As more seniors choose to remain in the family home for as long as possible, walk-in tubs are becoming a very desirable and welcome accommodation. The clear benefit is in providing the comforts of a soothing bath or access to a bathtub shower while avoiding the risk of injury while getting in and out of a tub. However, it’s important to understand and appreciate the drawbacks of these tubs as well.
Installation safety and other factors aside, preference should be given to purchasing a tub that has easy access with a door that swings in.
A swing-in design reduces the risk of a major flood caused by a door latch that fails to close completely, as the water pressure would not permit a swing-in door to accidentally open when the tub is full. As far as use and comfort, it is also important to note that a bather will need to get inside a walk-in tub when it is empty, in order to close the door before starting to fill it. This can be very uncomfortable for some bathers. It can be even more uncomfortable afterwards, as a bather has to wait for the tub to drain before exiting. Strategic towel racks and a safe heating source nearby might be a useful way to deal with this unavoidable inconvenience.
