A Tub Transfer Bench is designed to assist individuals who have difficulty entering and exiting tub shower to complete the transfer with increased independence and safety. This Drive Medical product shown below is an example of a transfer bench recommended by rehab clinicians.
Independent Use Requires:
Intact sitting balance sufficient to sit upright and unsupported against gravity
Ability to lift lower extremities over edge of tub
Function of at least one intact upper extremity to assist with sliding body across bench into tub area for optimal sitting position
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Compensates for these Deficits:
Decreased or limited balance
Difficulty or inability to lift legs high enough to step over a tub
Weight bearing restrictions on one or more lower extremity
Lower extremity or backweakness or pain
Decreased range of motion in hips and/or knees
Low muscle tone or spasticity
Paresis or paralysis
Diagnoses the transfer bench commonly used for:
Hip Replacement
Knee Replacement
Shoulder Replacement
Lower extremity break, fracture, or sprain
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Blindness/low vision
Orthostatic hypotension
Heart attack/ Myocardialinfarction/ Open heart surgery/ Coronary artery bypass graft/ Congestive Heart Failure
Neuropathy
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Asthma
Stroke/ Cerebral vascular accident/ Traumatic brain injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Seizure Disorder
Edema/ Lymphedema
Peripheral vascular disease/ Peripheral artery disease
Deep vein thrombosis
Osteoarthritis/ Rheumatoid arthritis, Gouty arthritis
Multiple sclerosis/ Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
Huntington’s Disease
Cerebral palsy
Guillain-Barre
Cancer
Tremors
Burns
Movement Disorders
Important Considerations when Using a Transfer Bench:
The tub transfer bench cannot be used when shower doors are present. The doors get in the way of the user being able to swing legs over the edge of the tub/shower stall.
Patients/clients/family members/caregivers can be reluctant to using a tub transfer bench due to shower water getting all over the floor because a shower curtain does not fit inside the tub with the bench in place. There are two (2) solutions:
Cut slits into a shower curtain, matching up with the tub transfer bench cut out, allowing the shower curtain to be placed inside the shower; or
Purchase a Bench Buddy Shower Curtain:
Tub transfer benches require extra space around the edge of the tub or shower. Many homes have small or crowded spaces. Check to ensure there is enough space to safely place and use the tub transfer bench.
Bathroom space and set up is another important consideration for tub transfer bench users. Certain precautions and restrictions may limit the way the bench is used. A home visit by a skilled occupational therapist prior to purchasing a tub transfer bench can help determine appropriateness of equipment based on patient/client specific information (diagnosis, environment and other relevant factors). There may be a cost for a home evaluation. However, this can be a significant cost saving factor in the long run by eliminating unnecessary purchases.
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