Accessible Bathing Without Construction

by Rachel Anderson, Program Coordinator

If you have looked into making your bathroom accessible for a wheelchair user, you already know that this can be a very costly investment.  Whether you are looking to install a walk-in tub or a roll-in shower, equipment and installation costs can be upwards of tens of thousands of dollars.  If this is the route you are going, here are some handy sites to check out before you start pricing tubs and/or contractors:  

     1.  Walk-In Tub Guide

     2.  Walk-In Tubs Consumer Reports

     3.  Tips for AT Bathroom Solutions

But what if you are renting, seeking a temporary bathing solution, or simply can’t afford a new accessible bathroom?  There are plenty of portable showers on the market but many have flimsy shower curtains that end up spraying water everywhere or they don’t allow a person to roll in and out and bathe independently if they are able to. Recently I had the opportunity to witness a demonstration of a sturdier portable shower called Shower Bay.

Shower Bay is a portable shower designed to give wheelchair users a true shower experience without requiring dangerous wet-environment transfers or expensive home renovations. The design allows for quick assembly in any room of the home, and no tools are required.  The unit snaps together, and connects to a standard household faucet.  As water enters the unit through a deluxe showerhead, the user can bathe comfortably with or without assistance.  The water is then pumped out of the unit to any nearby household drain. 

The following image shows Shower Bay assembled in a household bedroom: 

 

The primary advantage of Shower Bay is that a user can completely roll a wheelchair in and out of the unit.  Direct and full access to the shower enclosure provides the user with peace of mind that there will be no wet-environment transfers or slip-and-fall risks.  Check out this video to see how it works.

For more information on Shower Bay, visit their website: www.showerbay.com. 

The current price of the Shower Bay is $4,200. They also sell a compatible shower wheelchair for $250. They can ship the product anywhere in the continental US and if the buyer is in Northern CA, they will deliver and assemble Shower Bay free of charge.

Do you think Shower Bay is a good solution for wheelchair users seeking a safer bathing solution?  Let us know what you think of Shower Bay by providing your thoughts in the comments section below.