| Bathroom is one of the most dangerous areas in the | | | | Rectangular seats |
| house that cause accidents. The water and the tiles | | | | The front edge of the seat should be 15" to 16" from |
| make bathroom floors very slippery. This danger is | | | | the seat wall, and the rear 2.5". The side edge should |
| amplified in case of elderly or disabled persons. Most | | | | be 1.5" away from the adjacent wall. |
| of them need help to move around in the bathroom, | | | | L-shaped seats |
| and even with help at hand, they can be prone to | | | | The front edge of an L-shaped seat should be 15" to |
| accidents. You can make your bathrooms safer for | | | | 16" from the seat wall and the rear 2.5". The rear edge |
| your family members with special needs by installing | | | | of the L portion of the seat should be 1.5" and |
| fixtures like ADA shower seats, enclosures, grab rails | | | | corresponding front edge 14" to 15" from the wall. The |
| and faucet. You should check that all these products | | | | last portion of the L-shape should be 22" to 23" from |
| are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant to | | | | the main seat wall. |
| make your bathroom safe. | | | | Other ADA guidelines for shower seats |
| Most of the accidents in the bathroom are caused by | | | | The specifications for the ADA shower seats also |
| wet floor. Elderly or disabled persons often slip or fall | | | | differ based on the shower compartments. Standard |
| while showering. They find it difficult to stand in a | | | | roll-in shower, transfer-type shower and alternate roll-in |
| slippery shower. To prevent them from falling, you can | | | | showers - all have different specifications. |
| install an ADA shower seat in the bathroom. Shower | | | | Seat supporting structure and mounting device should |
| seat reduces the chances of slip or fall and provides | | | | be able to withstand 250 pounds of force as per the |
| the elderly and disabled adequate safety and comfort | | | | ADA guidelines. |
| while showering. | | | | In addition to ADA shower seats, you can enhance the |
| There are different types of shower seats. There are | | | | safety of the bathrooms by using locks that can be |
| padded seats that provide a soft surface and foldable | | | | opened from both sides. Panic alarms are also helpful |
| ones that can be stored in the cabinets. You also get | | | | to ensure timely help. You can also get ADA compliant |
| seats that have cutouts. The foldable ones are good if | | | | shower heads, faucets, enclosure and grab rails to |
| the bathroom is shared by other family members also. | | | | make bathrooms safer and comfortable for people |
| The seats with backrest provide added support as | | | | with special needs. |
| well as comfort. | | | | ADA shower seats and other fixtures like faucets, |
| You need to follow the ADA specifications while | | | | shower heads and grab rails if installed as per the |
| installing the shower seat. These specifications vary | | | | ADA guidelines will help prevent accidents in the |
| with the shape of seat that you wish to install. For | | | | bathroom to a large extent. These will also enable the |
| example: | | | | elderly and disabled to lead a more independent life. |