Your Guide To Walk-In Showers For Seniors (2024)

“The walk-in shower is made specifically for people who have difficulty getting in and out of a tub or standard shower,” says Adam Aly, a general contractor, architect and founder of modelbath.com based in New York City.

Walk-in showers provide an accessible way for seniors to get in and out of the shower and are designed to ensure a safe bathing experience. A walk-in shower floor has a minor 3- to 5-inch lip to step over to enter the shower space, says Brandy Archie, an occupational therapist and founding director of AccessAble Living in Kansas City, Missouri. They’re also easy to clean.

As Archie notes, a walk-in shower is not the same as a roll-in shower, which is barrier-free and even with the floor outside the shower, allowing someone who can’t walk to roll in safely.

Types of Walk-In Showers

There are three main types of walk-in showers, says Gerald Carpenter, a professional plumber based in Jacksonville, Florida, who consults with both residential and commercial clients around the country. They include:

• Recessed walk-in showers. This style is “a walk-in shower installed into an alcove. It has walls from three sides and an enclosure or a curtail from a single side,” says Carpenter.
• Corner walk-in showers. As the name suggests, a corner walk-in shower is fitted into a corner with enclosure from two sides, says Carpenter.
• Floating walk-in showers. This walk-in shower “contacts only a single wall and has an enclosure from three sides,” explains Carpenter.

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A walk-in shower is a financial investment, so it’s important you purchase the right one for your home. For instance, think about safety features, such as a built-in chair and grab bars. “Consider that you may not always be as mobile as you are right now, and build in accessibility features,” says Archie. “Even health occurrences that are temporary can be very disrupting when it comes to the shower.”

Safety Features

Important safety features to consider in a walk-in shower include:

• A chair-height seat. Many walk-in showers have a built-in seat, which is often “ideal for people who find it difficult to stand for long periods of time,” says Aly. A chair can prove helpful to a wide variety of people, Archie adds—from someone who just had a stroke to someone who’s eight months pregnant. As seats are often low, Archie recommends making sure the user can get up from the seat easily. If you decide not to have a seat built into the shower, Archie suggests making sure there’s enough room for a free-standing shower chair, should you ever need it.
• Grab bars. These can be installed anywhere on the shower’s walls and help prevent falls, Archie says. Users can grab onto the bars easily for balance or extra support whenever they need while showering.
• A shower caddy. Consider installing a shower caddy in a convenient spot near the shower’s entrance. “Easy-to-reach features in a shower make it much safer for everyone,” says Aly.
• Scald guard. Some walk-in showers include anti-scald technology, which helps prevent burns by changing the water flow should the water temperature get too hot.

Installation

Some people choose to renovate their bathroom completely to have a walk-in shower installed, says Aly, but you can also buy a unit that fits into your existing tub or shower.

Some manufacturers, such as Safe Step, offer professional walk-in shower installation, which makes the process easy. Installation usually takes one to two days, the company says, and they pledge not to damage your floors, walls, cabinets or other fixtures.

Some companies, however, don’t offer installation services. In that case, your options are to install it yourself—which Carpenter advises against—or hire a professional plumber. “Even if you buy the best model online, it’s still a job for a professional who would ensure a leak-proof installation process,” he says.

You also need to consider the floor that surrounds your walk-in shower, as it’s best to use honed floor tiles or non-slip tiles, says Aly.

Cost and Insurance Coverage

Expenses for walk-in showers vary based on the exact model you choose and the installation methods required. You can expect to pay $3,500 to $15,000 for a walk-in shower, according to Home Guide.

Health insurance doesn’t cover the installation of a walk-in shower, says Archie, even if it’s necessary due to a medical condition. Original Medicare doesn’t consider it durable medical equipment and, therefore, won’t cover the costs, either.

However, “some long-term care insurance policies offer coverage for home modifications that keep you at home and not in a facility,” Archie notes. Check with your insurance provider to see if there are any coverage options included in your policy.

Some states have a home and community-based services waiver that’s designed to help seniors remain in their homes as they age and receive care. These waivers can sometimes be used to make home modifications, including walk-in shower installation.