If you live in a very VERY old house, you might have lath and plaster walls. If so you to have a very experienced carpenter to do any type of installation as NO traditional 12” apart studs in your build.
I’m assuming all this is about lessening fall risk, amirite? if so, get rid of any throw rugs, no matter how much you love them or they make your decor look good. Really 86 every loose rugs. And if you have a separate door to the WC in the bathrooms, have the carpenter take those door off. (There’s molding that can be easily put in to cover nail holes and hardware insets so not ever obvious there was a door there in the past.) If you should fall or pass out in a WC with a door, your body will likely keep the door from being able to be opened… we are talking horrow show level of calamity if this happens. Take the door off.
Firstof5, makes a very important point; grab bars absolutely MUST be installed and anchored in the studs.
I had bars installed in the shower and on the exterior of the house next to the doors when my mother stayed with me. One of Dad's church friends did the installation; he was a carpenter, but first installed one of the vertical bars in the shower but no in the studs. He admitted it, I told Dad; Dad refused to pay him until he did it properly.
After I fell recently, I've decided to add more grab bars throughout the house. They'll all be installed in the studs, and I won't even consider anyone but a carpenter. I wish I had them when I fell, as I needed support just to stand and move around.
Sure they can be, but you should get someone who knows what they are doing. They need to be carefully drilled in where there are studs in the wall. Putting them into the plaster is going to be catastropic. Think stair rail glued to a wall. When the rail comes off with the weight of a human, the human goes down. So be certain you have a good installer, good handyman, etc. I would imagine youtube has a film on exactly what to do. They have one for EVERYTHING (including an elven year old who tells you how to reuse a Tomcat mouse trap).
My father fell through the glass door in the shower. Smashed it into shards. He only got a few scratches! A occupational therapist recommended a man who came in and installed grab bars in the shower and right outside the shower. It looked like he knew where to put them. I'd check with an occupational therapy facility/company/entity for a recommendation. You can also try any elder care organizations. Get someone who can look at the person needing the grab bars and figure out where best to place them. And the circumference of the bars should be solid but fit the person's hand.
In Moms shower a horizontal one was put on the long wall about waist high for Mom, she was 5 ft tall. Another was put on the wall as you walk into the shower to be able to grab.
WE bought a home that had been semi-outfitted with grab bars and stuff in the bathroom. I chuckled at first, but the first time I slipped in the shower and had that tough grab gar to hang on to--wow, was I happy.
Most accidents do happen where there are slippery floors.
And unless you have a very handy family member, pay the cost to have these installed in a stud. Ours feel VERY strong and I am grateful for them.
YES, Definitely make sure they are installed in the wall studs, because they can pull right off the wall if you don't.
Also, you can get "toilet bars" that attach with the toilet seat bolts and make it much safer using the toilet. My mom kept missing the toilet because she "hovered" instead of sitting. Now, she feels confident about sitting. And the bowel movements now stay in the toilet.
I’m assuming all this is about lessening fall risk, amirite?
if so, get rid of any throw rugs, no matter how much you love them or they make your decor look good. Really 86 every loose rugs.
And if you have a separate door to the WC in the bathrooms, have the carpenter take those door off. (There’s molding that can be easily put in to cover nail holes and hardware insets so not ever obvious there was a door there in the past.) If you should fall or pass out in a WC with a door, your body will likely keep the door from being able to be opened… we are talking horrow show level of calamity if this happens. Take the door off.
I had bars installed in the shower and on the exterior of the house next to the doors when my mother stayed with me. One of Dad's church friends did the installation; he was a carpenter, but first installed one of the vertical bars in the shower but no in the studs. He admitted it, I told Dad; Dad refused to pay him until he did it properly.
After I fell recently, I've decided to add more grab bars throughout the house. They'll all be installed in the studs, and I won't even consider anyone but a carpenter. I wish I had them when I fell, as I needed support just to stand and move around.
We installed this one --
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-Decor-Assist-Traditional-Toilet-Paper-Holder-with-Assist-Bar-in-Stainless-41350-SS/205857118
Here are others --
https://www.google.com/search?q=toilet+paper+holder+grab+bar&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS984US984&oq=toilet+paper+holder+grab+bar&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j0i22i30l4.7886j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
WE bought a home that had been semi-outfitted with grab bars and stuff in the bathroom. I chuckled at first, but the first time I slipped in the shower and had that tough grab gar to hang on to--wow, was I happy.
Most accidents do happen where there are slippery floors.
And unless you have a very handy family member, pay the cost to have these installed in a stud. Ours feel VERY strong and I am grateful for them.
Also, you can get "toilet bars" that attach with the toilet seat bolts and make it much safer using the toilet. My mom kept missing the toilet because she "hovered" instead of sitting. Now, she feels confident about sitting. And the bowel movements now stay in the toilet.