Bath step guide: height, grip and when a bath board is safer

Who a bath step helps

Say your mother still likes a proper bath, but lifting her leg over the tub edge has started to feel like a climb. A bath step gives her a halfway point, so each movement is smaller.

It helps most when someone walks well and only struggles with the height of the edge. It helps far less when the real problem is balance, dizziness or getting down to sit in the water.

An NHS occupational therapy leaflet names stepping in and out of the bath as one of the main problems with bathing safely. That is the exact moment a step is meant to make easier.

• People with stiff hips or knees who can still stand on one leg briefly
• Shorter adults facing a high tub edge
• Anyone who already holds a fixed grab rail when stepping in
• Family members looking for a small change before larger equipment

What to check before buying a bath step

Start with a tape measure. Note the height of the tub edge from the bathroom floor, the depth from the edge down to the tub floor, and the free floor space beside the bath.

Here is the real limit, said once: a step shortens the climb up, but the tub floor stays where it is. The drop on the inside becomes longer, so the second foot has further to travel down.

Low bath steps are often about 4 in (10 cm) high, like the Vive step in this guide. The two Drive step stools stand 9 in high, so they suit a high tub edge or a bed better than a low one.

• Tub edge height from the floor, and the depth inside the tub
• Free floor space for the step plus a clear spot to turn
• Step height, platform size and the stated weight capacity
• A non-skid top and rubber feet or tips
• Where a hand can hold on at every stage

How the three picks compare

The Vive Bath Step is a low plastic platform made to sit outside the tub. The two Drive Medical picks are taller steel stools with a non-skid ribbed rubber platform and a 9 in step; one adds a handrail.

The facts below come from each maker's product page and the verified Amazon titles. Vive advises against using its step inside the tub, and Drive does not describe either stool for a wet tub, so keep all three on a dry floor beside it.

• Vive Bath Step: 4 in high, 18 x 14 in top, 400 lb capacity, textured rubber top and rubber feet
• Drive Medical 13030-1SV: 9 in step, 14 x 11 in platform, 300 lb capacity, 5 lb, no handrail
• Drive Medical 13062-1SV: 9 in step, 14 x 10 in platform, 500 lb capacity, handle at 34 in
• Both Drive stools: steel frame with silver vein finish and a non-skid ribbed rubber platform
• Warranty: limited lifetime for both Drive stools; Vive lists a lifetime guarantee

Using a step stool for elderly users safely

The CDC's home fall checklist says that if you must use a step stool, get one with a bar to hold on to, and never use a chair instead. In a bathroom, that bar works best alongside a fixed grab rail.

The same checklist suggests a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the tub floor, and grab bars next to and inside the tub. A step outside the bath does nothing for a slippery surface inside it.

Keep the floor around the step dry. Put a towel within reach before getting in, so nobody has to stand on the step dripping while looking for one.

• Place the step so the whole foot lands flat on the platform
• Hold a fixed rail, not a towel bar, shelf or shower curtain
• Wipe water off the step and floor before stepping out
• Move the step out of the walking route after bathing

When a bath board or seat is the safer choice

Stepping is not the only way in. The NHS leaflet says that rather than stepping in and out, it may be easier and safer to use a bath board, which lets you sit on the edge and swing the legs over.

A bath board is especially useful with an overhead shower, because you do not have to climb down into the bath. The leaflet also suggests a grab rail fitted at the side of the bath.

Say your father finds standing on one leg wobbly even on a good day. A step asks him to do exactly that, twice, beside a wet tub. A board lets him sit first and move one leg at a time.

• Choose a board if standing on one leg feels unsteady
• Consider a bath seat if sitting down in the water is the hard part
• Think about a walk-in shower if the tub edge is the daily struggle
• Ask for a rail fitted to the wall before anything else

When to ask an occupational therapist

If there has been a fall, a near miss or a new health problem, ask for an occupational therapy assessment before buying anything. A therapist can watch the real movement in the real bathroom.

Ask the doctor or local health service: "Can someone check how my father gets in and out of the bath, and what equipment fits our tub?" Bring your measurements to that visit.

Two more questions are worth writing down: "Would a bath board or a step suit our tub better?" and "Where should a grab rail go for his height?" A short written list keeps the visit focused.

• A fall or near miss in the bathroom
• Dizziness when standing or turning
• Recent hip, knee or back surgery
• Needing another person to help with every bath