A bathroom is a room for personal hygiene, but sometimes it can give you things more than that. It is essential to consider the physically impaired or age disabled people while designing a bathroom; as a sign of welcoming them. It is necessary to care for your disabled or impaired guests or customers to make them comfortable at your place. It is best to include a disabled bathroom layout during your building layout. People with physical impairments and age disabilities need extra support and care when they want to use the washrooms. One can see these kinds of washrooms at hotels, malls, theatres, etc.
In Australia, 1 in 6 people (18% of the population) or 4.4 million people have some disability. With this data, one can understand the importance of making a disabled bathroom layout. Even people having luxury and modern bathrooms renovate them when they start aging due to the fear of restricted mobility. Designing a disabled bathroom requires keen attention to even small elements and features. One should look into placing the supporting fixtures in the right area. An accessible restroom does not mean that it should be boring and old fashioned. You can combine both modern and special care features together.
Contents
Things to Consider Before Making a bathroom layout Appropriate for the Disabled
1. Bath Area
The design of the bath area should be such that it is easily accessible to them. Install the grab rails everywhere in the bathroom, from the spa area to the bathtub. There should be an option to adjust the height and width of the internal features in the bath area to ensure smooth movement. The walk-in bath feature is an excellent way to ease the procedure of climbing over a bathtub. Easy access to the faucet is also necessary to include. The bathroom should have thermostatic mixing valves in the bathtub, washbasins and showerheads. This feature protects them from scalding and thermal shock.
2. Heated Floors
It is better to provide heating coils under the floor of the bathrooms. Some old aged people experience shivering after stepping out of the bathtub. Providing a heated floor prevents them from shivering. Also, heated flooring is one of the luxurious elements of a bathroom.
3. Toilets
The toilets could have designs for automatic opening and closing options. The smart toilet is better to consider while planning a disabled bathroom layout. A height preference of 15 to 20 inches of the water closet will be optimum to lift them from their seats. An elevated wall-mounted toilet can provide more easy access. Also, install toilet paper rails in front of the toilet seat. Bidets add more independence and encourage hygiene.
4. Anti-Slip
It is always better to provide slip-resistant flooring to all bathrooms. Also, having a separate wet and dry area makes disabled people have more conscious mobility. There are lots of slip-resistant tiles with various colour options in the market.
5. Shower Seats
A shower seat has many benefits for disabled people. Also, some people prefer shower chairs with wheels for more ease. Wall-mounted shelves at a proper height for them to access is one prime thing to note. Placing shower grips in the shower area is a must-have feature for safety and protection as one cannot avoid wetness in this area. Consideration of this fixture is prime even when you have anti-slip flooring.
6. Easy Door Access
A sliding door or an automatic door is the best choice for these bathrooms. Automatic closure is the best choice for these kinds of bathrooms.
7. Sinks
Add more lighting, chiefly at the sink area. Do not provide under-sink cabinets, instead leave the space for their chairs for easy access to the sinks. Also, some sinks can move sideways, up and down, to reach the convenient position preferred. The front portion of the sinks have curves; to enable them to get closer to the running water. Provide sufficient space under the sink so that the person can use it while standing and sitting on a chair.
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