Walk in Tubs for Active Seniors

Active seniors can benefit from walk in tubs. Walk in tubs can come with a spa like whirlpool massage jets and air jets that is best for relaxation as well as hygiene. As part of a healthy regimen, a soak in the pleasure of a bath can help in blood circulation. 

It is also best to take a bath after a full work out.

Here are some exercise for seniors. 

The seesaw

 

Sit on the floor with your legs out and the soles of your feet touching each other. Grasp each other’s hands or wrists. One of you lean backwards while the other goes forward, but providing enough resistance to keep you from falling all the way back. Then reverse the motion. If one of you has any difficulty supporting the weight of the other, let him or her know so that the person leaning backwards maintains enough muscle control so as not to put too much of a strain on the person doing the holding. This exercise needs to be done slowly, both to prevent injury and also so that you get the most exercise value out of it. In addition to the physical benefit, since the person leaning backwards is dependent on the one holding him or her up, this exercise helps to build intimacy as it gives physical evidence to your faith in one another.

 

Back to back lifts

 

This exercise may not be for every couple, definitely not for those with a bad back. And if your weight disparity is too large, it may not work. Just use some common sense before deciding whether or not to try it. Stand back to back and link arms. Taking turns, one of you leans forward, raising the other off the ground to whatever height is not too big a strain. Even if you can’t lift your partner at all, just the effort of trying is good exercise.

 

As with the seesaw, the person being lifted off the ground will feel a bit nervous. By letting go and trusting their partner, added intimacy will result.

 

Couple crunches

 

Both of you lie down on the floor, put your legs straight up into the air, and then slide together so that your butts are up against each other, so that you look like an upside down T. (If you’re naked, don’t let the fact your genitals are touching be too distracting.) Then do crunches (half sit-ups).

 

How many crunches you can each do will depend on whether or not you normally do crunches. Start off with a low number and slowly work your way up.

 

Floor cycling

 

After you finish your crunches, push yourselves apart a few feet, line your feet up against each other, and push against each other using a pedaling motion. Don’t try to do this quickly. Instead work to push against each other so you create resistance and give each other’s leg muscles a workout. Here again, if one of you is much stronger than the other, that person will have to ease up a bit.

 

Hamstring burners

 

Exercises that work the backs of the thighs, the hamstring muscles, are hard to find, but not for couples that exercise as a team. Lie down on your stomach while your partner straddles you, facing your feet. Using his or her hands, your partner puts as much pressure on your ankles as needed to make it difficult for you to raise the lower half of your legs. As time goes by and each of you grows stronger, the “pusher” can exert increasing amounts of pressure. Eventually you should be able to do three sets of ten of these burners.

  

Kegel exercises

 

In 1952, Dr. Arnold Kegel developed a set of exercises to help a woman regain control of her ability to urinate after giving birth by building up her vaginal muscles. After women started using the exercises, they discovered that they helped to increase the sensations they felt during intercourse. Once a woman had built up her vaginal muscles sufficiently, her partner would also gain some new sensations when she tightened those muscles around his penis during intercourse.

 

The muscles involved are called the pubococcygeus muscles, or more easily pronounced, pelvic floor muscles. To identify them, the next time you urinate, stop the flow. The muscle you use is the muscle you want to exercise. You should begin by squeezing it, then letting it go, doing five repetitions. As it gets stronger, you can hold each squeeze for a longer period of time and add more repetitions. You might begin with a half dozen repetitions and eventually get to twenty-five.

 

I would advise doing the Kegel exercises twice a day, at least until you’ve strengthened these muscles to their maximum, at which point you can cut down to three times a week, just to keep them in shape. If you do them at the same time every day, like when you get up and before you go to bed, you’ll be more likely not to forget, though it can be fun doing them at random times with the realization that no one around you has any idea that you are exercising this particular set of muscles.

 

A woman with well-developed pelvic floor muscles will be able to give her husband’s penis a squeeze he should enjoy. These exercises may also help any woman who has problems with incontinence, as that’s why Dr. Kegel developed them in the first place. But Kegel exercises aren’t only for women; men can benefit from doing them too.

 

A man uses the same exact muscle, which he identifies the same way, by stopping the flow while urinating. By building up this muscle, a man may find he can develop more control over his ability to ejaculate, which can be very helpful to men who suffer from premature ejaculation and their partners who suffer with them from too short episodes of intercourse. So, in both sexes, a prime beneficiary of stronger pelvic floor muscles will be their partner. Given those circumstances, doing these exercises at the same time makes a lot of sense.

 

Universal Design 101

Walk in Tubs is a hallmark of Universal Design in bathroom Products.

