Handicap Rails / Handicap Bars for Bathroom Safety

According to the CDC, every year, 3 million seniors are treated in the ER for falls, and over 300,000 seniors are hospitalized due to hip fractures. 

If you’re afraid of suffering a fall injury, you’re not alone. Many seniors have anxiety related to falls which is understandable, seeing as one out of four American seniors do fall each year (NCOA). However, there are preventative steps you can take to keep your home safer, so that falls will be less likely. One of the best proactive measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of a fall occurring in your home is to install handicap safety rails in high-risk areas such as the bathroom, where 80 percent of falls occur. 

Order handicap rails now so that you’ll be able to install them as soon as possible! AvaCare Medical has a full selection of handicap grab rails, including handicap shower bars, support bars and bath bars for disabled individuals. 

Types of Handicap Rails

There are many types of handicap bars for bathrooms available at AvaCare Medical. There are curved grab bars, adjustable grab bars, grab bar towel racks, and grab bars with rubber grips. There are also textured grab bars, such as knurled chrome grab bars, other types of knurled grab bars, and more. Whether you need long grab bars, short ones, or anything in between, you can find what you need now. 

How to Choose Handicap Rails

When looking for handicap rails for a bathroom, bedroom, or any other room in your home, try to find ones that are ADA compliant. Handicap grab bars that are to be used at home are not required to be ADA compliant, but by choosing handicap railings for home use that are ADA compliant, you’ll know that you’re getting the best grab bars possible; ones that are sufficiently safe. Note that even handicap handles for bathrooms that are listed as ADA approved should be used with caution. Always read reviews about any handicap support bar before choosing which one to buy. 

Weight Capacity of Handicap Bars

Obviously, it is imperative that the handicap assist bar you choose is strong enough to support yourself in case you lose your balance. Be sure to read the product description and see how much weight the handicap bars can hold. Standard, high-quality handicap grab bars can generally hold between 200 and 300 pounds, but there are some options for handicap bars that can carry more weight. 

Long Vs. Short Handicap Assist Bars

When possible, go with the longer handicap assist bars. Long grab bars provide support over a larger area. Short grab rails are the ideal choice for small walls where longer grab rails won’t fit. 

Suction Vs. Mounted Handicap Assist Bars

Suction bars are not usually as safe as mounted ones; they are much quicker to come loose. Therefore, if you need stable support, choose handicap safety bars that do require mounting. The main advantage of suction handicap safety bars over mounted ones is that the suction ones do not require such complicated assembly and can be removed without leaving holes in the walls. They are usually a good enough option for temporary use; they can help you to maintain your balance. 

If you feel safety is more of a priority for you then aesthetics, and you want bars that can support your full body weight, you’re best off choosing handicap shower rails or bath rails that need to be mounted into the wall. If you do choose to use suction handrails, be sure to have someone pull at the handrails every so often to make sure it’s firmly attached to the wall. 

Smooth Vs. Textured Handicap Grab Bars

Handicap bathroom grab bars with a smooth finish often feel better to grip, but sometimes won’t offer enough support. Textured grab bars or ones with a brushed finish will provide more traction do to their rougher finish. They offer a more secure gripping area which is important since often your hands will be slippery when grabbing onto the handicap pull up bars.

Whether you need handicap shower grab bars or bath rails for a disabled individual, you’ll find it at AvaCare Medical. We carry a full selection of handicap bathroom handrails, including Moen handicap grab bars, McKesson grab bars, and more, for all your needs. 

Shop handicap bathroom rails now and stay safe! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us at 1.877.813.7799. Our sales reps are waiting to hear from you!