EZ Able® Resource Guide
How to Make a Shower Safer: What to Change First
Quick answer
Make a shower safer in this order: grab bars, a non-slip floor and a night light first; then a seat and a handheld shower; and only when the step itself is the problem, a low-threshold or curbless shower.
The shower is the riskiest spot in most houses
A CDC study of U.S. emergency room visits found about 234,000 bathroom injuries in one year among people 15 and older. Falls caused 81% of them, and 68% happened in or around the tub or shower. Those injuries happen at every age: the rate was about 59 per 100,000 people at ages 15 to 24, and it climbed to about 515 per 100,000 at 85 and older.
So a safer shower isn't only for someone who already needs help. It's for the person recovering from knee surgery, the kid who runs in wet, the guest, and you in 20 years. The first fixes don't need a remodel. Here's the shower the way we'd walk it on a home visit, then the changes in order.
Walk through the shower: problem, why it matters, fix
Stand in your bathroom with this list. It's the same "Make This House Easier" format we use for short home audits: what we see, why it matters, what to do.
1. Nothing solid to hold
Problem: people steady themselves on a towel bar, the soap dish or the shower door frame.
Why it matters: towel bars and soap dishes aren't built to hold a person's weight. They pull out of the wall at the worst moment.
Fix: a real grab bar, screwed into studs or wall backing, at the spot where you step in and where you turn around. The 2010 ADA Standards (609.4) put grab bars 33 to 36 inches above the floor and require them to hold 250 pounds of force. They're written for public buildings but make a good benchmark at home.
2. Stepping over a tub wall or curb
Problem: the shower is in a bathtub, or behind a curb several inches high.
Why it matters: every entry and exit means lifting one foot over an obstacle while standing on a wet surface.
Fix: short term, a grab bar at the entry, and a transfer bench for anyone who needs to sit and swing their legs over. Long term, remove the step: a tub-to-shower conversion or a curbless shower.
3. Standing the whole time
Problem: everyone stands for the whole shower, including washing their feet.
Why it matters: bending down and balancing on one leg on a wet floor is exactly the movement that causes falls.
Fix: a place to sit. That can be a fold-down wall seat, a freestanding shower chair, or a shower base with a built-in seat. The ADA range for seat height is 17 to 19 inches above the floor (610.3), which matches a standard dining chair.
4. A fixed showerhead and controls out of reach
Problem: a fixed showerhead, with the valve on the far side of the spray.
Why it matters: you have to step through the water to adjust it, and anyone sitting can't rinse well.
Fix: a handheld shower on a slide bar, with a long hose. The ADA asks for a hose at least 59 inches long (608.6). If you remodel, put the controls where you can reach them from the seat and from the entry, without stepping under cold water.
5. A slick floor
Problem: a smooth tub bottom or glossy tile.
Why it matters: wet, smooth surfaces are where slips start.
Fix: non-slip strips or a mat inside the shower and a non-slip mat outside it. The CDC and the National Institute on Aging both recommend this. A new shower base with a textured floor solves it for good.
6. A dark trip at night
Problem: someone walks to the bathroom at night without turning on a light.
Why it matters: the walk from the bed to the bathroom happens half-awake, in the dark.
Fix: a night light that turns on by itself in the dark, or motion lights along the path, as the National Institute on Aging suggests.
What to change first, second and third
Here's the order we'd follow in most homes. Start at the top and stop when everyone who uses the shower is safe and comfortable.
First: this weekend, no remodel
- Grab bars at the shower entry and on the main shower wall, installed into studs or backing.
- A night light in the bathroom and along the path from the bedroom.
- Non-slip strips or a mat inside the shower, and a non-slip mat outside it.
- A handheld shower on a slide bar.
- A shower chair or a transfer bench for anyone who can't stand the whole time or step over a tub wall easily.
Second: a small project, a day or two
- Replace any towel bar people use as a handhold with a grab bar (some grab bars double as towel bars).
- Add a fold-down wall seat if a freestanding chair crowds the shower.
- Move or add the handheld shower so it's reachable from the seat.
Third: when the step itself is the problem
If someone in the house can't step over the tub wall safely, uses a walker or wheelchair, or needs help getting in and out, it's time to replace the shower. Remodeling anyway? Do it now, so you don't remodel twice. Take out the tub and put in a shower with a low threshold or no curb at all. Our walk-in vs. curbless vs. ADA showers guide explains the differences. If you're comparing new walk-in models, our walk-in shower safety and features guide covers what to look for in the unit itself.
Grab bars vs. a built-in seat: which one?