What is the Universal Design Concept

The phrase  "Universal design" came from Ronald  L. Mace. He coined the term to express an idea in architecture to  design  buildings, products  and create environment that is functional yet possessing beauty. The  usability of a universal design creation is accessible to virtually anyone, irregardless of  age, ability, or status in life.
The idea behind  Universal Design is the barrier free, an earlier movement along the same line of blending aesthetics with mobility enhancements, adaptive and assistive technology dealing with disability.

Basic Principle

The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
  1. Equitable Use
  2. Flexibility
  3. Simple and Intuitive
  4. Perceptible Information
  5. Tolerance for Error
  6. Low Physical Effort
  7. Size and Space for Approach and Use

Examples

  • Entrances without stairs
  • Slip resistance surface
  • Bathtubs with doors, aka, walk in tubs
  • 60" X 60" turning points on hallways
  • Lever handles on doors
  • Product components requiring minimal force operation
  • Large flat panels on light switches
  • Touch sensitive controls
  • Luminous lighting
  • Auditory output redundant with information on visual displays
  • Visual output redundant with information in auditory output
  • Contrast controls on visual output
  • Use of meaningful icons with text labels
  • Clear lines of sight to reduce dependence on sound
  • Volume controls on auditory output
  • Speed controls on auditory output
  • Choice of language on speech output
  • Ramp access in swimming pools
  • Closed captioning on television networks
  • Signs with light-on-dark visual contrast
  • Web pages that provide alternative text to describe images
  • Instruction that presents material both orally and visually
  • Labels on equipment control buttons that is large print
  • A museum that allows visitors to chose to listen to or read descriptions
 

Source : http://universaldesign101.weebly.com

 

Four Types of Walk in Tub Doors - Advantages and Disadvantages

Every walk in bathtubs have doors. This bathtub configuration differentiates walk in tubs from ordinary bathtubs. Doors in the walk in tubs provides a specific purpose that is easy, safe and comfortable access to the baths. Walk in bathtub doors needs also to be water tight sealed. The guaranteed seal on the doors is not open for compromise otherwise if the door does leak, it will defeat the purpose of safety to which walk in tubs are designed for. The elderly, who is the primary benefactors of these tubs, will be open to the hazard of slippery bathroom flooring due to the water leak.

 

There are four types of door styles to choose from in a walk in tub. The type of door that will be suitable for you depends on your choice and needs, bathroom space, your physical condition and the degree of security you may want. The types of bathtub doors are the following; doors that swings inward to open, doors that swing outwards to open, sliding doors and upward swinging door.

 

Outward Swinging Doors

When you open an outward swinging door, you pull the door towards you. It takes up the space in your bathroom rather than go to the bathtub itself. Established healthcare institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, retirement facilities and the like, uses these tubs with outward-swinging doors. This type of walk in bathtubs are more expensive to manufacture, hence its exorbitant price. Aside from high cost of these type of bathtubs, outward swinging door walk in tubs does not has aesthetic value. They look like medical equipments and may not be suitable for ordinary residential homes. The outward swinging door is made water tight by reinforcing the door itself and strengthening the bathtub shell to which it is hinged. To do this heavy-duty bolts is locked to the frame of the door. Aside from this heavy bars are used to ascertain enough support for the door. The locking mechanism or the lock handles of an outward-swinging walk in tub door requires extra strength and complicated making it Non ADA compliant. ADA guidelines require minimum grip strength and easy to operate controls. Outward swinging doors walk in bathtubs are ugly, expensive and difficult to operate which makes it not advisable for ordinary use. However it has a special function. In case of emergency, the bather can be easily removed in the tub by simply opening the door without draining the water inside. Health institutions love this type of door in their walk in tubs.

Inward-Swinging Doors

When you open an inward swinging door, you push the door towards the inside of the tub. Walk in tubs with this door design is marketed for home resident consumers. Manufacturers for inward swinging walk in tubs also abounds because it is easier to produced and much cheaper. To make the door of this walk in tubs water tight a one piece construction of bathtub frame is required. Aside from that the door itself sealed in itself with the water pressure inside the tub a minimum problem because the one piece construction of the frame can bear the weight of the bathing water and the bather. Because of this, walk in bathtubs can be designed in terms of beauty. Inward Swinging door bathtubs are stylish and classy. The locking mechanism is ergonomic and ADA compliant. It also does not require additional bathroom space since the door opens towards the inner bathtub space. Inward swinging walk in tub doors are popular to ordinary home users because of their aesthetic designs, affordable prices and space saving features. However it has one major disadvantage. The water in the bathtub needs to be drained completely before the door can be open. In times of emergency this situation for an elderly bather can be really dicey.

