Written by Mike Price, OT
More and more people are making the choice to age in place at home for as long as possible. The most important factor to consider, then, is how to maintain your independence, while also ensuring safety.
Mayo Clinic recommends six vital elements for in-home fall prevention, and installing a hygiene system such as a walk-in bathtub or shower with grab bars is at the very top of the list.
The National Institute on Aging (NIH) reports that 81% of injuries from falls were by people age 65 or older. And, in people over the age of 70 many falls can prove fatal.
For this reason, it is imperative we and our loved ones take every precaution we can to prevent falls from happening.
If you or a loved one struggles with maintaining balance, gait, or has inner ear maladies, a walk-in tub has the potential to greatly enhance and simplify life.
But choosing a walk-in bathtub can be a challenge - nobody wants to remodel their entire home or choose a bathtub design that doesn't work for them.
So we put together our 40 years of medical experience to the test, and chose the five best walk-in tubs on the market.
Not only that, but we chose five walk-in bathtubs that can be installed in the same footprint as a standard bathtub - no remodel necessary.
 | 1) Ibis Wheelchair Access Walk-In Bathtub View Product |
Earning the number five spot on our list with its versatile fit for smaller spaces, the Dove Meditub provides easy walk-in access for seniors aging in place at home.
Built for durable dependability with industrial-strength acrylic, the Dove adds a stylish touch to any bathroom.
Offering the convenient option of a shower stall, this walk-in tub can be used for both baths and showers. With its capability to fit into an existing shower stall, closet, or small bathtub space, this is a great choice for mobile homes and smaller bathrooms.
The water-right door can be affixed with a left or right position, enabling maximum bathing space within the unit.
The Dove is further customizable with a range of therapy add-ons, such as hydro-massage or air-massage jets, and dual-massage jets that combine both water and air.
The massaging action enhances the hydrotherapy experience, as do the options of chromatherapy, which uses colored lights, and aromatherapy, which uses essential oils.
A neck pillow can be added for comfort, while the optional four-piece Roman faucet set ensures quick filling, and eliminates common faucet compliance installation issues.
An auto-drain system can be added to enhance faster drainage, and the included waste and overflow valve can be selected in three different colors.
This deep and spacious walk-in bathtub takes the number four position on our list with its exceptional comfort for bathers with limited mobility.
The Raven Walk-in Bathtub is durably constructed with high glass fiberglass that’s been finished with a triple gel coat in either a white or biscuit color, and features a stainless steel frame with adjustable feet for secured leveling.
Popular because of its larger dimensions, the Raven still fits into a standard bathtub space, eliminating the need for a remodel.
Its inward opening, space-saving, watertight door adds convenient operation from within the tub, and the ADA-compliant height seat ensures easier and safer transfers to and from the tub. Safety is further enhanced with the non-slip flooring, helping to prevent falls.
The waste and overflow valve comes standard on all models, in a choice of three different colors, and the Roman faucet assemblage can be added as an option to eliminate common installation issues, while it also helps fill the tub more quickly.
An array of optional features enables further customization, including air jets, hydro jets, aromatherapy, and chromatherapy.
Securing the number three position on our list, the Pelican Walk-In Bathtub is another spacious tub, but with more height than the Raven, resulting in a deeper soak.
Whether it’s installed as new construction or retrofitted, this stylish tub can easily fit into standard bathtub spaces.
This is the perfect design for both wheelchair access and patient lift access. Its base features a removable panel, enabling easier entry and exit with a Hoyer lift, allowing the base of the lift to slide right under the tub.
The higher, contoured, 21-inch high seat makes transfers safer and simpler to perform, as well. Safety is further enhanced with the built-in grab bar and slip-resistant flooring.
The outward-opening, watertight door of the Pelican is lockable on the outside for better caregiver control, and can be configured on the left or right.
Optional add-ons help to turn an ordinary bathing experience into a therapeutic spa, such as air jets, hydro jets, dual jets (both air and water jets), colored chromatherapy lights, and essential oil aromatherapy.
Durable and strong, the Pelican is constructed with white triple-gel coat finished superior quality fiberglass in a free-standing stainless steel support frame that has adjustable, leveling feet.
