The essential guide to bathroom aids

Bath lifts are an ingenious bathroom aid designed to help you get in and out of the bath without necessarily needing help from anyone else. There are a few different styles of bath lift available and which one you choose will depend entirely on your needs.

One of the most common styles of bath lift is a chair that raises up to the rim of the tub, so you can sit down on it, lift your legs in, and then use the controller to lower yourself down. Another option is an inflatable bath lift, which works in a similar way to the chair except that you use the controller to inflate and deflate the cushion as needed to help you gently rise up or lower down. The latter option also means that you will be seated on the base of the bath once lowered, as opposed to raised up a little from the bottom as you would be in the chair.

Bath seats and chairs are useful pieces of equipment that give you a place to sit while using the bath, as you don't need to lower yourself all the way down to the base of the tub.

You can also get shower chairs, seats and stools, which may sound similar but they're designed to give you a place to sit and rest while showering, and so may not be suitable for use in the bath.

Bath boards are specialised boards that are designed to rest on the rim of the bath, giving you a place to sit so you can lift your legs into the tub rather than stepping into it. From there you can either lower yourself down into the bath or you may also choose to stay on the board if you have an over-the-bath shower and need a space to rest while getting clean.

You can get bath boards to suit most styles and types of bath, but it's always worth measuring carefully before purchasing to make sure you get one that's the right size.

Bath steps are specially designed for use in bathroom to help reduce the distance required to step into the tub. There are a variety of different types and designs available from ones that stack or are height adjustable, to those that come with a handrail to offer a little extra support.

It's important to keep in mind that you shouldn't use a step in the bathroom that hasn't been designed for a wet environment, as it could lead to slips and falls.

These are a variety of different types of aids all designed to help keep you safer when using the bathroom. They range from non-slip strips for the bath, through to a bath shortener designed to make it safer for shorter people to bathe without risk of slipping down the bath. 

Grab rails are sturdy, strong rails designed to offer support where needed, with some particularly designed for use in the bathroom. They can be placed on stable walls to give you a reassuring handhold when climbing into the bath, using the shower, pulling yourself up from the toilet etc.

Grab rails come in a variety of styles and colours, including those that can be attached to the bath, and those that are designed to look like common bathroom items (such as mirrors or toilet roll holders) to offer more discreet support.