Bathtubs For Elderly
Have you ever fallen while getting in or out of the bath?
If not, you aren't immune. In fact, one in four adults 65 and over falls every year, according to the National Council on Aging. One of the best ways to protect yourself from falling in the bathroom is by getting rid of slippery floors and high threshold entryways that are difficult to step over.
Instead of continuing to use your old traditional bath or shower, you might consider getting a walk-in bathtub.
Come dive in with us as we explore some of the best walk-in bathtubs for seniors on the market today!
Best For | Best Overall | Most Models | Best for Hydrotherapy |
Top Feature | Extra-wide Door | Fast-Drain Technology | Self-Cleaning Ozone System |
Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime Warranty |
The 3 Best Bathtubs For Elderly People
Kohler has some of the best walk-in bathtubs on the market today.
With tons of great features, including handrails, hydrotherapy jet systems, Bubblemassage jets, and extra-wide doors, you get a spa-like experience from the comfort of your bathroom.
In addition, the three-inch entry point is one of the lowest entry thresholds on the market today.
Kohler has pride in keeping its customers safe, and the design of the entryway proves it.
The Belay Kohler Walk-In Bath is one of our favorite lines in the Kohler lineup, giving people two types of tubs to choose from.
The 'Soaking' Tub is more of a standard walk-in tub, though it has a wider door and larger interior, giving it the feel of a bariatric tub.
There is a 'Hydrotherapy' Tub as well, which comes with air and water jets. So if you're looking for a spa-like experience when you're in the bath, look no further than this Hydrotherapy model.
Some of the standard safety features on Kohler walk-in tubs include low entry thresholds, extra-wide doors, and non-slip surfaces. Beyond the safety features, Kohler has tons of cool luxury features, including heated surfaces, whirlpool jets, intuitive control systems, and fast-draining technology.
Kohler bathtubs for seniors are lovely in many ways and offer some of the best design characteristics to make people's lives more comfortable and convenient.
American Standard is one of the largest walk-in bathtub manufacturers in the world today, and the company provides a MASSIVE selection of walk-in tub models to choose from. The manufacturers stretch across Canada and the United States, meaning you'll likely have access to an American Standard dealer no matter where you reside in North America. Plus, all walk-in tubs from American Standard are American-made, so you know you're getting the highest-quality materials and craftsmanship.
While American Standard has hundreds of models to choose from, the basic soaker model is our favorite. Of course, if you're in the market for a spa-like experience, we recommend going with the fast-draining whirlpool technology available in luxury tubs.
There are walk-in tubs with outward-opening doors and larger doorways for those who have severe mobility issues or larger body types.
The features found in American Standard walk-in tubs vary based on how much you're willing to pay and how large or small the tubs are. From in-line heaters to massage systems to right and left-handed doors, the options seem nearly endless. However, no matter what you have in your head, you can find a walk-in tub to match that description.
Beyond the variety of safety features found in American Standard walk-in tubs, there are plenty of luxury features like chromotherapy, heated seats, and quick-draining technology. If you want to drop in some essential oils for your spa experience, American Standard even offers an aromatherapy feature!
If you're in the market for a walk-in tub that can deliver a high-end, spa-like experience, we recommend checking out the walk-in tubs from Safe Step. The company's walk-in bathtubs are made with the elderly in mind, and the focus is primarily on comfort.
There are many Safe Step models to choose from, though the hydro jet models are our favorite. These walk-in tubs deliver hydrotherapy with built-in water jets. However, we enjoy the Safe Step combination walk-in bathtub and shower, as it offers people two options depending on how they feel that day.
There is no limitation to comfort because there are plenty of excellent features, including air therapy, aromatherapy, light therapy, and water therapy.
For additional hygiene, each walk-in bathtub comes fitted with a bidet!
Beyond comfort, Safe Step prides itself on safety. Some of the top safety features in this walk-in tub include anti-slip surfaces, anti-scald technology, grab bars, and a leak-proof door. Safe Step also happens to be one of the cleanest walk-in tub manufacturers out there today, with mold-resistant coating and a high-end aluminum frame.
One thing to note is that you will not find any prices on the Safe Step website. However, you can go to the company site and submit a form to get a no-obligation estimate from them.
All Safe Step walk-in tubs are manufactured in Tennessee, and each walk-in bathtub is entirely customizable. So no matter what the layout of your bathroom looks like or what your personal needs are, you can find the right tub for you.
Factors To Consider When Buying
Walk-In Tub Type
Typically, the first thing you need to determine is the type of walk-in tub that you want.