 

Slide in Bathtub Doors

To open a slide in walk in tub doors you need to glide the door into wall by means of a door track. The sliding door has minimum space clearance and door can be locked automatically by means of an automatic latch. In times of emergency the door can be open without draining the water inside. This type of walk in tubs are relatively new to the market and few reviews of its safety and security can be readily found. With a moderate price this walk in bathtubs may be the next superstars for less aesthetically inclined elderly bather. Slide in walk in tubs rely on the wall track to function. Hence it is cabinet base and maybe likened to a box crate.

 

Upward Swinging Bathtub Doors

To open an upward swinging walk in tub door, you need to lift the door upwards and to push the door downwards to close it down. Like the slide in bathtub door, the door will no hamper the legs of the bather. Its door space requirement is also minimal. The door can also be opened without water draining. Its futuristic look may not be well suited to an ordinary residential bathroom and the price is not affordable to the average income elderly consumers.

 

Precursor to Walk in Tubs Experience - Ancient Bathing Practices

Taking a plunge in a bathtub is not unique to modern home sapiens. All through out history man has adopted to the need 

Bathing throughout history has been associated with two twin concept of hygiene and water. The Minoan civilization of Crete in 2000 BC regarded bathing in terms of spiritual purification and body pleasure. The Palace of Knossos contains the first known bathtub in human history. In 1600 BC Egypt an added concept of medical or therapeutic benefits of bathing has been added to the spiritual and luxurious features of a bath. Egyptian Royal houses during this time contained copper pipes that distributes hot and cold water over the first appearance of shower as shown in the excavation in Tel-el-Amarna. Greece practiced the public practice of bathing which is associated with athletes as the loutron, a 1600 BC bathing facility, forms part of standard Athenian Gymnasium. The Romans of the 2nd century BC followed the Greek tradition so much that communal bathing has formed part of socialization. Each Roman cities was expected to have public spas and baths not only for the ruling classes but for every citizens. 

 

Source: Walk in Tubs - Academia

Walk in Tubs are Sound Investments

Buy Walk in Tubs - Three Important Considerations for Your Purchase

Why buy walk in tubs if you already have a conventional bathtub installed at your bathroom? Walk in safety bathtubs are tubs having door access with low entry steps. Its design is such that the physically weak and infirmed, people with mobility issues and the handicapped can bath safely, independently and comfortable in a bathtub. From this practical design for specific use, this type of bathtubs gets several names. It is sometimes called handicapped tubs, senior tubs and accessible tubs. What are the reasons you should buy and install accessible tubs at home? The reasons are many but three reasons are more than sufficient for this decision.

1. Fall prevention is one of the major concern of the elderly. Bathrooms are accident prone areas in the house and most of the times it is the place where injuries among old people occurs. Besides, the bathroom is a private place and bathing alone is a morale booster for senior adults. If an accident happen while old people are at the bathtub or in a shower, it is difficult to reach our loved ones in case of emergency. Most bathrooms will be locked despite the risks. Walk in tubs reduces, if not eliminates, the risk of fall injuries. Accessible tubs have non skid, anti slip floors with strategic grab bars in placed for support. It also has ADA 17" compliant seat that further enhanced a comfortable and safe bath while soaking in the tub.

2. When the fear of falling is significantly reduced, a sense of independence is imbibed among the elderly. A boosts on the physical and emotional well-being of seniors gives them a chance to function normally and avoid being sent at an early stage of their life to nursing and home facilities.

3. Buying and installing a walk in tub has practical and economic consideration as well. CDC reports that in the year 2000, 19 billion dollars was spent for hospitalization of old people because accidental fall. Fall prevention is a must because fall hospitalization is costly. Walk-in bath tubs gives some kind of assurance against unwanted cost from fall injuries.

A home health care visit cost on the average around $29 per hour for a home health care aide specifically assigned for bathing an elderly. Such visit done three times a week will blow up to nearly $18,000 a year. Installing and buying a senior tub will cost around $10,000 dollars. Do the math. If an elderly is not yet bedridden, and even if he is, handicapped tubs is still the best bet.

This Buy Walk in Tubs Guide is a part of internet information dissemination campaign of Comfort Walk in Tubs Direct, a US  Walk in Tubs Company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andro_Dayao

 

Walk in Tubs are for Hygiene

Walk in Tubs - Three Important Features Leading to a Healthy Bathing Environment


Walk in tubs are products used mainly for the hygiene of old people. The elderly are usually more susceptible to germs and bacteria that lead to sickness and diseases. In caring for the elderly, soaking in a tub that contains water swarming with bacteria and germs is a situation to be avoided. When installing a tub in the bathroom, it is important to look for walk in bathtubs with the following features; an acrylic tub shell, a brass drain system and an optional ozone sterilization generator.

