Differences in height are a problem for people with mobility impairments. Stair lifts can help overcome steps and thus become mobile again. But steps are not the only obstacle in the house. A considerable height difference must also be overcome when using a bathtub, for example. A bathtub lift can help to overcome this hurdle.
People who are limited in their mobility need aids that make their lives easier. One such aid is the stair lift. He ensures that people can climb stairs again without assistance and thus actively participate in life. However, individual independence naturally involves much more than just managing a few steps. Houses and apartments that were not designed for people with limited mobility have other hurdles that need to be overcome. A bath lift can make a positive contribution in this regard.
Danger in the bathroom
It is well known that a large proportion of all accidents occur in the home. One room with particular potential for danger is the bathroom. Many bathrooms in houses and apartments are not designed to meet the needs of people with mobility impairments. As a result, a particularly large number of accidents occur in the bathroom. This is tragic because the bathroom is a particularly intimate place. For as long as possible, people would like to be able to move around their own bathroom completely independently and without assistance.
Sturdy grab bars and non-slip pads can be retrofitted comparatively quickly and easily. But one major hurdle remains. If there is no shower, but only a bathtub, a large height difference must be overcome when entering. This is usually much greater than with a step. Especially in rented apartments, however, there is little that can be done about the bathroom fittings. So if a new bathtub or the installation of a shower is not possible, a bathtub lift can become a sensible option.
Safer and more comfortable bathing
Elderly or physically impaired people benefit from a bathtub lift by bathing more safely and comfortably. Expensive investments, such as those incurred when replacing a bathtub or retrofitting a shower, can be avoided. Depending on the design and equipment, bathtub lifts are already available for a few hundred €. Nevertheless, such a bathtub lift makes it possible to get in and out of the bathtub safely. The second-hand market is less pronounced in the field of bathtub lifts, unlike stair lifts.
Numerous variants of the bathtub lift are offered on the market. For example, there is the classic bathtub lift in the form of a chair. The user sits on a seat that can be lowered into the bathtub either mechanically or electrically. Another variant replaces the chair with a seat or bath cushion. This seat cushion can be filled with air via a pump. Another alternative is a bathtub lift that uses a stretched cloth. In the rehab sector, other forms are used, for example with a swivel seat or in combination with a ceiling lift.
Bathtub lifts in chair shape
The chair-shaped bathtub lift is the classic form of bathtub lift. Such a lift is available from around 300 €. As a rule, this form of bathtub lift consists of a stable, non-slip base plates on which a chair is mounted, which can be driven down. A backrest provides comfort and safety. Modern bathtub lifts of this type have an electric drive that automatically lowers the chair at the push of a button.
This ensures that a separate operator is not required. Maximum loads of up to 140 kg are the norm here. Also offered are manually operated bathtub lifts. However, these can usually only be used with an assistant. Assembly work is not necessary with most bath lifts in chair form. Nevertheless, due to its heavier weight and larger dimensions, this design is less flexible than a bath cushion.
Bathtub lifts with seat or bath cushion
This new form of bath lift uses a cushion that can be inflated with air. By means of a pump, the amount of air inside the cushion can be regulated. When the user gets in, the bath cushion is filled with a lot of air, which is then slowly released. The user thus sinks gently into the bathtub. Before getting out, the pump ensures that the seat cushion rises again. An advantage of this variant is its high flexibility. The cushion is not permanently mounted and can be taken anywhere.
Since the bath cushion takes up hardly any space when bathing, a maximum of the tub remains usable. Including the pump, the entire cushion weighs no more than 6 kg. Nevertheless, it can be loaded with a maximum of 150 kg. In the back or neck area, the pillow also provides a comfortable feeling while bathing. However, such a bath pillow as a bath lift is not cheap. The prices start at around 1,500 €.
Sheet lifter
The cloth lifter uses a cloth or tape. One side is attached to the wall, and the other side is attached to the edge of the bathtub. In the console on the wall side there is a drive that determines the length of the cloth. When the belt is tightened, you can safely sit down at the level of the bathtub rim. The user then sinks to the bottom of the tub together with the cloth. Before standing up, the cloth is tightened again – and thus lifts the user to the height of the bathtub rim. Such a towel lift is particularly convenient. It allows the user to take full advantage of the height of the tub. However, it must be permanently mounted and is therefore not flexible. At around 2,500 €, the cloth lift as a bathtub lift is also an expensive alternative.
