For the elderly with limited mobility, it is often hard to be both comfortable and safe. But you can make home the safest place for your loved ones by having safety equipment like grab bars, grab rails, shower seats, night lights, etc. Here, we are going to talk in detail about one of these safety equipment – Grab bars.
These bars come in handy when the elderly want support while walking, getting up, or getting in bed. There are various types of grab bars available, and you can choose the ideal one that fits all your elderly’s requirements.
Different Types of Grab Bars
Grab rails are different in terms of shape, material, purpose, and size. They are divided into two primary categories – Straight and curved. Let us have some details on these grab bar types:
Straight Grab Bar
Straight grab bars are the popular and common ones that we all see every other person with mobility problems using. It is simple and elegant in look. One can easily fit it and use it in any direction they want. It has many sizes and materials to choose from like metallic grab bars and suction grab bars.
Metallic Fix Grab
This grab bar is made of metal like stainless steel and aluminum. It is the most common and durable straight bar. It ensures more security; thus, you can use this in the bathroom as a cloth or towel bar by installing it horizontally. Additionally, you can use it on any kind of surface. But you also need to know that the installation process of this grab bar is complex, and it is also costlier than suction grab bars.
Suction Grab Bar
These grab bars are made of mostly plastic material. Generally, suction grab bars have two main rubber suction cups. These cups are useful for holding the wall firmly with suction. And the most impressive part is that you do not need a plumber to install these grab bars. You can simply press and tab the levers for hassle-free installation.
These are also more affordable as you can relocate them anywhere and anytime by yourself to provide your loved ones with the safety they desire at the place. But these are less durable than the straight grab bars and can only be ideal for even, non-porous, and smooth surfaces.
Curved Grab Bar
The second type is curved grab bars. And as the name suggests, these are curved or waved in style. These grab bars are good for the elderly with medical issues. Additionally, people also use these bars to give a stylish look (for decorative purposes). To know more about these, let us have a look at its subtypes:
Tub Rail
These grab rails are used for people with medical issues. These are very easy to install but are not applicable on every wall. These are useful only for bathtubs.
Flip In Flip Out
This is a good option when it comes to providing mobility aids to injured or elderly people. This can be fit over anywhere in the bathroom. You can use it especially for showers, bathtubs, and routine toilet areas. These grab rails are ideal for small bathrooms to provide complete safety.
Decorative Curved Grab Bar
As mentioned earlier, these types of grab bars are great to give a stylish look and safety both at the same time.
I hope this article helped you to know about different types of grab bars and their pros and cons. This will help you to choose the ideal mobility aids for your elderly. It is also advisable to ask the doctor once before investing in any grab bars as they would know more about their patients and may suggest the perfect grab bar.