 

  1. Acrylic Tub Shell. Acrylic tubs has many advantages. Acrylic's good insulation property helps in maintaining water in the bathtub warm thereby reducing energy demands for the heating system. It does not shatter like glass when broken thereby adding safety precaution in case of accidents. Acrylic is also resistant to corrosion and will not turn yellowish over time. Of the many good qualities of acrylic, its properties for hygienic reason stands out. Acrylic coating can act as a preventive measure for the reproduction of bacteria in the shell surface. Acrylic also has an excellent resistance to chemicals use in bathroom cleaners and sanitizing agents. Acrylic is also highly resistant to abrasion. Acrylic can be cleaned as often you like and using different types of cleaner as you like with-out fear of damaging the surface of the tub. Acrylic is also non porous so it is easy to clean. Accessible tubs with acrylic shells will not accumulate dirt and bathroom scums where germs and bacteria abides.
  2. A Brass Drain System. Every drain will accumulate dirt, sedimentary build up and mildew over time after constant use. The foul smell that comes from a drain is caused by bacteria and germs coming from this build up. Brass is known to be anti-bacterial, anti germs and anti-microbial. A drain system equipped with brass tubes will prevent bacterial build up through oligodynamic effect. Brass with automatically disinfect itself with in a period 8 hours.
  3. Ozone Sterilization Generator. An ozonator is a device that generates ozone which is release through an aerator at the end of a hose. By releasing ozone to the water flowing to the walk in tubs the water is sanitized and oxidized.

 

To see a tub containing the features listed above visit www.comfortwalkintubs.com/acrylic_walk_in_tub.html.

From  Comfort Walk in Tubs Direct, a US Walk in Tubs Company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andro_Dayao

Walk in Tubs are for Safety - Be Sure You Get One that Has These Features

Walk in Tubs - Eight Essential Safety Features

Bathing is one of the most important regimes for our everyday hygiene. The accumulated dirt that comes from doing our daily tasks should also be removed through the normal routine of bathing everyday. Bathing is part of ordinary living, routine and can be done with ease. Easily said and done by ordinary people, but what about people with disability?

The bathroom is a disaster waiting to happen for the physically infirmed, the handicapped, the seniors and the elderly. Bathrooms are typically accident prone due to confine spaces, slippery floors, dim lighting and many more. Aside from this, the bathroom is a place in the house where an individual wants to be left at peace in the privacy of their bathing and toilet rituals. Safety and privacy are the main reasons why the bathroom is a dangerous place for seniors and people with weakened bodies. In order for the elderly and the handicapped to enjoy independence and security in the bathroom, a safe and secure bathroom environment must be established.

Walk in tubs are products specifically designed and manufactured with the seniors and the handicapped in mind. The tub comes equipped with built-in features addressing the safety concerns of the physically infirmed so that bathing will be enjoyable and risk free for them. These are the essential safety features of a walk in tub product:

  1. Low Threshold Door. Walk in tubs are tubs equipped with doors. The height of the entryway should be 3 -8 inches so the physically weak will have no trouble stepping in and out of the bathtub. The tub door barrier should also be rounded and contoured in shape and not square shape to avoid tripping over.
  2. Effortless Locking Mechanism. Closing and locking of the tub door should be done easily and must require minimum grip strength for the effort and must not involve twisting the risk.
  3. Built in safety grab bars. Walk in tubs must be equipped with fixed handrail permanently built-in the walk in tub. It must be long and slender for easy gripping. Its strength should support the weight of the holder without breaking. It should be strategically placed in the tub for easy access.
  4. Contoured ADA compliant seat. Walk in tubs are equipped with built-in bath chair securely mounted at the head of the tub. Chair height should range from 17 inches to 19 inches for easy bending and effortless seating down and standing up. Tub seat needs to be textured and seat floor design must be contoured in shape to avoid slipping out of the chair.
  5. Easy to operate controls. Tub controls must be within reach of the bather, easily accessible, must be operated by just one hand and must require minimum force to operate. A touch button control apparatus is the best control for the job.
  6. Anti-slip floor. Tub flooring should be textured to prevent skidding, slipping and falling over while in the tub, and in getting in and getting out of the tub.
  7. Anti-Scald Valve. Hot water is a real danger for bather. Hot tub water can cause actual second degree burns. Sudden contact of hot water for elderly bathers may also surprise them and cause unnecessary injuries.
  8. Rapid Draining Mechanism. Walk in tubs should be equipped with rapid drains. When a bather is finished with bathing, he should be able to get out as early as possible. Double drain system for walk in tubs provides the fastest draining time.

