Hydraulic or Battery powered?
Most bath lifts were originally water powered and installed by hooking a hose to the bath tub's plumbing in the same way a hand held shower is hooked up. Today, with the advancements, in technology many of the bath lifts on the market are battery powered. Although most models have been promoted as portable, there was always an issue with hooking up a water supply when away from home but with the production of battery powered units traveling with a lift is much easier. When at home or away the battery powered unit can be simply placed in the tub when needed and removed when not needed without the hassle of connecting and disconnecting water hoses.
An advantage of the water powered unit are there is no battery to recharge; as long as your house has water pressure it will work. The disadvantage of the water powered bath lift is that if the water bladder develops a leak they are generally quite expensive to replace.
Battery powered units sense the amount of power left in the battery and won't lower into the tub if there isn't enough power for the lift to lift back up again. Extra batteries can be purchased to be used as a backup so you'll always have a charged battery ready for use. Having a back up battery is a good idea in institutional settings where the lift is used multiple times a day.
Recline Feature
Most of today's bath lifts offer some type of recline feature. While sounding like a god idea they are not always as functional as on would think. When the bath lift is placed at the end of the bath tub the amount of recline is limited the angle of the end of the bath tub. If the bath lift is positioned forward to allow for more recline then leg room is sacrificed and the user ends up with their knees in the air.
Some Videos About Typical Bath Lifts
Using a bath lift
Bath lifts are pretty simple to use. When in the raised position, the seat will over lap the out side lip of the bath tub. The user simply sits on the bath lift with their legs outside the bath tub, swing their legs into the bath tub, center themselves on the seat and push a button or lever which will lower them into the water. The bath tub can be filled before (preferable for comfort) or after the lift is lowered. When the bath is finished, the user uses the button/lever to lift the bath lift to the raised position, the user swings their legs out and stands or transfers to a wheelchair.
One thing to keep in mind is the seat flaps which lay on the side of the tub are supported by the tub wall. If the lift is too high, there is a danger of the flaps breaking off during a transfer. To avoid breakage, the bath lift must be raised to the same height as the side of the bath tub and not higher during transfers.
Accessories/Options
Note: all accessories and options are not available for all bath lifts.
- Transfer Disc - for those who have trouble swinging their legs into the bath tub and centering themselves on the seat a bath lift transfer disc placed on the seat will make turning and sliding across the seat much easier.
- Side Wings - Side wings are supports attached to the back of the seat for people who have trouble remaining upright without leaning to the sides.
- Head Rest - Head rests are optional on some models of lifts for those who require head support.
- Chest Strap - Chest straps are used to prevent the user from leaning sideways or forward while bathing.
- Lap Belt - Lap belts help in keeping the user securely in place during bathing.
Health Benefits of a Bath
Relax muscles, calm your mind, detoxify, moisturize, stimulate circulation
and clear your lymph system - all with a simple bath.
A lot of people say they aren't interested in sitting in a tub of water.
However, there are many health benefits to a good, long, hot bath. The
following article and bath recipe provide plenty of incentive to fill the
tub and drop in for a good long, relaxing, moisturizing, detoxifying, lymph
node clearing, circulation-stimulating and immune system boosting soak.
The deep muscle relaxation associated with a good hot bath helps to reduce
cramps, tension headaches and improves muscle elasticity. The process is
similar to a massage and beneficial for everyone from athletes to those who
sit at a desk all day. When a hot bath is followed with gentle stretching,
the benefits to the musculoskeletal system may even reduce the number of
trips many people take to the chiropractor by helping to maintain muscle
position and equal tension on the skeletal system.
The psychological benefits from the time to relax and unwind are numerous. A
good book or magazine while relaxing in the bath can take your mind off
financial and emotional worries and give you a clearer head when you need to
address these problems at a later time. Keep your bath time a time without
interruption to help give you a break from your hectic life. Be sure to
relax your mind as well as your muscles.
Make your bath hot enough to induce a sweat. The process of perspiration
removes toxins from the body. You may even notice that a regular bath
routine reduces perspiration odor so you have less of a need for deodorants
to control body odor. The heat of the water also kills many strains of
bacteria and viruses decreasing the number of colds and infections you may
get throughout the year.
Increased circulation of the lymph system required for the sweating process
helps to clear the system of toxins and create a free-flowing system to
remove toxins, bacteria and viruses from the body. The lymph system is the
system responsible for stimulating immune response. Hot baths help increase
lymph drainage and improve health.
Increased blood circulation improves all bodily systems by increasing the
rate of nourishing blood cells to damaged tissue. In addition, dead cells
are removed from the body more quickly, increasing the ability to stay
healthy and energetic.
Add oils to moisturize and shed dead skin cells. Natural oils, such as
coconut oil or olive oil, help to moisturize your skin and prevent future
dryness. The use of a loofa or sea sponge will remove dead skin cells to
improve the appearance of radiant glowing skin without harsh chemicals. A
regular hot bath with a good dermal scrubbing will put an end to dry, flaky
skin and the itchiness they cause.
Improve your immune system to help fight infection and colds. The vascular
and lymph system stimulation decrease your risk of colds and infection by
stimulating the immune system to improve the ability of your body to destroy
the bacteria and virus cells that can make you sick. Overall, a hot bath is
extremely beneficial to improving your health, naturally.
If you have high, or low, blood pressure, a bath that is too hot may cause
problems. Always cool down slowly after a hot bath. Allow the water to cool
or add cold water slowly to return your body temperature and circulation to
normal before getting out of the tub. If you have any questions about the
safety of a hot bath based on your medical conditions, talk to your doctor.