You may own a hotel, nursing home or assisted living facility and need to add showers or remodel/accessorize to improve your showers' handicapped accessibility in part by adding ADA shower benches. As a provider of ADA equipment and accessories, you might consider adding different types of approved shower benches to your inventory.

Every day, thousands of people find their shower chair is an indispensable tool. Disabled, fragile and elderly people couldn't regularly enjoy the feel of warm, streaming water cleansing their bodies without the help provided by shower chairs. If you're shifting back and forth deciding whether you should install ADA accessible showers or bathtubs, remember the following:

1. Users and their helpers find showers with shower benches much easier and safer to get in and out of than bathtubs.

2. A shower with a shower bench typically eats up less footprint space in a tight bathroom than a bathtub.

3. You can save money building an efficient shower with a stand-alone or fold down shower bench.

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Ensure your commercial shower benches meet ADA specifications

The American Disabilities Act of 1990 ensures people with disabilities receive equal access to all public goods and services; that includes showers and bathtubs in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hotels. Before you install or hire someone else to install your commercial shower seats, verify that their design and manufacture satisfy ADA compliance criteria.

I recommend: Learn more about the requirements for shower stalls and seats from the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG). Visit ADABathroom.com to read more about the ADA rules regarding shower seats.

Decide which type of ADA shower seats work best for your business

From simple padded or wooden shower benches to fold down shower seats to sliding transfer benches and even roll-in shower chairs, order the product that works best with your particular circumstances. If you plan to sell shower seats, consider carrying small, light-weight folding shower seats your customers can travel with. If more than one person will benefit from the fold down shower seat you order, look for adjustable-height seats. The type chair(s) you select will depend heavily on the users' weight, muscle control and mobility. Also, take into account whether chair users are self sufficient or will receive help from aides with their showers.

I recommend: Check out the mobile shower chairs and other products at Accessible Environments. The company stocks white and teak shower benches along with other products. TheMedicalClub.com carries a wide variety of shower stools, chairs and benches that come with an assortment of features including adjustable height and positioning, padding, arm rests and/or shower caddies.

Go with shower bench providers that offer up lots of helpful information

Don't just go with a particular ADA shower seat because it looks like it will do the job. Make sure you get all the information you need about dimensions, construction materials, weight capacity and installation instructions before you place your order.

I recommend: Read more about the ADA shower seats and benches available through Accessibility Professionals. The company offers information and full descriptions of seats as well as recommendations for installation. The sliding transfer benches at uCan Health make showering easier for both the users and their helpers, and the company offers lots of helpful information on how to choose the right sliding transfer bench. Adaptive Access offers ADA-compliant wooden shower benches along with lots of pertinent information and installation tips for installing wall-mounted folding shower seats.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  As part of shower benches basics, never mount a folding shower bench to drywall, sheetrock, plaster, fiberglass, acrylic or other hollow-type wall surface without using an appropriate wood or steel backing material.
• •  Look for ADA approved shower benches with Phenolic (a hard and dense, moisture-resistant material) seat tops. Shower benches with Phenolic slats provide excellent slip resistance and drainage.

ADA approved shower benches help make bathing and showering easier and safer for the elderly, individuals with mobility issues and those who want a spa-like experience. The wet, slippery surfaces of many bathtubs and shower units cause many household accidents each year. A fold down shower bench offers you safety and comfort.

1. A fold down shower seat gives individuals a convenient place to sit while bathing when rising from the bottom of the bathtub is difficult.
2. Fold down shower seats are easy to get out of the way for other family members who may not need the extra support.
3. A folding shower bench gives extra stability to individuals with balance issues or other injuries.
4. Teak shower benches give a spa experience to an ordinary bathroom.

ADA shower benches meet the requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you run a health care facility, hotel or other business where individuals will be bathing, you need to make sure that you have appropriate fold down shower seats or shower benches for individuals who may need them.

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Mount a fold down shower bench to save room in the shower

Fold down seats can be adjusted when you want to use them and left up when you don't. These versatile units work great when several people share the same shower over time such as in a motel room where not everyone will want to use the bench.

I recommend: Rehabmart has a four legged shower bench that can be folded up against the wall of a shower. Plumbing Supply also has wall mounted shower seats.

Look for durable shower benches that won't rust or corrode

Choose materials for your shower bench that are easy to clean and that won't rust in the wet environment of the shower. All metal parts, like screws and bolts, should be covered with protective materials.

I recommend: Consider the various shower bench options at Ameds. Carex-Rubbermaid shower benches won’t rust and are easy to clean.

Choose non-skid ADA shower benches

For your guests' safety, look for non-skid legs and support systems. If you mount a fold down shower seat in the shower, you avoid this problem. However, for baths, shower benches often make more sense.

I recommend: LifeSolutions Plus has a range of non-skid fold down shower seats and benches. SpinLife also has non-skid shower seats with hand holds to give your greater stability.

