Folding Shower Chair

Product Guide and Recommendations

A folding shower chair can be great for improving safety in the bathroom for the elderly.

There are two types of folding shower chairs.

The first is a bathtub chair that folds up for easy transport or storage.

The second is a permanently installed shower or bathtub seat that folds up and down.

Both are used for people who have issues with fatigue or balance and need a place to sit while showering.

Having a folding bathtub or shower chair can be important to elderly who travel or visit a lot and need to take their shower chair with them.

Permanently installed folding chairs can also be very convenient for multiple users. That way, the space can be shared by people who do and do not need a seat while showering.

Who Should Use?

Elderly who become easily fatigued or have difficulty maintaining balance for an extended period of time.

Who Should NOT Use?

Elderly with extremely poor mobility or very poor balance. Severe mobility or balance issues can make the process of folding the shower chair up and down (or folding it up and putting it away) unsafe.

Also, if an elderly person has difficulty stepping into or out of bathtub, they may need a way to access the bathtub in sitting.

A product for the elderly as a shower board, shower bench or bathtub lift may be more appropriate. Bathroom grab bars may also be a good consideration to prevent falls.

Types

There are two types of folding shower stools:

Permanently installed folding bench or seat
Bathroom chair or stool that folds for transport or storage

Recommended Features

folding shower chair

Non-slip surface on the seat
The permanently installed folding shower stools often will be wet from a previous user's shower. Having a non-slip surface on the seat is helpful.
Components durable for being in a wet environment

All bathroom stools or chairs should have components compatible for wet environments.

However, as both the permanently installed folding shower stools and the portable folding shower chair have folding parts, bolts and often hinges, it is even more important their parts are made to withstand being wet.

Non-slip bottom, suction cups and arms

For the non-permanently installed folding shower chairs, the tips should be rubber and non-slip.

Suction cup feet and arms might also be a consideration for this type.

If your aging parent finds getting up and down easier when sitting in a chair with arms, they might want to consider a bathtub chair with arms.

Drawbacks

The permanently installed folding shower chair is not usually height adjustable.

This makes it less versatile for different users.

Accessories

folding shower chair

Folding shower stools can be:

Padded: for the elderly with fragile skin
Used for travel (only the non-permanent version)
Some have a cut out to hold a hand held shower head
Some have arms (both the permanent and non-permanent version can come with arms)

The permanently installed folding shower stool may have feet underneath when it folds up or down.

The portable folding shower stool should have rubber tipped ends or suction cups to decrease risk of slipping.

How to Fit

Generally, folding shower chairs of both types should be set up for the elderly person' knees to be at around 90 degrees or a bit higher with their feet flat on the floor with no shoes on.

If getting up and down from this height is difficult the installation may have to be slightly higher or the height should be moved up slightly on portable models.

Bathroom grab bars may also be helpful.

Weight Capacity: Weight capacity must be considered to make sure you have chosen the right folding chair for your loved one.

How to Use

folding shower chair

Portable Folding Shower Chair

The portable folding shower stool will be placed in the bathtub or shower and the elderly person will sit on it while showering.

It is usually pointed towards the taps and should be placed so there is enough room for your aging parent to get into and out of the bathtub or shower easily.

Permanently Installed Folding Shower Chair

This folding shower stool is installed permanently. Either the senior or a caregiver can fold it down prior to moving into the bathtub or shower.

This shower or tub seat should be installed to allow the elderly person enough room to get into the tub or shower without squeezing around the folding seat.

If the senior's strength and balance is good enough, they can access the tub or shower first before flipping the seat down.