It accommodates 500 lbs, plus the weight of the water, and offers a 65-gallon capacity.
Perfect for bathers who can still recline, the Flamingo II Walk-In Bathtub handily grabs the number two spot on our list. Lower in height than other walk-in bathtubs, this tub facilitates full immersion, but won’t take up any more space than a standard bathtub, eliminating any remodeling needs.
Built to deliver exceptional and reliable performance for years to come, the Flamingo II is constructed with industrial-grade acrylic fiberglass on a stainless steel frame.
With its extra-low threshold that’s much easier to step over than a standard bathtub, the Flamingo II is a great choice for seniors aging in place at home who still retain some ambulation ability.
Its inward-swinging watertight door can be configured to the left or right for simpler operation from inside the tub, and selecting the optional Auto-Drain system will empty its 40-gallon capacity in less than a minute!
The Flamingo II will hold 500 lbs in addition to the weight of the water.
An expandable shower handle comes standard with this walk-in tub, and a number of optional add-ons, such as the air jets, hydro jets, padded neck rest, chromatherapy, and aromatherapy can be added to further enhance the therapy experience.
As one of the most affordable walk-in bathtubs on our list, the Flamingo II delivers a luxurious bathing experience at a great price.
Easily winning the number one position on our list, the Ibis Walk-In Bathtub boasts a 75-gallon water capacity and a higher profile for comfortable, safe bathing.
Its wider, outward-opening door allows wheelchair users to slide in and out, providing non-obstructed access to hydrotherapy.
It also has a removable base panel to enable access for patient lifts, making this tub a great choice for both wheelchair and lift users.
Able to retrofit into an existing bathtub space or as new construction, the Ibis will fit inside most bathrooms with ease, and can be designed with either a left or right opening door.
Tough and durable, this tub is built to last, with triple gel-coat finished high gloss fiberglass, and a stainless steel frame with adjustable feet for leveling.
The higher, ADA-compliant, 21-inch seat makes transfers safer, while the built in contours deliver unsurpassed comfort, especially when combined with the optional neck support.
Non-slip flooring and a built-in grab bar heighten safe usage, and help to prevent falls.
A hand-held shower handle is included to facilitate versatile utilization of the tub as a shower, and to access hard-to-reach areas of the body.
As one of the easiest walk-in tubs to enter and exit, especially for seniors aging in place, and for individuals who use wheelchairs and/or patient lifts, the Ibis can be specially customized to meet the needs of its users.
Air jets, hydro jets, or a combination of both therapeutic modalities can be added to help bubble away pain and loosen tight muscles, along with aromatherapy and chromatherapy to ease stress and relax tension.
With more aging Americans making the choice to age in place at home, it is more important than ever to ensure their safety, and make the necessary changes to the home as seniors’ needs change.
Because the bathroom is one of the most dangerous areas of the home for people of all ages, it makes sense to address safety concerns there first.
As one of the most recommended ways to make bathing safer for the elderly and those living with mobility impairments, walk-in bathtubs provide a lower threshold to step over than conventional bathtubs, and a number of other design configurations that make this personal hygiene a much safer and comfortable process all the way around.
We used our research and extensive medical and therapy experience to find the 5 best walk-in bathtubs based on performance, durability, price, features, and feedback from the customers who use these bathtubs regularly.
All five offer a range of helpful benefits for specific users, but we found the Ibis Wheelchair Access Walk-in Bathtub by SWCorp to be the best of the best.
With its easy accessibility for wheelchair users and patient lift users, enabling slide-through entrance and exit with its extra-wide door and higher seat, along with its removable base panel, the Ibis is a great choice for most seniors and others living with mobility challenges.
Looking for more caregiving tips and educational resources? Be sure to check out the rest of our helpful articles at Caregiver University.
Co-Founder of Rehabmart and an Occupational Therapist since 1993. Mike has spent his professional career working in multiple areas of Occupational Therapy, including pediatrics, geriatrics, hand therapy, ergonomics and inpatient / outpatient rehabilitation. Mike enjoys writing articles that help people solve complex therapeutic problems and make better product choices.
