Shower Heads – Selection & Installation

Note: If you came to this post on shower heads layout through a random search, please click on this parent page and our home page for more context.

Shower Heads & Universal Design

We approach our recommendation for shower heads from the main standpoint of this site, which is Universal Design and its subset of aging-in-place. And we start by (almost) ruling out two standard showerhead options:

Our top-line recommendation is to install a dual shower head in your bathroom remodeling or renovation project.

Standard Showerheads

By “standard showerhead” we mean these two arrangements:

1. The wall mount single shower head
2. The top or ceiling mount single rain shower head

So what is wrong with these shower heads? Nothing at all if this is what you want. 

But there are other considerations. With a fixed-position shower head, a person needs to be able to stand for a while and maintain balance and physical coordination, perhaps with eyes closed.

For someone who has difficulty stretching or standing, this is an invitation to a dangerous fall, especially in wet and slippery conditions. Even people who are relatively young and fit have to pay attention to what they are doing.

So we recommend following Universal Design principles and the selection of dual shower heads for your project. This has every generation in the family covered.

Earlier we (almost) ruled out the fixed-head type showerhead. This is not to say that you shouldn’t have a single rain shower head in, say, the master bathroom if that is what you prefer. But you should at least have a dual shower head in the guest bathroom.

And, guess what. You can have the best of both worlds in every bathroom with the rain shower head and handheld combo we show below!

Consider the Caregiver

If a caregiver is involved, he or she will need to be able to use a handheld shower device with the patient either standing or (more likely) sitting on the shower seat or transfer bench. In this case, the handheld shower should be placed conveniently at the entrance of the shower.

Dual Shower Heads

In an aging-in-place scenario, shower safety is paramount. This means that a person showering must be able to do it while seated on a shower chair or bench as well as standing. And, if standing, a grab bar should be within easy reach too.

This, in turn, means that the shower head must be able to be held in the hand as well as adjustably mounted on a wall bar. 

So the best arrangement is a dual shower head. One of them is a rain shower head mounted on a vertical bar, upon which its position can be adjusted for direction and height. The vertical bar can double as a grab bar.

The other shower head is handheld and is at the end of an approximately 6-foot hose. The alternate operation of these shower heads is controlled by a diverter valve. This switches the flow of water from one shower head to the other.

Both shower heads can be adjusted for spray type and volume.

Best Shower Experience for the Whole Family

It is easy to see that the dual showerhead arrangement is the optimal arrangement for the whole family. The grandparents are safe. The younger adults and children get a decent shower. And the versatility of the handheld extension makes it easy to wash the family dog too.

Dual Shower Heads on Amazon

Or you could have your plumber set you up with a separate ceiling-mounted rain shower with a separate hand-held shower.

And then you have the full body system. 

• Related post: Bathroom Shower
• Related post: Bathrooms for the Elderly
• Related post: Bathroom Grab Bars