'm not sure. Can they stable you if you slip or loose your balance? I bet yes. I install extra blocking for all my clients in the 50 - 70 year age range and we discuss this in concept stage. There is no need to install grab bars until you need them, but at the first sign of dizzy spells, new medication or an injury a grab bar can not only keep you in your home longer - it can save your life. Order your grab bars so that they, your glass door handle and towel bars all look the same - this adds to the upscale look and a cheap grab bar doesn't cheapen the whole ensuite. If your building a shower bench it's nice to pull up with a grab bar as you get older. I made the mistake of installing my last one on a 45 degree angle and this is not to code. I offered to change it (my cost) but my client loves it as is. I can't get my 83 year old Nana to allow me to install more grab bars in her shower (I fixed a botched install a number of years back when she hired a Medical Supply Store to upgrade her Burnaby home.) - she wants them when she is old she says.... :) If you can upload a picture of your bathroom layout it will be much easier to advise on best location. The ADA guidelines are very specific and have been time tested for sure. Extra grab bars or hand held location for getting in and out are key. If you have a shampoo niche a place to grab and hold on will reaching for shampoo is a good idea as well. If you want the best - remove the curb, build a wet room with level access shower entry, add in grab bars and built it right the first time. If you build your next bathroom to last into your golden years you will be so happy you spent the extra $5,000 grand or so to make it perfect. I have replaced showers with 4" curbs that clients could not step over - think about that a 4" curb in your shower is to high to get in. To shower with this bad hip involves being driven to the local pool to shower in a public wet room. Not me... I'm 41 and building my curbless shower as we speak. For younger and older couples alike who have the time and desire to shower together - Grab bars can only open up new options in bathing department - I'll leave this where it belongs - with your imagination! Here is a link that might be useful: Great Grabz

I've also posted this in the bath forum. We're remodeling our master bath and I'm looking to put polished nickel grab bars in our shower. Is there anyone who has used them and can give me some feedback as to how they hold up? I'm thinking of getting the Columnar that have a 1 1/4" diameter. Also, if anyone has retrofitted one of these to use as a vertical slide bar for their handheld shower, I'd be interested to hear about your experience as well. I'm considering using the Jaclo adjustable sliding shower mount with the Ginger grab bar. The mounts work with 1 1/4" diameter bars. We're looking to install Hansgrohe polished nickel shower heads and trim. Their PN is different from the Ginger and Jaclo it seems, but they don't make grab bars, so I don't see a way around mixing the polished nickel finishes. Hopefully it won't be too noticeable. Do you think a regular Hansgrohe slider would be sturdy enough to use as a grab bar when getting in and out of the shower? TIA

I have seen smaller ones, but only online. If someone had small hands the very big ones would be a problem. Such as children and petite women. Mine are big, fat grab bars ... I'm going to search out smaller bars. Part of the problem may be if there is an escutcheon that covers the plate with the screws No, no, the water is puddling under the bar itself, not the escutcheon plate. For smaller grab bars look at "assist bars"; they don't meet the definition of grab bars because they are a smaller diameter than the standard. Wait a minute ... grab bars and assist bars are different items? I didn't know that. The Delta assist bar you reference above is attractive and is the type of thing I'd like to use. Is an assist bar shorter than a grab bar? I'm thinking a shorter bar would be just fine near the toilet, but we'd still want a long bar across the back of the shower. Regardless, I'm glad to know a second term for which to search. I did read one thing that reverberated with me: A grab /assist bar is only as good as its mounting. I'm thinking a shorter /more narrow bar is just as good, assuming it's in the right spot where you can reach it ... if it's well-mounted.

I don't remember which company makes this TP holder which also functions as a grab bar. It is extremely sturdy even though only 1 side is into a stud as it was an existing wall. These come with a special anchor which is installed through the wall similar to a butterfly but sturdier. My 87 year old father thought this design was the best TP holder he had ever seen. He liked the grab bar but really was impressed by the pivot which means you can change the roll without any pieces falling on the floor and rolling away. Cleaning and maintenance is another aspect of aging which is often considered secondary to the use of the bathroom. But, not everyone is ready or able to hire help to take care of small tasks like changing TP but those need to be done as well. Hanging towels, picking up the bath mat, carrying towels to and from the laundry are all tough if you are hobbling on one foot or pushing a walker