Grab bars for seniors: where to put them and how to choose
We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. How this works.
A properly installed grab bar is one of the cheapest and most effective safety upgrades in any home. The key words are properly installed: a grab bar only helps if it holds when your parent puts their full weight on it, suddenly, while slipping.
Where to install them
- At the shower or tub entrance: a vertical bar to hold while stepping in and out.
- Inside the shower or along the tub's back wall: a horizontal or angled bar for balance while washing and for sitting down and standing up.
- Beside the toilet: a horizontal bar on the side wall. Getting up from a low toilet is a very common moment for falls.
Size and height
The U.S. accessibility standards (ADA) used for public bathrooms are a good reference at home too:
- Diameter: 1¼ to 1½ inches. Thick enough to grip firmly, thin enough to wrap a hand around.
- Height for horizontal bars: 33 to 36 inches from the floor, by the toilet and in the tub or shower.
- Strength: the bar and its mounting should withstand 250 lb of force.
- Length: common sizes are 12, 16, 18, 24 and 36 inches. Longer bars give more places to hold and make it easier to reach a stud at both ends.
At home you can adjust the height to your parent. The bar should be where their hand naturally goes when they're moving.
Mounting: the part that matters most
A grab bar is only as strong as what holds it to the wall. There are two safe options:
- Screwed into wall studs. This is the standard method. Use a stud finder, and choose a bar length that lets both ends land on studs.
- Special hollow-wall anchors made for grab bars, when there's no stud where you need the bar. Ordinary plastic drywall anchors are not enough.
Drilling through tile requires a tile or diamond bit and some care. If you're not comfortable doing it, this is a short, inexpensive job for a handyman, and it's worth paying for.
About suction-cup grab bars: they're tempting because there's no drilling. But they can release without warning, and manufacturers generally state they're for balance only, not for supporting body weight. Someone who's falling puts their full weight on whatever they grab. For a parent at real risk of falling, use a mounted bar.
What to look for
Stainless steel grab bar
Stainless steel resists rust in the shower. If grip is a concern, look for a knurled or textured surface, which stays grippier when wet and soapy.
- Look for: 1¼–1½ inch diameter, a stated weight rating, mounting screws included
- Buy a few lengths: e.g., 24 inches for inside the shower, 16 or 18 inches by the toilet
Our pick: Moen Home Care 24" Stainless Steel Grab Bar
Per the manufacturer: 1.25" diameter, ADA compliant, supports up to 500 lb when screwed into a stud (or with Moen SecureMount anchors, sold separately), limited lifetime warranty. Also available in 18" and 36". The finish is brushed, not textured.
Check price on Amazon or compare other optionsToilet safety frame or rails
A freestanding frame or rails that attach to the toilet. They give armrests on both sides for sitting down and standing up, without drilling into the wall. A good option for renters.
- Check: width fits around your toilet, height adjusts, weight rating
Our pick: Vaunn Medical Toilet Safety Frame
Per the manufacturer: freestanding, no installation, handrail height adjusts 26"–34", width adjusts 19"–24" to fit round and elongated toilets, padded grips, folds flat, supports up to 300 lb.
Check price on Amazon or compare other optionsFloor-to-ceiling tension pole
A vertical pole held in place by pressure between floor and ceiling. It gives a solid handhold next to a bed, chair or toilet without screws in the wall.
- Check: your ceiling height is within the pole's range and the ceiling is solid
- Follow the tightening instructions exactly, and recheck it regularly
Our pick: Stander Wonder Pole with Curve Grab Bar
Per the manufacturer: tension-mounted floor-to-ceiling pole, the curved handle swivels and locks every 45°, supports up to 300 lb. Check the listing's ceiling-height range against your room.
Check price on Amazon or compare other options