Regret removing bath

We took the bath out from our last house and had a shower installed as I remembered the problems my parents had getting out of the bath. However when we renovated our guest room we had plenty of space and created and ensuite in which we put a bath and I used it very occasionally. Now I am used to taking showers I quite like the speed and ease of access in and out.

I only use the shower over the bath. We used to have just a shower but when it needed replacing I had a bath put in to make the house easier to sell but I feel less safe climbing into the bath to shower than in a shower cubicle. I haven't had a bath for years as I can't get out. Other people must be much stronger and more agile than me if they use a bath. Maybe a bath with handles is easier.

Can’t remember when I last had a bath but wouldn’t get rid of it. Washing machine is in bathroom, so it’s useful for soaking larger items before washing. Much easier to bath small children than shower them and can occupy them for ages playing, now that we have grandchildren.

After I had my ankle pinned and plated in 2009 I could no longer get in and out of a bath safely so I had it removed and a lovely shower fitted. It is large enough to fit a stool so I am less likely to have an accident.

The house maybe more difficult to sell but that will not be my problem- I will be officiating from above! It is the present which matters.

Never regretted getting rid of our bath we installed a walk in shower with no doors it's so much better than struggling over the side of a bath with hip-replacements. OH often remarks what a blessing it is and it's easily reversed should a new buyer choose to do so.

Showers all the way for me as well. I haven't been able to get out of a bath for years. I think the resale thing for a house without a bath is not such an issue now. Showers are quicker, cheaper and more hygienic.

When we moved here, the bath had just been taken out and replaced by a very powerful and roomy shower. We had to rip it out and get a bath installed again because we had young children. Now of course we need it for when the grandchildren stay over, and for when I have my bi-monthly indulgent soak in the bath. We don't have room for a shower cubicle and bath, but fortunately I'm still able to hop into the tub to use the over the bath shower every day.

We had a new bathroom put in last year with a walk in shower because we never used the bath. Since it went, there have been occasions when I have really longed to sit in a warm bath!! Perverse or what!

If you really miss the bath could you have a bath put back in? And use the shower over the bath?

Haha Charleygirl. Our bath is only used when GCs visit, but we do have a shower cubicle, for which we were very grateful when DH had hip replacement last year as he couldn't climb into bath. It is so useful having walk in shower as you get older and climbing into bath (for over bath shower) becomes less fun! Even if you are quite fit you can have a temporary disability that makes bathing difficult, so if there had to be a choice I would keep the shower.

Love my bath, especially at night before bed. We’ve had a new walk-in shower fitted in the bedroom (future-proofing) but rarely use it as I use the one over the bath most mornings. I think stepping in and out of the bath helps with mobility and balance.

I’ll be sad when I can no longer use the bath, but hey ho! then the new shower will come into its own.

I’m wondering how old some of you are that can’t use your bath any more. Is there an average age when it becomes difficult or do we have any octogenarians (or older) still able I wonder?

You don't have to be old to be unable to climb into the bath as I have said Old Meg and in some cultures it is considered unhygienic to have a bath as you are sitting in dirty water! I like the comfort of a leisurely soak occasionally I must admit.

I am 63 and have not been able to get in or out of a bath for about 8 years due to severe Arthritis and other physical problems.
I have an over-bath shower here and am starting to have problems getting in and out of it.
My health insurance would remove it and put in a walk-in shower but my landlord(SIL) is not too keen.
When i broached the subject on moving here, he said ok but the bath would have to be stored to be replaced "later".
As it is a really crappy old bath not sure what the problem would be. He is a bit of a hoarder, 6 broken printers in the storeroom as an example.
We will keep working on him perhaps when I have to start using the walk in shower in their ensuite he might change his mind

We have a five piece bathroom suite. I never use the bidet or the bath. I always have a shower. If we stay here as we get older I will have a larger shower installed, to accommodate a seat. I'm only 66 but find it difficult to get in and out of the bath as it's a jacuzzi bath and it's tiled all round. The DGC love it though!!

I m a shower person haven’t had a bath for about thirty years (?) but I do have to climb in my bath to have my shower hope I ll still be able to do that when I m 90 so I still have my bath which I want to keep as I m told it’s harder to sell if no bath

I think that is SIL thought, but as this is a Granny flat which would be very difficult to sell on it's own and in a family home dating back 3 generations (the family Silver was buried at the bottom off the garden during WW1 and WW11) I can't see it being sold anytime soon.

I'm 70 this year but have had trouble getting in and out of a bath for 15 yrs due to Arthritic hips both now replaced but there is no way I want to risk falling or dislocating a hip by climbing over the side of the bath even though my balance and mobility are very good . Just not worth the risk.

We also have an over the bath shower, and when our bathroon was refitted a couple of years ago, we made sure that the bath was slightly lower than the usual size. We also had grips on the bath, and a grab rail by the shower. This has made things easier, but I do wonder about those seats that lower and raise you from the bath. Has anyone had one fitted? How do you access them? Do you sit on the bathside and slide across? They seem like maybe a good idea for the future. I would welcome any comments.

I bought one of these ( Deltis) its great - folds flat for storage, goes up and down hydraulically and I can enjoy baths again which I love. I feel very safe using it and can do so on my own. However my bath is longer than a standard one and deeper - it wouldn’tj work well in a small bath. The back goes down when the chair is lowered into the water so I can really lay back, stretch out and relax. I searched online and found it for £187 - in a local mobility shop it was £350 ?

That is me in the photo obvs??

My Mum had one of those seats, it swung out over the side of the bath then back and lowered. She loved it, the only problem I had with it was cleaning underneath it.
I had to lift it out to have a bath, a few years ago now, and it was always disgusting, a lot of cleaning.
Her carers were not allowed to lift it out.
In the care home now she has a shower everyday, and is always complaining that she has not had a bath, to the extent that one of my Cousins arranged a meeting with the home manager as she was so upset.
She had seldom had a shower and hates them.

I very rarely take a bath as my en-suite has just a shower and I find that much more convenient. However, I did have a bath a few weeks ago when I was feeling particularly tired and thought it would be nice to have a soak. I hated it and was no sooner in than I couldn't wait to get out.

Auntyflo cross posts - yes you sit on the side of the bath on the raised flap and then move your legs over and shuffle onto the seat - easier than it sounds. You don’t have it fitted - you could leave it in situ but mine is taken out in between uses ( very easy) - I didn’t want my very smart bathroom looking like a care home ?

Mine doesn’t swing out over the side