The Bathtub Safety Rail We Needed
By Chris Aahz on
As a live-in caregiver for developmentally disabled adults I deal with a fair amount of home medical equipment.My newest roommate/client has cerebral palsy and is very weak on his left side.This caused great concern when it came to him being able to get into the shower since the apartment complex would not allow us to install a regular shower stall.Stepping over the side of the tub is risky as he has very poor balance as well.
The Product
The tub safety bar is essentially a tubular bar that attaches to the edge of the tub by clamps.It has two different levels (7" and 15" above the edge of the tub) for the bather to hold onto while entering or exiting the tub, or even for support while showering.The bar attaches to the tub edge with two clamp like devices with textured rubber grips to provide a firm grip while not damaging the tub surface.
Assembly
Since the bar comes as essentially a single piece, I suppose this section should more accurately be called "attaching", but I'm not sure that would convey the relevance quite as well.The concept seems simple enough - use a flathead screwdriver to open the clamps to the proper width, set on tub edge, tighten screws.Unfortunately, this turned out to be much more complicated.
The slots in the screw heads are very wide.So wide that I had to try three different screwdrivers in order to find one that wouldn't strip the screw head.Admittedly I only own about a half-dozen tools total and am not much of a handyman, but this was still annoying.
Additionally, the location of two of the screws make this bar useless if your tub is more than about 4.5"wide.This is because the clamps must slide apart to set the width and if you go beyond that point you'll only have a 1/2" of clearance between the screw and the surface of the clamp above it.
Usefulness
This bar is perfect for our needs.It allows my client to support himself while stepping into or out of the tub, giving him the dignity and privacy all people deserve.My only concern is that the clamps may not be tight enough or may loosen over time.This is more a result of my lack of confidence in my skill with tools then the design of the product, though.I've checked it every day for the last month and it does not seem to have loosened at all.Still, regular checks of its stability will be a must.
I know there are good items to have for anyone with stability issues, but it must be hard to feel confident if it didn't attach as securely as you think it ought to. This is a good thing to look for in the store before you make the purchase. Thanks for the detailed info.
It looks very stable plus Moen makes excellent products. However I second your concerns about loosening, which could cause a serious accident. I thought the ADA made it mandatory concerning compliance?
What a great product. I didn't know they made safety rails for the tub.
This is an important piece of safety equipment. Like you said it's for safety first and then for the person's dignity too. We could have used something like this when a family member was recovering from a bad accident. Thanks for suggesting this for those who need a little assistance.
A product that I'm afraid we will all need at some point.
I really need something like this. I am always terrified of falling in the tub. It is so slick in mine.