Retrofitting the Home for Your Golden Years

Amajor car accident in 2007 left Colin Gates with so many complications that by 2009 he was hospitalized again, required over 40 surgeries, and had been on a feeding tube for two years. “If you added up all the time I was in the hospital, it would total just over two years,” says Gates.

One of the long-term effects of the accident was positional vertigo — the feeling of spinning or swaying. “I was very unsteady on my feet,” says Gates. Then one day, while at home recovering from one of his many surgeries, he slipped and fell while getting in his bathtub and broke three ribs.

For Gates, like many of the two million Canadians with mobility concerns, bathing was an issue. “I started to dread getting in and out of my tub,” he says. “That’s when I knew I needed to do something if I didn’t want to break any more bones.”

A new twist on an old invention

Gates decided to get a walk-in bathtub, a product he was already familiar with. When his 78-year old, fiercely independent mother couldn’t find a personal support worker she liked or trusted, she decided to take things into her own hands and look after herself. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long after this decision that she slipped and fell in her bathroom.

Falls are the leading cause of injury for seniors. According to Statistics Canada, over 50 percent of them occur in the home. And, these types of falls — many occurring in the bathroom — account for 95 percent of all hip fractures. For most Canadians, mobility challenges will present themselves with age, so when concerns about slips and falls become commonplace, it’s time to consider which lifestyle changes to make. An astonishing 40 percent of all nursing home admissions occur as a result of an older person falling.

For Gates’ mother, the decision to switch to a walk-in tub was easy. “To her surprise,” says Gates, “she was able to find a level of independence and dignity she hadn’t had in years.” Similarly, Gates found therapeutic relief from his walk-in tub. Through a fortuitous chain of events and some gumption, he later acquired Safe Bathing Canada.

Supporting dignity and independence

Walk-in tubs eliminate the greatest obstacle to safe bathing — the process of getting in and out of a slippery tub. With the walk-in tub, swinging doors replace the 20-inch step over needed to get into traditional bathtubs with one short, safe step. This significantly reduces the risk of falling for those with limited mobility.

Slip-resistant flooring, grab bars, and a raised seat offer a comfortable experience, and all the controls, including the shower wand, are within easy reach. There is minimal wait time as filling the tub takes less than four minutes, while drainage takes less than two. As an added bonus, these unique tubs provide joint pain and muscle tension relief through the benefits of seated hydrotherapy.

A walk-in tub also means that seniors and others with mobility issues no longer have to wait for personal support workers or family members to bathe them a few times a week. Though getting used to a different way of bathing takes some time, the peace of mind provided is worth it. Independence and a renewed sense of dignity are truly just around the corner with a walk-in tub.