Whether you are thinking about aging-in-place, live with someone with temporary decreased mobility, or just want to make a bathroom safer, you might want to check out bathroom grab bars that are actually toilet paper holders and towel racks.
If you’ve ever had an injury that made it difficult to rise from a toilet, you know that you are ready to grab on to anything around to help out. This can lead to using the toilet paper holder or towel rack as a grab bar or assist bar.
And neither should be used as a grab bar. While grab bars and toilet paper holders are shaped similarly, they aren’t attached to the wall as securely. And they aren’t designed for the weight of a person. A roll of toilet paper requires way less structural integrity than a 180-pound person.
Here’s a bathroom safety solution that I like.
There are stylish and affordable solutions to this issue, and they are helpful for people of all ages and abilities, not just those living with Alzheimer’s.
While you can use regular grab bars, I prefer to avoid anything that reminds me of a hospital in a home. However, there is one solution that I like a great deal. Some companies like Moen and American Standard have grab bars that function as toilet paper holders. This means that they do double-duty (hello punsville). They provide the toilet tissue and help aid someone rise or steady themselves in the bathroom.
If you are thinking about installing a regular toilet paper holder or towel rack as a grab bar, and just making sure you hit a stud, reconsider.
Even if it’s secure to the wall, not every toilet paper holder or towel rack is designed for more weight than toilet paper or a few towels. And the extra $20 or so it costs for a grab-bar upgrade to a toilet-paper-holder is well worth the potential problems caused by not having the proper type installed.
These double-duty design helpers also eliminate having to install additional items in the bathroom. It’s helpful to reducing the amount of visual clutter in a room. This can help make it easier to navigate the bathroom.
Where should you install the toilet paper holder?
The ADA guidelines for grab bar placement may help. You don’t have to follow these at home. However, they are designed to be helpful for people with mobility issues. So they are worth keeping in mind. These guidelines can help you decide the best placement of the toilet paper holder and towel rack.
Toilet paper holders are placed at least 19 inches above the floor. They are at least 3 feet from the rear wall. Place grab bars one foot from the back wall. And they extend 42 inches along the wall, next to the toilet.
I hope this design helper helped you and I hope you’ll watch our helpful series on Living with Alzheimer’s. Please ask questions or share your experiences in the comment section below.
Remember, when a person is the least lovable, it’s probably the time when that person needs love the most.
Together, we can make life easier for families living with Alzheimer’s.
Good post