NEWS & INSIGHTS

A year after expanding our Bathe Easy accessible bathing range with the launch of Living Showers, the need for accessible bathing solutions continues to grow.

For bathroom retailers, showrooms and merchants, accessible bathing is no longer a specialist, niche requirement. An ageing population, changing mobility needs and a greater focus on independent living are changing what customers need from their bathrooms. For the bathroom trade, having the right products to cater to this demand is essential to success.

We developed Living Showers to help retailers do just that. One year on, I want to look at how good bathroom design can solve genuine everyday challenges, while still giving customers the modern, multi-functional bathroom they want.

NHS England’s Health Survey for England 2024 found that having a bath or shower was the second most common activity that adults aged 65 and over struggled with.

Age UK estimates that around 640,000 people in England have difficulty bathing.

For a significant number of people, the design of their bathroom is crucial in determining their ability to continue washing independently and confidently.

The wider ageing population is also an important factor to consider. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK’s population is ageing rapidly, with the number of people aged 85 and over projected to double over the next 25 years.

More people are living longer, and many want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, not least given the rising cost of care homes in the UK. That creates a clear need for bathrooms that can adapt as people’s circumstances change.

For retailers and merchants, accessible bathing should therefore not be treated as a product category that only becomes relevant after mobility has deteriorated, but rather as the next stage in future-proofing any bathroom.

Traditional bathroom design often assumes that someone can step into a bath or shower, stand comfortably and move around without difficulty. However, this isn’t always the case.

Developed following five years of research and refinement, our Living Showers range was created to support independent showering while avoiding the clinical appearance historically associated with accessible bathroom products.

The range includes five showering solutions, including the BOSI® Bath In Shower Out system, designed to make the transition from bathing to showering more practical without requiring a complete bathroom redesign.

For the trade, it also matters that the range is straightforward to install. Accessible solutions need to work not only for the end user, but for the retailer, installer and merchant recommending them. A product that can work with an existing bathroom footprint and minimise disruption to the end user gives retailers another option when discussing renovations with customers.

An accessible bathroom must also be as safe as possible. Bathrooms combine water, soap and smooth surfaces, creating conditions where slips can occur. Industry research has found that 82.2% of 1,000 UK respondents had experienced a slip in the shower, while only 32% regularly used an anti-slip mat, with many put off by how they look.

That highlights an important gap between the safety measures customers may need and those they are willing to incorporate into their bathrooms. Therefore, the safety solutions that retailers offer need to be practical, but they also need to fit the aesthetics of the bathroom the customer wants.

We launched Trojan Simply No Slip powered by SWISSGriP to provide a more visually appealing anti-slip solution, which can be paired with any accessible bathroom to offer an extra layer of security, enhancing the end user’s confidence when bathing.

The treatment is designed for acrylic and gel coat surfaces to create a slip-resistant finish when wet, offering an alternative to traditional bathmats and stickers while retaining the appearance of the underlying surface.

When considered alongside Living Showers, it demonstrates a broader approach to bathroom safety. An accessible shower can help address the physical challenge of entering and using the shower. A slip-resistant surface can help reduce the risk associated with wet surfaces.

Together, these solutions help create a bathroom that is better suited to changing mobility needs.

The accessible bathing market presents an opportunity to rethink the conversations taking place in the showroom.

Rather than asking whether a customer needs an accessible bathroom, retailers can start with practical questions that determine how they will use their bathroom for years to come and what solution they require.

Having accessible products represented in the showroom also matters. Customers may not initially identify themselves as needing an accessible solution, but seeing a product that combines accessibility with contemporary design can change that conversation.

A year after the launch of Living Showers, the reason for developing the range remains as relevant as ever.

The response from the trade over the past year has been really encouraging. We’ve had positive comments on our marketing assets and how well they show off what makes the range different, such as the angled seat with the shower control built in, so it’s easy to reach and use while seated.

Installers have told us they like how simple the range is to fit and the quality of the materials. That came through clearly in a recent installation at a showroom in Northallerton, which we shared on LinkedIn.

We’ve also listened to feedback. The thermostatic shower valve, riser rail, hose and hand shower are now priced as a separate item, so customers can add their preferred shower instead.

With hundreds of thousands of older people experiencing difficulty with bathing and slips remaining a significant concern for older adults, accessible bathroom design has an increasingly important role to play.

For Trojan, innovation means using more than 50 years of British manufacturing experience to understand where the market is going, and developing practical solutions around real customer needs. To find out more about our entire accessible bathing range, Bathe Easy, get in touch with our team today