Create a spa-like experience with wooden shower benches

Attractive wood benches can add safety and style to the bathroom. Create a spa experience with a luxurious bathroom and wooden bench in the shower.

I recommend: Choose one of the wood folding shower seats from PlumbingProducts to get the versatility of a folding seat and the luxury of wood. TeakWorks 4U has a number of different styles of teak benches.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most fold down shower seats and benches have weight limits for give you an indication of how much weight it can support. If you are seeking a shower bench for a larger individual, you'll need to make sure you choose one that has the appropriate weight limit.

Shower benches and fold down shower seats are useful for people that have limited mobility due to injury or age and are at risk of slipping on wet bathtub tile. If you run a nursing home or other health care facility, it is vital for your staff and employees to fully understand how to properly install and care for such benches.

A folding shower bench must be properly installed and used following weight capacities and safety regulations to be safe for the user. It's important to know how to use and install commercial shower benches to keep all users safe. Shower benches installation education and training should include the following:

1. Learning shower bench installation basics.

2. Understanding weight capacities for ADA shower benches and how to adhere to them.

3. Determining safe height positions for all users.

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Search for guidelines on installing a fold down shower bench properly

It's important to install a decorative shower bench in a position where it can be anchored to studs in the shower's wall. Learn the proper procedure for installing the bench before you begin the process to make sure you understand and have all the necessary tools.

I recommend: You can download full color installation brochures and specification instructions from Accessible Designs for all four of its shower bench models. Adaptive Access offers these easy installation instructions for fold down shower benches.

Gather information about fold down shower bench regulations

Commercial shower benches have guidelines and regulations established by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) that must be followed by both installers and manufacturers. Learn about these guidelines so you can follow them when installing shower benches.

I recommend: Read the Department Of Justice's regulations regarding the disabled accommodations in public places, including shower benches in public showers. ADA Bathroom provides this guide to compliance guidelines for commercial shower benches set by the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Learn to install commercial shower seats at a safe height and position

ADA approved shower benches should be installed at a height that is safe for all users. The user should be able to fold it down easily, sit comfortably and stand back up without having to reach or strain. This will provide maximum stability in the shower for the user.

I recommend: Diadot Disability offers a step-by-step guide to mounting and installing a fold down shower seat. It specializes in ADA compliant benches. ADA offers these guidelines for all commercial shower seats and will teach you about dimensions and weight capacities as well.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most shower benches come with installation instructions and hardware, so make sure all the necessary hardware has been included before beginning installation.

Shower benches can serve both decorative and functional purposes. Many interior decorators install shower benches in remodeled bathrooms, while bath safety vendors sell medical grade shower benches to provide extra safety in the shower for people with limited stability or mobility.

To know which shower bench is best to recommend to clients, it's important to understand some key terms that are often used by shower bench vendors and manufacturers. Learn key shower bench terminology to recommend the most beneficial shower bench.

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Transfer bench

A transfer bench is a longer version of a shower bench that is installed with two of its legs in the tub and the other two outside the tub, allowing the person showering to swing their legs over the tub edge instead of having to step in and out.

I recommend: HT Medical provides pictures and descriptions of transfer benches and also explains the safety that a transfer bench can provide.

Teak

Teak wood is harvested from a tree in Southeast Asia. Traditionally used for shipbuilding and decks, it's a popular material for shower benches because it's mold-resistant and stands up well to water for long periods of time.

I recommend: Nextag provides pictures of several types of shower benches, and explains the qualities that make teak ideal shower bench material.

Weight capacity

Shower benches and transfer benches all have a designated weight capacity. The weight capacity is usually listed on the bench's packaging or in its accompanying paperwork.

I recommend: SpinLife offers a variety of heavy-duty bath safety shower benches and chairs, all with a weight capacity of over 400 pounds. It's important to use a shower bench with a weight capacity that can sustain the weight of your patients or residents.

Transfer board

A transfer board is a shower bench without legs or a back that is attached to the side of the tub with nonskid rubber clamps. This eliminates the possibility of the bench moving during showering and makes it easy to maneuver in and out of the tub.

I recommend: Independent Living explains the features of a tub transfer board that makes it easy to use in the shower and increases bath safety.

ADA compliance

The ADA (American With Disabilities Act) sets guidelines for accessibility and installation that must be followed by bath safety equipment manufacturers and vendors. An ADA compliant shower bench meets all ADA safety and usage guidelines.

I recommend: Seabridge Bathing explains the ADA's guidelines and how compliance standards are achieved.

Swivel seat

A swivel seat is a shower bench feature that allows the seat to swivel from inside the tub to outside, moving the occupant without them having to turn or slide themselves down the length of the seat.

I recommend: Dynamic Living explains the benefits of the swivel seat and provides a picture for easier understanding.