Best Practices in the Design of Toileting and Bathing Facilities for Assisted Transfers

4.21.2 Size and Clearances.

Minimum guidelines for roll-in shower stalls are based on residential size fixtures (30" x 60" minimum or the space used by a standard residential tub/shower unit) and spaces (30" minimum depth by the length of the shower, but not less than 48"). Institutional showers exceeded the minimum stall dimensions. However, because users were not expected to independently maneuver their wheelchairs, the critical issues regarding floor space both outside and inside the shower were the amount of space available for caregivers to provide assistance. Outside, the shower space was needed for one or more caregivers to help an individual who needed a shower chair to get into and out the chair. Inside the shower, space was needed to provide assistance with showering without getting wet. To this end, several projects incorporated a half height wall to enable a caregiver using a hand held shower to stay dry while standing behind a resident seated in a shower chair.