Most homes end up with both. They solve different problems.
| Grab bars | Shower seat | |
|---|---|---|
| What it solves | Balance when stepping in, turning and getting up | Standing too long; washing feet and legs |
| Best fit | Anyone who walks fine but feels unsteady on a wet floor | Anyone who tires quickly, has trouble balancing or bending, or uses a walker |
| Remodel needed? | No. A bar mounts to studs or backing in a day | Fold-down seat: no, if the wall has backing. Built-in molded seat: comes with a new shower base or kit |
| Takes up space? | No | Fold-down seats fold flat; built-in seats are always there |
| ADA reference | 33 to 36 in. high, 250 lb (609.4, 609.8) | 17 to 19 in. high, 250 lb (610.3, 610.4) |
| Watch out for | Suction-cup bars aren't built to hold a person's weight | A seat without a grab bar nearby is hard to get up from |
If someone will use a shower wheelchair, the ADA calls for a folding seat in a roll-in shower (610.3) so it can be put away when the wheelchair needs the room. Our fold-down shower seat guide covers heights and mounting, and our ADA grab bar guide covers placement.
If it's for a parent
It's one of the most common reasons people call us. The list above still applies, plus:
- Walk through it with them, not for them. Watch how they actually get in, turn and get out. Put the first grab bar where their hand already goes.
- Start with changes that don't feel like a big deal. A night light, a non-slip mat and a handheld shower rarely meet resistance.
- Plan for a helper. A handheld shower, a fold-down seat and a curbless entry make helping much easier.
- Get an expert opinion if things have changed. If your parent has already fallen, is dizzy getting up, or you're unsure what they can do safely, ask their doctor about a home safety assessment from an occupational therapist.
If you're replacing the shower: three things to get right
1. The threshold. "Low threshold" means different things on different products. The ADA limits a roll-in shower threshold to 1/2 inch (608.7), measured against the finished floor. Most tile floors are about 3/4 inch thick, so a 3/4-inch threshold on the shower base often ends up close to flush once the tile goes down. Ask how the base meets the floor you're installing.
2. Walls that can take a seat and grab bars later. Best Bath and EZ Able showers, and the Praxis and Aquatic showers sold on ezable.com, have backed (reinforced) walls, so a wall-mounted seat or grab bar can go on later without opening the wall for extra blocking. Why reinforced walls matter.
3. The door and the path. A curbless shower is only as accessible as the door to the bathroom. Plan for a door wide enough for a walker or a helper, and don't add a threshold at the bathroom door that someone can't roll or shuffle over. Before ordering, measure the path the shower has to travel; our guide on whether a shower stall will fit through your door shows how.
Do you need an ADA shower? ADA rules apply to public buildings, not homes, but the sizes are a useful reference if a wheelchair is in the picture. Shop ADA showers, or start with curbless showers for the no-step entry without the full ADA size.
Keeping it from looking like a hospital
Grab bars come in several finishes, some double as a towel bar, and our Designer Series looks like bath hardware, not hospital equipment. A curbless shower with a linear drain and a fold-down seat reads as a modern bathroom. People use what looks like it belongs in their home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question below to expand the answer.
What should I change first to make a shower safer?
Start with grab bars at the shower entry and on the main shower wall, installed into studs or backing, plus a non-slip mat and a night light. Those three take a weekend and need no remodel. Next, add a handheld shower and a seat so anyone can sit to wash. Replace the shower only when stepping over the tub wall or curb is the problem.
Are grab bars or a shower seat more important?
Grab bars usually come first, because most falls happen while stepping in, turning or getting up, and a bar helps with all three. A seat matters as soon as someone tires standing, struggles to bend, or uses a walker. Most homes end up with both: a seat to sit on and a grab bar within reach to stand up from it.
How high should grab bars and a shower seat be?
The 2010 ADA Standards put grab bars 33 to 36 inches above the floor and shower seats 17 to 19 inches above the floor. Both must hold 250 pounds of force. These rules are written for public buildings, but they are good starting heights at home. Adjust for the people who use the shower: a shorter person may want the bar at the low end.
How do I make a shower safer for an aging parent?
Use the same order: grab bars where they step in and turn, a non-slip floor and a night light first, then a seat and a handheld shower so they can sit to wash. Walk through it with them and put bars where their hand already goes. If they have fallen or feel dizzy getting up, ask their doctor about an occupational therapist home safety assessment.
Does Medicare pay for grab bars or a new shower?
No. Medicare doesn't cover home modifications like installing grab bars or replacing a shower. Some state and local programs, Area Agencies on Aging and VA grants can help, and rules vary by state. Our home accessibility funding guide lists where to start. Check each program directly before counting on it.
Next Steps: Need Help Choosing?
Tell us about your bathroom or call 877-392-2531 and we will tell you straight which showers, seats and grab bars fit.
Posted by Jody Fisk, President of EZ Able®. Licensed Michigan residential builder since 1991, helping builders and homeowners get accessible showers right.
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