DIY

Special Needs – Bathrooms

Bathrooms in the United Kingdom used to be only utilitarian and were built as “one size fits all.”  This wasn’t a problem for most United Kingdom residents, but some people found the “standard” settings for bathrooms to be very inconvenient.  People who have special needs had a very time using bathrooms that were built for people who did not have special needs.

Designers understand this and this is why many have endeavoured to design bathrooms and create fixtures that are built with the needs of a special person in mind.  Special needs people need to have fixtures that are sturdier and better able to hold weight.  People with special needs require elements that are at a different height than those built for people who do not have special needs. 

Usually a bathroom that is constructed for a client with special needs will feature a stand alone sink, a toilet that has a wider seat and is either higher than usual or lower than usual (depending on the client’s needs) to accommodate people who are shorter or people who have trouble bending or people who need to transfer from a wheel chair to the toilet (or another fixture). 

The bathroom that has been designed for a person with special needs will be equipped with a shower stall that has a bench or seat installed.  If the bathroom has a bath tub, that bath tub will usually have jets to work a person’s muscles and might be raised up off of the floor to help people who have trouble transferring from a standing position to a sitting position. 

A bathroom that has been designed for someone who has special needs will often have quite a few extra support beams built in around the room.  These beams usually look like bars and are bolted into the walls surrounding the sink, the shower and/or tub, and the toilet.  These beams are installed to help a person with special needs manoeuvre from one part of the bathroom to another and to support them as they transfer from any chairs or crutches to the different areas of the bathroom that the person needs to use.

Designing a bathroom for special needs people often poses a challenge because contractors want to accommodate the needs of their clients but they also realize that the client has regular contact with people who do not have special needs.  Designing a bathroom that works just as well for people with special needs as those without can be difficult.

Softer corners are always a good idea for special needs people as are bathroom elements have been designed to hold a person’s body weight.

About the Author

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about central heating, plumbers, boilers in Dartford, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.

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