Walk-in bath tubs for seniors handicapped and mobility challenged people? I had never heard of them. Then, in 2002, my Mother fell in the bathroom and broke her hip. I was not prepared for the downward spiral her health went through following that fall. The hip injury set in motion what I now know to be a very common pattern of health problems that directly led to her dying in a nursing home in 2004. My now 90 year old Dad made it clear, "I will never go into a nursing home!"

Walk-in bathtubs handicapped tubs and safety tubs can help you live safely in your own home, and stay out of the hospital or nursing home. After interviewing hundreds of mobility and health challenged people, and learning first hand their health and bathing challenges, I have created a few simple questions to determine those who will benefit from this powerful technology. I call these questions L.S.D. for the mobility challenged.

1. Longevity - Do you suffer from joint problems, diabetes, or any chronic condition? Are you taking any prescription medication? Do you experience cleansing whole body exercise or stimulation at least 3 times a week?

2. Safety - Do you put off bathing? Do you shower instead of soak? If so,... why? Do you have to maneuver your body or grab onto support to get in and out of the tub or shower? Has anyone observed what you do to use a tub or shower? Do you use a movable seat? Can you get down into your tub without stress? Can you get up without strain? Have you had a fall, or a near fall, in the past 7 years?

3. Dignity - Is living independently in your own home for as long as possible important to you? Does your spouse or a loved help you bathe? Are you a private person? Would it make you uncomfortable to be bathed by strangers? Is being lifted or transferred into the bathing area something you'd prefer not to need?

The problem.

As we age, or deal with illness, accident and health related issues, our strength, stamina and flexibility diminish. We eventually face a range of bathing issues that did not exist when we were healthier. However, our bathing environment stays the same. We don't remodel our bathrooms to incorporate technology to eliminate the dangers.

Many mobility, weight or health challenged people are embarrassed to acknowledge that they have these problems. Often, they would rather ignore them. Few spouses, or grown children ever observe the gyrations and stress that many seniors experience as they quietly struggle to bathe in the privacy of their bathrooms. We tend to ignore the problem until a senior is injured and forced into assisted bathing. I believe that walk-in bathing appliances or handicapped tubs offer the ability to delay this result for many years, perhaps forever.

My Mother always told me: "Knowledge is Power!" We MUST make bathrooms safer, and do our best to prevent injuries from ever happening. Once an injury occurs, it may be too late, like it was for my Mom. You cannot live independently until you have resolved bathing issues for the long-term. Knowledge of bathing technologies, like walk-in tubs, can empower you to take control of your intention to live independently for as long as possible.