Accessible Solutions: Bathroom Plans and Finishes

In colder climates, thermal protection, such as weather-tight windows and insulated exterior walls, is important for bathers' comfort and protection. A quick-acting supplemental heat source is also recommended. People are particularly susceptible to cold drafts after showering or bathing because the pores of their skin have opened. The use of hand showers also increases bathers' exposure to drafts. Radiant ceiling lamps are an inexpensive and effective option for supplemental heat. If baseboard heaters are installed, they should be located to prevent inadvertent contact with bathers' exposed skin. This is particularly dangerous for wheelchair users who may have limited sense of touch. This partially cantilevered vanity provides extra maneuvering room in the bathroom as well as access to the sink basin. Bathroom Storage - Bathroom storage should accommodate an array of items. Wheelchair users' storage needs may include extra medical equipment and disposable products. Consequently, accessible bathrooms should include generous storage capacity. Stored items can be divided into categories based on size and frequency of use. For daily grooming and hygiene, small items to be stored include toothbrushes, dental floss, razors, combs, tissues, and make-up. These items can be stored on the vanity top, in adjacent shelving, or in shallow drawers. Larger frequently used grooming aids such as hair dryers can be stored on wider shelves or in deeper drawers near the vanity. Prescription medicine can be stored in an accessible wall cabinet with shallow shelving. Shelves should be near eye level so small print on the labels can be easily read. For wheelchair users, the vanity wing wall is an excellent medicine cabinet location. Cleaning supplies and home medical equipment, including hot water bottles, bed pans, vaporizers, heating pads, and scales, are ideally stored in bathrooms. Storage space should also be sufficient for extra supplies such as toilet paper, hand soap, and shampoo. Since these items are bulky and infrequently accessed, they can be stored in a bathroom closet, vanity base, or wall cabinet. Towels, wash clothes, bath mats, and other linens are stored in bathrooms, although capacity may be supplemented by a hall linen closet. In bathrooms, towels can be stored on open floor stands or in shallow closets with louvered doors. Towel bars and hooks should be available to dry linens after use. For wheelchair users it is important to locate towel hooks near vanity basins and shower stalls so that they can dry their hands before propelling the chair. From Accessible Home Design: Architectural Solutions for the Wheelchair User PVA accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information published herein and does not endorse any company or any of the products or services advertised on this Web site.

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