Barrier-free bathroom
Suitable for seniors, wheelchair users, and people with disabilities
How do I plan a barrier-free bathroom?
As always when planning a bathroom, the first thing to consider when designing a barrier-free bathroom is what requirements the room needs to meet for you. The first question at this point is whether a barrier-free bathroom is being planned in accordance with standardised requirements. This is necessary for many government subsidies, as well as for bathrooms in restaurants, hotels and public places that are to be declared barrier-free bathrooms.
If the bathroom is only being fitted out for individual needs, this is of course not necessary. For example, there are age-appropriate bathrooms that are not automatically disabled-friendly, but may be completely sufficient for your own requirements.
General recommendations for a barrier-free bathroom
Although individual needs and requirements call for different solutions, there is always a lot of overlap when designing a barrier-free bathroom. The following points provide general guidance and often make the bathroom more comfortable for people who do not need a barrier-free bathroom.
Ample space
This allows for maneuvering a walker or wheelchair as well as providing support from a second person when using the bathroom. A barrier-free bathroom in a small space is still possible, but requires thorough planning.
Grab handles or support handles
In addition to providing support for standing, sitting, and standing up, they can also serve as orientation aids for people with impaired vision. Make sure that support handles can bear the entire weight of the body and are securely anchored.
Remove or reduce thresholds and steps
Where possible, doors should be completely free of thresholds. Even in a barrier-free bathroom with a shower or bathtub, thresholds should be avoided altogether if possible. Alternatively, entry aids are required.
Non-slip floor covering
This reduces the risk of falling both in the bathroom in general and in the shower and bathtub.
Bright lighting
A barrier-free bathroom should be well lit. Sufficient contrast should be ensured to make it easier to perceive shapes and bodies.
Everything within easy reach
Not only the necessary bathroom accessories, but also light switches, sockets, door handles, and faucets should be easily accessible in a barrier-free bathroom.
Matching doors & door areas
Doors in accessible bathrooms should open outward. This ensures that the door is not blocked in the event of a fall. They should also be easy to open. In addition, there should be sufficient space in front of and behind the door to maneuver a walker or wheelchair.
Senior-friendly, wheelchair-accessible, and handicapped-accessible bathroom
When we talk about a barrier-free bathroom, we can mean different things. It therefore often makes sense to divide bathrooms into those that are suitable for seniors or older people, those that are wheelchair-accessible, and those that are accessible for people with disabilities. Of course, there is some overlap, and the requirements are by no means mutually exclusive.
Senior-friendly bathroom
Many of the general tips are already the best way to achieve an age-appropriate bathroom. This is because the main priority here is to avoid the risk of falls and to provide assistance with standing up and sitting down. A walk-in shower with a floor-level entrance is also helpful. If a rollator is used, a vanity unit that can be wheeled underneath is useful.
Wheelchair-accessible bathroom
If the barrier-free bathroom is to be wheelchair-accessible, a wheelchair-accessible vanity is a must. Of course, there also needs to be sufficient space throughout the entire bathroom. There are also extra tub lifts available for the bathtub.
Handicapped-accessible bathroom
A bathroom designed for people with disabilities can, of course, have different requirements. For example, for a blind person, easy orientation and minimizing obstacles such as thresholds are crucial, while other people have different needs. In some cases, a call button may be particularly useful, which can also be useful for a bathroom designed for seniors or wheelchair users, depending on the circumstances.
Accessible showers
In a barrier-free bathroom, the shower should be installed at floor level. For a wheelchair-accessible shower, it must also be ensured that the floor is wheelchair-accessible and that any shower door can be opened wide enough. If standing for long periods is problematic for users, there are both mobile and wall-mounted (and in some cases foldable) shower chairs available. In addition, disabled-friendly grab rails should be installed in the shower, both horizontally and vertically, to provide the best possible support and stability.
Barrier-free sink area
In the sink area of a barrier-free bathroom, it is particularly important that all items and fittings are within easy reach. As with barrier-free toilets, a height-adjustable function helps to make a vanity unit barrier-free. A wheelchair-accessible vanity unit is also a great help for wheelchair users. The sink should not be too small to allow for easy use.
Barrier-free toilet
Support rails are also essential for disabled-friendly toilets to enable users to stand up and sit down without difficulty. The correct height and length must also be taken into account for wheelchair-accessible toilets. The toilet should not be too short to allow users to move between it and their wheelchair independently without difficulty. The perfect height always depends on the size of the user. A height-adjustable toilet is ideal here.
Tip
Shower toilets are particularly recommended for barrier-free bathrooms. Their ease of use prevents any difficulties – for example, due to limited motor skills – when using the toilet, and the high standard of hygiene is an additional bonus. Everyone else who uses the barrier-free bathroom also benefits from the latter and the general comfort of a shower toilet.
Legal basis and financing for barrier-free bathrooms
Even though the term "barrier-free bathroom" is often used differently in everyday language, it is clearly defined in law. Accordingly, there are often certain requirements that must be met when it comes to financing options.
Legal
For a legally compliant barrier-free bathroom, the dimensions specified in DIN 18040-2 must be observed. This standard is available in a standard version and with the addition of R, which contains additional provisions for wheelchair-accessible bathrooms. If you are designing a bathroom in the hospitality industry (for example, for a restaurant or vacation rental), the bathroom must comply with this standard in order to be declared barrier-free.
Financial
In most cases, state support requires a barrier-free bathroom in accordance with DIN 18040-2. However, there are also various options for subsidies, e.g. from health insurance companies, if you convert your bathroom to make it accessible for disabled people. Health insurance companies may also provide (partial) funding for individual steps, such as converting a shower to a level-access shower suitable for older people, or for purchases such as shower chairs. In most cases, however, a doctor's prescription is required for this.