The most common model is the soaker tub. You can think of this type of walk-in tub as a standard bathtub with an opening that makes it more accessible. This walk-in tub will come with a door seal and a grab bar for added safety.
Next, there are hydrotherapy tubs, which come with jets that use water and air to create circulation and pressure. These types of walk-in tubs are very similar to hot tubs, except they're more accessible.
If you want the convenience of both a bath and shower, look for a walk-in bathtub shower combo model. These walk-in tubs often come with built-in seating as well.
Lastly, if you need a walk-in tub that is wheelchair accessible, look for a model that has an outward-opening door.
Size
Consider the size of your walk-in tub and how it relates to your bathroom. Consider your needs as well. Most walk-in tubs are anywhere from 25 inches to 36 inches wide. When it comes to length, most stretch out anywhere from 52 inches to 60 inches.
However, there are some special cases when you might need to look for a specific size. For example, if you weigh more than 300 pounds, you might have to look for a bariatric tub. These tubs are much larger and provide more room for bigger body types. You might also consider looking for wheelchair-accessible walk-in tubs if you're in a chair.
You should also note that a larger tub might require a larger water heater in your home, so make sure to account for that cost.
Safety Features
One of the main reasons that seniors purchase walk-in tubs is because they provide safety while bathing. While every company has its own safety features, there are certain features that you should look for and try not to go without.
For starters, look for a walk-in tub with a low-entry threshold. If you want to streamline the process of getting in and out of your walk-in tub, having a high entry point that standard tubs have, will only make things harder.
Next, you'll want to look for a walk-in tub with a non-slip floor. You likely have a non-slip mat in your shower right now. Most walk-in bathtubs that you'll find have some sort of anti-slip flooring which is much safer than a mat. Typically, this anti-slip design is built into the tub instead of stuck to the floor like a mat.
After that, check to see if your preferred tub has a heavy-duty door seal. When it comes to traditional bathtubs, you get in by stepping over the wall. On the other hand, walk-in tubs use doors with rubber seals that prevent water from leaking all over the floor while your tub is in use. Look for reviews to see how well the seal on your chosen tub performs over time.
You should also check to see if your walk-in tub comes with grab bars. Similar to the way you might hold onto a walker or cane, grab bars can help by providing added balance as you maneuver in and out of the tub. Most walk-in tubs come with grab bars of some sort, ensuring easy entry and exit.
Anti-scald technology is a great feature that we're surprised more manufacturers don't provide access to. This technology keeps hot water from getting too hot so you can take a bath without burning yourself.
Lastly, look for walk-in tubs with quick-drain technology. Standard walk-in tubs can often take more than seven minutes to drain completely, which is a long time to wait, especially if it is cold. If you look for a walk-in tub with quick-drain technology, you can drain your bathtub in less than two minutes.
Luxury Features
When it comes to walk-in tub safety, it's so easy to forget that there are many additional comfort features you could consider adding to your tub.
For starters, you might consider looking for a model that comes with a handheld shower wand. Having the ability to reach any part of your body while in the bath, or quickly rinsing off without having to fill your entire bath, can be incredibly helpful.
For added comfort, you might look for walk-in tubs that have massage systems in place. Most walk-in tubs have some sort of jet system that customers can add on, which circulate air and water to massage common pain points on the body. If you suffer from achey muscles and joints, having a bathtub that can provide some form of healing and increase your quality with hydrotherapy jets of life is crucial.
Beyond hydrotherapy jets, another nice comfort feature is heated surfaces. Many walk-in tubs provide additional heating in back, neck, and seating areas to keep you warm throughout your bath.
Lastly, we recommend looking for walk-in tubs with digital control systems. There are so many different control systems available and many walk-in tubs come with intuitive digital systems that allow you to adjust the temperature, jets, and other features in your tub.
Which Walk-In Tub Should I Purchase?
Having a walk-in tub is one of the best ways to increase your quality of life if you have limited mobility.
Of course, as you can see, there are so many things to consider when buying a walk-in tub, and there are so many walk-in tubs on the market. If we had to choose one of these walk-in tub manufacturers over the others, we'd have to go with Kohler. Kohler provides all of the standard features that you'd find in most walk-in tubs, though there are also plenty of high-end luxury features to keep you comfortable with every bath.
Still undecided? We review 5 additional best walk in tubs on the market today that we'd like to invite you to check out!
Good luck finding your ideal walk-in tub and happy soaking!
