I think mind blend in nicely and are so functional when I am getting in and out of the shower. This is the end of my shower by the shower door where I would enter The niche is at the opposite end and has a bench and this horizontal grab bar would theoretically would be available to grab if I wanted additional stability wandering around the shower or rising from the bench. You do want to consider orientation in terms of horizontal, vertical or at a diagonal. I have two hand held showers so that I can easily access a hand held shower when I was sitting on the bench. This is a great feature as I don't have to deal with attempting to control a hose from a distance or go back and forth to put it back in the holder.

Use a stud finder and you should be fine. (Hopefully the wall is tight to the stud in the first place.) Try to get at least two of the three screws on each end into the studs. Before you purchase the bar, locate several studs so you can determine the right length bar to reach the studs on both ends. You may need to angle the bar to do that. As for finding the correct height for her, have her reach her hand out to the wall as she walks in, and put it there. As for aid in stepping in/out, you might install a vertical grab bar near both edges to help out. The important thing here is that there's solid wood behind the side panel edges, which hopefully was installed when the shower was put in. (Installing that support wood behind the edge is done optionally to anchor shower doors.)

Just look around at what is available - there are a lot of new designs that double as soap dish/ toilet roll holder, etc... they're avail at big box stores and actually look much nicer than your everyday utilitarian grab bar. I think the key is installing the right blocking behind the shower surround (I assume you're doing fiberglass or acrylic?) and knowing where to install it.

here is my link to my reveal several years ago. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3333818/my-west-bathroom-reveal-from-project-in-2013-to-2014?n=15 apparently the link in the tread to show my pics doesn't work any longer :/ I'll see what I can do to that. here is the floor with the shower pan. The Hydroban wall moisture barrier is not showing any longer, its under the shower tiles: Read the reveal text that I linked above. It will tell all about everything I used in this bath remodel: Floor with unfinished vanity, across from the shower. There are 2 doors into this room, the one you see here and on the other side of the room facing this door. Its my bathroom hallway, lol: Have to show my laundry center, across from the toilet. My beloved Miele washer and dryer: