Senior-Friendly Bathroom Design for Elderly Wheelchair Access

From two cramped baths to one bright, accessible space, this Bronx co-op remodel combined rooms to create a larger layout with a walk-in shower, a disability bar, and a pull-down seat. Shelving replaced a former sink, while thoughtful senior-friendly bathroom design choices made the room safer and more joyful for Debbie’s elderly father.

• Homeowners: Debbie, renovating for her elderly father, posted their bathroom remodel on Sweeten
• Where: Bronx, New York
• Primary renovation: Two small baths were combined into one larger, accessible bathroom with a walk-in shower, disability bars, a pull-down seat, and added storage
• Homeowner’s quote: “The thought of having to get the space ready for my father was overwhelming before I found Sweeten. By the time I learned enough about the potential hazards and hurdles of renovation, and of the joys and successes, I felt confident that I was making a solid decision.”

Debbie’s father moved out of the two-story home he’d lived in for 25 years into a co-op apartment in the Bronx so he’d have greater mobility. While the rest of his new 900-square-foot apartment offered enough space for him to move around in his wheelchair or walker with ease, the bathrooms were a different story.

Both the powder and the full-size bath layouts made it nearly impossible for anyone to assist him. There were no disability bars, and her father was unable to get in and out of the tub. Aesthetically, they were “dark, dingy, and unwelcoming,” Debbie said.

“The thought of having to get the space ready for my father was overwhelming before I found Sweeten,” Debbie said. She scoured the blog to research general costs, the pros and cons of materials, and design ideas to be as informed as possible.

“By the time I learned enough about the potential hazards and hurdles of renovation, and of the joys and successes, I felt confident that I was making a solid decision,” she continued. And with that, Debbie posted her project on Sweeten and was matched with a Sweeten general contractor.

They combined the two small rooms into a single, handicap-accessible bathroom with adequate space for Debbie’s father. Sticking to a white-and-gray color scheme made it feel more light and joyful, too.

The walk-in shower featured a disability bar and pull-down seat for safety. Shelves were installed in the location of one of the former sinks, optimizing what would have otherwise been a wasted area of the bathroom and providing additional storage.

Debbie’s vision of “a bright, safe bathroom space completed with good materials that would last and looked nice” came to fruition. And, most importantly, her father loves it. 

Her takeaway? Research is key before starting a renovation project. “You have to really think about who will use the space, and what’s best for them so that you can design something to support their needs,” Debbie said.

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Renovation materials

• Shower door: Delta

• Vanity: Custom

• Medicine cabinet: Kohler

• Sink faucet: Delta

• Shower faucet: Kohler 

• Light fixture: Wayfair