DMI For Transfer Tub Grab Bars
" Medical Equipment " |
Tub Grab Bars serve two distinct purposes:
• By providing "something to hold on to" while stepping over the side of the tub, they provide stability and assistance in getting in and out of the bathtub.
• Once in the tub, a properly positioned tub bar provides assistance in getting up and down safely.
All tub grab bars are made strictly for very rigid steel or cast iron porcelain tubs. Tub bars cannot be safely installed on fiberglass or plastic bathtubs. It is important to select a tub bar with the correct type of mounting bracket to provide a tight and proper fit for your particular bathtub. Bars equipped with brackets that have straight parallel jaws cannot be safely installed on a bathtub on which the side walls of the tub are tapered or sloped. This type of tub requires a bracket that will swivel or adjust to conform to this wall configuration.
Installation:
The mounting position should be selected to provide the user with the maximum assistance. If the user has an involved hand, position the grab bar for the stronger hand. If a bath seat is to be used, position the bar to permit getting in and out of the tub without stepping on the seat. If the tub bar is to be used in conjunction with a wall mounted grab bar, position it so that the two bars supplement each other to provide maximum assistance.
Once the best position has been determined, be sure the mounting surfaces on the tub are clean and free of soap film, oil, or grease of any kind. Wiping these surfaces with rubbing alcohol is an easy way to get them "squeaky" clean. If the mounting brackets of the grab bar are lined or coated with rubber or plastic, it is also a good idea to wipe these surfaces with alcohol.
Follow explicitly the manufacturer's instructions for installation packed with your grab bar. If questions arise during the installation process, please call our office.
The security of the mounting should be tested by pulling forcefully on the bar in all directions. The mounting of any tub grab bar should be re-checked frequently for tightness and security. A loose or unstable grab bar is worse than no grab bar at all. The false security provided by a poor quality bar, or one that is installed improperly can result in greater risk of injury than the lack of a grab bar altogether.
Keeping the grab bar clean and free of soap film, oil, or grease will help to retain any no slip characteristic that may have been provided by the manufacturer.
If installed and used with care, discretion, and common sense, your tub grab bar will provide you with a good measure of safety and independence. A Bath Seat and a No Slip Mat or Safety Tread may provide you an even greater measure of safety and independence. Please call our office if more information is needed regarding other bath safety products.
If the Manufacturer's, Physician's or Therapist's instructions differ in any way from those given here, follow their instructions explicitly. This material is for information purposes only and is provided by Martin Avenue Pharmacy, Inc.
DMI Information and Instructions are available for the following equipment:
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