Designing Bathrooms That Support Independent Living Without Looking Clinical
- PROCare News
- Jul 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 9
When people picture an accessible bathroom, they often imagine something clinical and unwelcoming. Stark white grab rails, plastic seats, and an overall hospital-like feel. This kind of environment can discourage people from accepting or using adaptations, especially when they're trying to maintain a sense of home and identity. It doesn't have to be that way.
At PROCare, we believe everyone deserves a bathroom that supports independence and looks and feels like home. A well-designed space can meet practical needs while also supporting confidence, dignity, and personal style. It’s all part of our commitment to inclusive design, home adaptations, and supporting independent living across all types of housing.
The barriers to bathing independence
Occupational therapists, HIA teams, and housing professionals often share the same concern: the bathroom is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to supporting independent living. It's a space where safety, privacy, and ease of use are critical.
Common issues include:
Slippery surfaces and limited space
Baths that are difficult or unsafe to access
Products that look overly medical and make people feel like patients
Delays in getting suitable adaptations in place
These challenges impact daily routines, quality of life, and the ability to stay living comfortably at home. For those in social care and social housing settings, these delays can be even more significant, affecting both service users and frontline teams.
Why appearance matters
The insights we gathered through our Fit for our Future campaign with Foundations highlighted a common theme: many people decline adaptations simply because they can't live with the way they look.
Future-proofed wet rooms
Nicole Drag, Head of External Sales, puts it simply:
“We’re proving that accessible design can look good, work better, and cost less. And that’s exactly what our sector needs right now.”
We recently showcased our Fit For Our Future concept at the Foundations DFG Champions Roadshows, where it sparked a lot of interest. The feedback was clear – a future-proofed, high-quality design doesn’t have to come with a higher price tag. In fact, our model came in at around £300 less than a typical specification. That’s a cost saving with no compromise on safety, comfort, or appearance.
At PROCare, we offer a future-proofed alternative to standard wet rooms. These are fully thought-through, stylish, and built to last. Our approach includes some of our most trusted features:
The deep bowl PROLine basin, ideal for small spaces and safer daily tasks.
A robust wet room layout using our innovative wet room former, the Hex-Dec Duo.
Bespoke shower doors, custom-made by us, in the UK- ideal when fitting unusual or challenging spaces.
Stylish Invisible Creations grab rails that offer discreet support without compromising on design.
These elements work together to support not just safety and independence, but also personal comfort and pride in the home. They’re particularly suited to retrofit scenarios, accessible home improvements, retirement housing, and adaptations for the ageing population.
Collaborating for better outcomes
At a time when the UK faces growing pressure on social care and supported housing, collaboration has never been more vital. Recent warnings about the potential collapse of supported housing and rising numbers of people being denied access to care due to funding cuts have brought housing and health closer together. PROCare’s approach directly supports these national priorities by enabling people to remain safely at home, reducing pressure on hospital and residential care settings.
We collaborate with local authorities, housing associations, and occupational therapists across the UK. They bring their insight into community needs. We bring solutions to problems, such as adaptation backlogs and design and budget challenges.
This partnership approach allows us to offer a full end-to-end solution, including surveying, manufacture, supply, training and support and delivery. We aim to make adaptations as smooth and stress-free as possible, for both professionals and the people they support.
Martin Spence, Housing 21 says ‘Housing 21 have worked with PROCare Ltd for many years, and the strength of our relationship is built on trust, consistency, and shared values. As a family-run business, PROCare brings a personal touch to everything they do - something that’s increasingly rare and deeply appreciated in Retirement Living.
Their ability to recognise issues early and respond with practical, effective solutions has been a cornerstone of our partnership. Whether it’s resolving access challenges, adapting to evolving project scopes, or fast-tracking replacement goods, PROCare consistently demonstrates a proactive and solution-focused approach’.
We focus on getting things right for each customer, rather than relying on standardised packages that don’t fit the real world. From bathrooms for support living facilities to retrofitting homes for an aging population, we’re helping shape housing solutions that meet the evolving needs of our communities. Our work aligns closely with the goals outlined in the Better Care Fund, which champions home-based, preventative support as a way to ease demand on the NHS and improve outcomes for older and disabled adults. Our Fit for our Future concept shows how future-proofed, cost-efficient adaptations can support this shift in care delivery, all while respecting people's preferences to age in place.
Practical support for professionals
Our 75,000 square foot warehouse in Wigan is stocked with a wide range of reputable brands, including Mira, Whale, Geberit, Closomat, Gerflor, and many others. This allows us to respond quickly to the needs of occupational therapists, housing teams, and installers across the UK. We also offer next day delivery on orders placed before 2pm, helping to keep projects on track and reduce delays for residents waiting on vital home adaptations.
We know how important it is for occupational therapists and housing teams to have clear, accurate information. That’s we offer real person support, product training and demos, and welcome customers to book a visit to our Wigan showroom.
Get in touch
01942 206004