Northern Healthcare

Assisted Baths

Assisted Baths: Ensure the Comfort and Independence of People with Limited Mobility

An assisted bath or specialist baths for the disabled, is the safest way to help people with limited mobility or balance issues feel comfortable and safe and still enjoy their bathing time. A height adjustable bath is indispensable in care homes, hospitals offering long-term care, and even in personal homes where the residents suffer from mobility-related challenges.

Looking for an assisted bath for your care home or residential home? You have come to the right place! At NHC Group, we manufacture a wide range of assisted baths and assisted showers. As a top UK provider for care homes, we always make sure that the assisted living products in our offer have an unbeatable price to quality ratio.

Before you buy a height adjustable bath, make sure it meets your residents’ needs. Let’s dive into a quick primer about assisted baths and how to choose the right one.

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What Is an Assisted Bath?

An assisted bath or an easy-access bath is a bathtub that has a door on the side to make ingress and egress easier for people with limited mobility. They are a great alternative to installing a bath lift or a shower chair to your existing bath.

Thanks to their side door, access is easier and safer. The user doesn’t need to step over the side of the bath, they can simply walk in, as they would in a walk-in shower. This is a great aid for people living independently but also for people living in care homes. In the latter case, the residents can still retain their independence and enjoy their bathing time privately.

Assisted baths or specialist baths for the disabled, come in various shapes and with various features. Most of them have non-slip floors, which ensure stability even when the floor is wet. Some height adjustable baths also have built-in chairs or posture cushions for residents who need a caretaker’s help when bathing.

Bathing assistance is a core function of care homes. But without the proper baths, accidents can be quite common – both for the residents and the caretakers. Every year, approximately 6,000 persons die as a result of home accidents. Most of these accidents happen to very young children or the elderly and they most commonly take place in the bathroom.
 

Who Can Benefit from Assisted Baths or specialist baths for the disabled?

Not sure if an assisted bath or a height adjustable bath is the right investment for you? These are the most common use cases for them, based on our customers’ experience:

  • Assisted baths are ideal for seniors who live at home and want to retain as much independence as possible. The baths help mitigate the risk of accidents and make bathing much easier.
  • Height adjustable baths are a staple in care homes. The more complex a bath, the more likely it is to suit the needs of all your residents. Plus, they are of great aid in helping caretakers seamlessly get the residents in and out of the bath without risking injuries to themselves or to the users.
  • Assisted baths for hospitals and recovery centers. Irrespective of age, people who are recuperating after an accident or a longer convalescence typically experience mobility or balance challenges. Height adjustable baths are a great way to assist in recovery, especially since they can be used with or without a caretaker.
    Do any of the above sound familiar? If so, an assisted bath can improve the life of its user dramatically. But before you buy one, let’s take a look at the most common types of height adjustable or assisted baths.

What to Look for in an Access Bath?

When shopping for an assisted bath in the UK, you have to start by choosing the type: is it a regular assisted bath or a system that incorporates two or more of the features and options below:
 
Side Door Baths
These baths look just like the usual ones, except for one key feature: they have a side door that the user can open for easy access. Thanks to it, they don’t need to step over the side, which is often too high for people with limited mobility or balance challenges.

Standalone side door baths are ideal for people with some ability to move independently. For those that need more help, they can be used with hoists for access.

High-Low or Height Adjustable Baths
As the name suggests, these baths enable the caretaker to lower or raise them to a comfortable height once the patient has settled in and the bath is filled with water. In most of the models, the floor of the bath can be electrically lifted to form a platform at the ideal height for transfer.

Some of the high-low baths have their own integrated hoist to facilitate transfers further, while others have underneath access for a mobile hoist.

Bath Lifts and Seats
If the user doesn’t need help with the actual bathing, but access in the bath is problematic, a bath lift or a bath seat might be the right choice. These systems can be an integrated part of your assisted bath or a separate unit placed on the bottom of the bath. They are a practical solution for people who have difficulties raising their legs.

Bath lifts can be electrically or manually operated and can be operated by the user or a caregiver. They are safer than belt-style lifts that are fixed on the wall and that typically have no back support. Moreover, they are more convenient since they can be removed when not needed, thus allowing you to cater to more patients with a single bath.

Additional Options and Features for Assisted Bathing
Looking for a more comprehensive bathing solution? There are a lot of extra options and functionalities that you can add to your assisted bath. You can either look for a bath that has them all integrated or purchase them separately.

Some of the most popular features include:

  • Seat with a removable insert to allow for personal cleaning.
  • Incorporated hoists
  • Adjustable (vacuum) posture cushions for patients who need extra support, safety, and comfort. These cushions support the head, the trunk, and the pelvis (all of them or any of them as needed) and are an optimal choice for people with advanced mobility or neurological conditions.
  • Hoist and sling compatibility.
  • Non-slip floors are typically an integrated part of all assisted baths, but make sure to ask about them before placing your order.
  • Anti-microbial properties – a feature that’s especially important if you plan to use the assisted bath in a care home.
  • Plug and chain that are easy to operate to minimise discomfort after bathing. Some baths have a central plug that’s easily accessible for the user. Some baths also come with pop-up drain that can be operated with the foot.
  • Full length or short length baths? Make sure you take precise measurements before your order your assisted bath.
  • Grab rails – to support the user when standing up.
  • Temperature-controlled taps – to prevent scalding when the faucet is out of the user’s reach.

Why Choose NHC Group UK to Buy Assisted Baths?

At NHC Group you find more than the right assisted baths. We can help you with:

  • Installation, warranty, and maintenance. We offer a turnkey service, so you can save on overhead and prolong the lifecycle of your assisted baths.
  • Free personalised consultation. Not all baths and accessories are alike. Whether you need an assisted bath for a personal home or several baths for a care home, we can help you choose the right model that fits both your needs and your budget.
  • Coverage throughout the UK. We are based in the North East of the country, but provide services throughout the UK.
  • Complete solutions for your care home. From assisted baths and commode chairs to furniture and pressure mattresses, you can find everything you need for the comfort and safety of your residents in a single place.

How much does a cheap assisted bath cost?

With some many different options and features, the prices for assisted baths can vary widely. An entry level short length assisted bath with a side door typically starts around £1500.

How much does a good height adjustable bath cost?

The prices of height adjustable baths vary a lot depending on their features. A quality full length assisted bath with minimal features starts at £1700 and you can expect to pay upwards of £7000 for baths with electrically powered systems and a wide array of features.

How do you install an assisted bath?

If the model you opted for is an entry-level assisted bath with no electric circuits, you can install it just as you would a regular bath. If you opted for a more complex system, with electrically-powered accessories, you will have to account for a safe electricity source and the installation becomes more complex. Irrespective of your choice, NHC Group can help you with the end-to-end installation of your assisted bath.

Can overweight people use walk-in baths?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, walk-in baths are highly recommended for people whose mobility is restricted by their weight. However, if you choose an assisted bath that also has a built-in chair, be sure to check the maximum weight recommended for that chair.

Are there assisted bathing options for completely immobile patients?

For people with severely limited mobility, incorporated bath lifts are an excellent choice. They can seamlessly move the patient and lower them into the bath. The risk of accident for the caregiver and the user are significantly reduced. For enhanced comfort, we also recommend assisted baths with cushions, especially if the patient has sensitive skin.

I’m not sure what type of assisted bath I need. How can I find out?

We get it. Assisted baths grow more complex every day. You don’t want to overspend on a walk-in bath with features that you will never use or, on the contrary, get a bath that doesn’t provide the level of comfort the user needs.

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