Shower chair vs tub transfer bench: which one do you need?

The quick answer

Choose a tub transfer bench if stepping over the tub wall is unsafe, painful or tiring, or if standing on one leg on a wet tub floor feels unsteady. Choose a shower chair or stool if you can get into the tub or shower safely but standing to wash is tiring or unsteady. In a walk-in shower with a low curb or no curb there is no wall to cross, so a chair is usually the fit. Occupational therapy and hospital patient-education guides draw the same line.

Official sources: Mayo Clinic Store: An occupational therapist's guide to preventing falls in the bathroom · Memorial Sloan Kettering: Shower and bathtub accessories

How a tub transfer bench works

The bench has two legs inside the tub and two on the bathroom floor, with a little more than half of the seat over the tub. Back up to the bench, sit on the outside end, hold the bench handle or a grab bar, lift one leg over the tub wall and then the other, and slide across. Getting out is the same in reverse. When comparing benches, look for a backrest that can be fitted on either side to suit the end you enter from, legs that adjust separately inside and outside the tub so the seat sits level, drainage holes, and rubber tips or suction feet. Benches with a sliding or swivel seat are also made for people who find it hard to shuffle across a fixed seat.

• Tub transfer bench
• Drive Medical Plastic Tub Transfer Bench with Adjustable Backrest – approx. US$52–120 depending on retailer

Shower chairs and stools: which style?

A stool without a back is compact and suits small showers, but gives no support behind you. A chair with a back helps if your sitting balance is limited, and armrests or handles give you something to push on when you stand up. Chairs and stools can tip if you lean or pull hard on one edge, so they suit people who can step in and sit down mostly on their own. If you need to pull on the seat, or need help from another person, a transfer bench or a wheeled shower commode chosen with an occupational therapist may suit you better.

• Carex E-Z Bath and Shower Seat with Handles – approx. US$62–66
• Shower chair with back
• Medline shower chair with back – approx. US$35–50

Official source: WebMD: What to know about shower chairs and tub benches

Measure before you buy

For a bench, measure the inside width of the tub floor where the inner legs will stand (curved tubs are narrower at the bottom than at the rim), the height and thickness of the tub wall, and the clear floor beside the tub for the outer legs, away from the door, toilet and vanity. A bench cannot cross a tub wall that has fixed glass doors on it; the doors would need to come off and be replaced with a curtain. For a chair, check it fits your tub or shower floor and, if your shower has a door, that it fits through the opening. For either, sit on a firm chair with your feet flat and measure from the floor to the back of your knee: the seat should let your feet rest flat with your hips and knees close to a right angle. Check the maker's weight capacity with room to spare; many basic shower seats are rated around 250 to 300 lb, and heavy-duty models are rated higher.

Keep water in the tub

With a bench, the shower curtain has to hang inside the tub between the inner and outer legs, or you can use a split curtain made for transfer benches. Otherwise water runs along the seat onto the bathroom floor, which is a slip hazard of its own. Use a non-slip mat inside the tub and an absorbent, rubber-backed mat outside it.

• Non-slip bath mat

Add a handheld shower and grab bars

Whichever seat you choose, a handheld shower on a long hose lets you wash without standing or twisting. Keep the controls, soap and towel within reach from the seat. A vertical grab bar at the tub entry and a horizontal bar on the long wall give a fixed handhold while you sit, turn and stand. Weight-bearing grab bars must be screwed into wall studs or approved blocking; suction bars are a balance aid only and must never take your weight.

• Handheld shower head with long hose
• Moen Engage handheld shower – approx. US$60–85
• Wall-mounted stainless grab bar
• Moen Home Care grab bar – Approx. C$36–130 depending on length and finish

Safety checks every time

Set the legs so the seat is level, with the inner legs on the flat part of the tub floor, then press down on each end before you sit: it should not rock, tip or slide. Never stand on a bench or chair. Replace worn rubber tips. Sitting to wash means more time under the water, so test the temperature first; the Public Health Agency of Canada recommends hot water no hotter than 49°C (120°F).

Official source: Public Health Agency of Canada: The Safe Living Guide, home safety for seniors

Cost and funding

Basic shower chairs and transfer benches are among the lower-cost bathroom aids, and there is nothing to install. In Canada, the CRA lists bathroom aids that help a person get in or out of a bathtub or shower as an eligible medical expense with a prescription, so keep the prescription and the receipt. Ontario's Assistive Devices Program does not cover bath and shower aids such as benches and chairs. In the US, Original Medicare does not cover shower chairs; some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits, so check your plan. Our guide to home accessibility funding in Ontario and Canada covers other programs.

Official sources: Canada Revenue Agency: Medical expenses (RC4065) · Ontario.ca: Assistive Devices Program · Medicare.gov: Durable medical equipment coverage

When to ask for an assessment

Ask your doctor or local home care service about an occupational therapy assessment if you have fallen, feel faint or dizzy in the bath, need another person's help to get in or out, or are recovering from surgery with movement precautions. An occupational therapist can watch how you get in and out, suggest a bench, a chair or a wheeled shower commode, set the right seat height and show you a safe way to transfer.

• Etac Clean shower commode chair – approx. US$685–900

Safety notes

• Suction grab bars are a balance aid only. They can release without warning and must never hold your body weight or be used to stop a fall.
• Anchor wall grab bars into studs or approved blocking, never drywall alone, and follow the manufacturer's instructions or use a qualified installer.
• Check the weight capacity and fit of any seat, rail or pole, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.