 

Free Consultation Offering - To learn more about how to install walk in tubs with these essential safety features, schedule an interview at http://comfortwalkintubs.com/walk_in_tubs_free_consultation.html.

This article is a part of internet information dissemination campaign of Comfort Walk in Tubs Direct, a Southern California Walk in Tubs Company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andro_Dayao

 

Making Your Bathroom Senior Safe - Walk in Tubs for Seniors

Here are some tips for making a bathroom senior safe. 

Making Your Bathroom Senior Safe 

Accidents in the bathroom do happens because it is one of the most neglected place in the household in terms of safety. The need to maintain privacy in the sanctuary of our ablution routine makes it more difficult and takes longer for a first aid response in case of an emergency. 

Safety and privacy is the two main reason why the bathroom needs to be more senior safe. It is important for seniors to take care of themselves alone as much as possible. Their old age does not diminished any their natural shyness in terms of bathroom privacy. Despite this bathroom bravado, the fact of the matter is that because of their old age they have weak and old bones too. The elderly tends to slip from slippery wet floors. The toilet seat seems to shrink everyday making it for them difficult to sit down and to stand up. The bathtub walls seems to get higher and higher  and it takes extra energy to climb up. 

To make the bathroom safe for seniors. Consider doing the tips below:
1. Remove the dim lights and make sure to use a reliable light bulb. Seniors do not have good eyesight and they need to see clearly in the bathroom.
2. Removed the clutter in the bathroom. The bathroom as is a confined place and any unnecessary clutter is a hazard. Organize the bathroom. As much as possible store the inessentials outside of the bathroom. 
3. The medicine cabinet should not be stored in the bathroom. Put it somewhere else. Seniors may take medications that is not intended for them.
4. Make the floor anti-slip and non skid. Place a rubber mat and secure it with sticky tapes to prevent it from moving.
5. Install grab bars and handrails strategically. It might not be aesthetically pleasing but in terms of functionality and safety it is superb.
6. Make sure all bathroom fixtures is installed securely. Make all fixtures an invisible support and ensure that it will not give in from sheer weight of the elderly who will need to lean in to it  from time to time.
7. Raise the toilet seat. The American Disability Act states that the advisable toilet height is 15-17 inches. Consider investing in raised toilet seats so the elderly can easily get down and up in using the toilet.
8. Install a walk in tub for seniors. Walk in tubs are  bathtubs with doors. Its entry step is low so seniors do not need to climb in the tub when taking their bath. See some installation of walk in tubs here  Walk in tubs installation example.
9. Remove the bathroom door locks or at least put a key near the bathroom door. 

Making the bathroom senior safe is a must. Investing time, effort and money can save you a lot more from medical cost and heartaches in case of accidents.

Source :

http://adamson.academia.edu/AndroDayao/Blog/23214/Making-Your-Bathroom-Senior-Safe

Comfort Walk in Tubs - Direct

Walk in Tubs Main Benefit is For Fall Prevention

The Need For Fall Prevention Among The Elderly 

Falls posed  a serious threat and a major concern for the safety and health old people. This has become a major public health problem in the United States. Thirty three percent or  one in  every three seniors with  age over than 65 falls each year  and sixty six percent or  two out of three of those who fall is expected to fall in just a period of six months. This problem is  the leading cause deaths by  injury among seniors. Aside from this critical injuries is also a problem. In the year 1998 alone 9,600  died from fall related injuries .  Seniors  suffering from osteoporosis can not afford fall accidents because the injures they will suffer will be devastating injuries such as broken bones and fractures specially to the hip.  Those who sustains this injury in their age can no longer function alone and will need specialized care in retirement facilities. 


Unintentional falls is the leading reason why older adults no longer desire physical exertion. The fear of falling is justifiable. 87% of fractures cause by falling is the second leading cause of brain injuries and fractured spinal cord.

Falls may be cause by personal or environmental factors.  Personal factors include muscle weakness, balance problems, limited vision, and taking certain medications such as tranquillizers or antidepressants .  Environmental factors include home hazards such as clutter, loose rugs or other tripping hazards, poor 
lighting, especially on stairs, and not having stair railings or grab bars in the bathroom. 

It is easy for the elderly to slip on the bathroom floor or fall while entering bathtub. Standard bathtubs and Traditional bathroom spaces  is not a conducive place for seniors. 

Source:  
1. http://adamson.academia.edu/AndroDayao/Blog/19697/The-Need-For-Fall-Prevention-Among-The-Elderly

 

2. Comfort Walk in Tubs - Direct