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Aging with Elegance

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Traditionally, growing older is associated with hospitals, nursing homes, or institutionalized equipment for those who choose to continue living at home. However, this is 2014! Forget everything you think you know about disability-friendly bathrooms. There are many more options these days for people who want to live comfortably in their home as they age.

Old bathroom equipment Seliger, Susan. Bathroom Equipment. Photograph. 14 Jan. 2014. Preparing for a Loved One to Die at Home. The New York Times. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.

Old bathroom equipment
Seliger, Susan. Bathroom Equipment. Photograph. 14 Jan. 2014. Preparing for a Loved One to Die at Home. The New York Times. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.

Walk In Tub. Photograph. N.d. Walk In Tub Installation. Ameriglide. Web. 1 Mar. 14.

Walk In Tub. Photograph. N.d. Walk In Tub Installation. Ameriglide. Web. 1 Mar. 14.

Modernized equipment allows for a seamless look in the home. Just because we grow old doesn’t mean our house has to reflect it! One of these great advancements is a ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant tub from Kohler. Typical walk-in tubs can take up to 15 minutes to fill and drain. That’s a long time to be just sitting in the shower, waiting for a warm bath! The new Elevance series in the Kohler collection solves this problem stylishly and efficiently. Instead of the swinging door that most walk-in tubs use, these tubs have a rising side wall that is pulled up once you are seated on the wheelchair height bench. While this setup allows you to get out of the tub much quicker, they also went to the added conveniences of a dual draining system and heated seating. Bonus- it doesn’t look ugly! Check out this beautiful bathroom full of Kohler appliances:

Kohler ADA Compliant Products

Kohler ADA Compliant Products

Kohler

Kohler Elevance Series

One last cool new gadget that can be useful for refrigerated medicine is the M Series Cold Storage medicine cabinet from Robern. Now you can keep all of your medication together instead of making the long trek to the kitchen! This cabinet is a trendy solution for bathrooms. It fits seamlessly into the overall look of the room.

Accessories finish out any room! Check out these photos of grab bars (and more!) from Moen:

Iso collection from Moen

Iso collection Kingsley collection from MoenKingsley collection

Sage collection Brushed nickel mirror

Sage collection
Brushed nickel mirror

Eva collection Brushed nickel towel shelf

Eva collection
Brushed nickel towel shelf

 

Bathroom Therapy

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The bathroom has evolved from a simple place to take care of business to a place expected to be serene and relaxing, much like a spa. People love to spend hours lounging in the tub or singing in the shower. As the demand for these luxury spaces increases, the variety of options explodes to meet the wants of the people.

Many people are already aware of the hydrotherapy options that are available, including bubbles or jets in whirlpool baths. Another less well known (but equally relaxing) option in tubs is heat. Several companies have combined these two therapies to create a bath that is even more luxurious. Most recently, music therapy has been integrated into bathing systems. Kohler has a new tub in their VibrAcoustic collection that uses Bluetooth technology to take advantage of the relaxation caused by music. Through the Bluetooth integrated into the bath system, your smart phone hooks up to the tub, allowing you to create a giant speaker out of the empty basin, or fill the bath and allow the vibrations to soothe your body. Lastly, there in an increased use of chromatherapy, added lighting in the bath to make the mood. With the wide variety of therapies available through tubs, you can choose your favorites and let the stress float away.

Kohler VibrAcoustics Tub

Kohler VibrAcoustics TubMore trendy features that can help create a spa-like environment in your bathroom are bamboo backsplash tiling, large, heated tile flooring, natural paint colors, frameless glass showers, and polished nickel features.

Schlosser Design Group Large tiles

Schlosser Design Group
Large tiles

IMG_0234

Schlosser Design Group
Large tiled shower

Having a clean, spa-like bathroom can positively affect your health and attitude. You will feel like you can relax, slow down, and enjoy the time your spend in your personal oasis.