If someone walks into an HME, nine times out of 10 they'll need a bathroom safety product if they don't already have one in their home, says Kevin Jones, senior product and brand manger for Home Care by Moen. Regardless of what else the customer needs — a walker, wheelchair or oxygen concentrator — the bath safety products typically come into play at an earlier stage, he says.

With odds like these, providers can barely afford not to take advantage of this expanding market, manufacturers say. And cash sales from bath safety products will become increasingly important for providers looking beyond the traditional reimbursement business model, especially in the face of competitive bidding and Medicare payment cuts.

“We think the bath safety market is certainly one of the bright spots for HME amid everything else going on with regard to reimbursement and extensive concerns in the marketplace,” says Jones. “It's hard to argue against bath safety and what it has to offer.”

There's no argument that this market is growing by leaps and bounds. Falls are the No. 1 cause of injury for older adults, and as baby boomers continue to age, the need for products to assist and prevent dangerous slips in the bathroom will only increase, he points out.

By 2010, 100 million Americans will be age 50 and older, Jones says. Furthermore, there are 54 million caregivers in the country, buying for parents, grandparents and injured family members. He estimates that Moen's bath safety line will continue to grow 8 to 10 percent annually.

“If you put those figures together, from a demand perspective, bath safety is a great place to be,” he says.

But with growth comes greater competition from traditional retailers, pharmacies and online companies, who all want a piece of this lucrative market.

“There are broader channels for distribution and more and more sales through these channels,” says Raj Sandhu, product manager for personal care and bathing at Invacare. “We're seeing more e-commerce sites that are out there today than ever before. They are tapping into this home care market and offering a wide variety of products, including bath safety, and marketing direct to consumers.”

Providers that want to play need to brush up on their retail strategies and offer a wide-variety of products to address the different wants and needs of consumers, whether it's more style, comfort, stability, function, portability or ease of use, according to manufacturers.

“Those who don't will be under constant assault from retailers who are also offering these products,” Jones warns. “The future is bright for anyone who follows the trends and adapts accordingly.”

It's All in the Details

While cost is one of the main considerations when manufacturers are developing reimbursable HME products, bath safety products are in a unique position. Because most of the products are not covered by Medicare, manufacturers say they have the freedom to develop and offer more attractive and feature-rich products that many consumers are willing to pay for out-of-pocket.

“As a whole, [the bath safety market] is focusing more on innovation and function than the lowest price,” says Scott Marcus, co-owner and vice president of sales for Health Circle. “I think that will continue to evolve because baby boomers have more disposable income and they're educated.”

Among the new developments in bath safety products is replacing rails on the sides of shower chairs and commodes with armrests or support handles.

According to Jones, Moen conducted a study on how people sit and stand and found that handles on the side give them better support and are easier to use. “If there's a bar on the side of the commode, how do you clean yourself?” he asks.

In response to these findings, Moen is rolling out new products — including a commode, transfer bench and shower chair — in April that include support handles with rubber grips at the top.

Grab bars that swing for varying levels of support are another innovation, according Jason Saint-Amant, sales marketing manager of HealthCraft Products. The company's grab bar with a pivoting design won the 2007 Innovation Award at Medtrade.

“One request we get working with therapists all the time is to create something beyond static movement and create something with a motion to it that allows people to be supported at all times,” he says.

If people have limited upper body strength they often will reach across the bathtub to try to hold the grab bar, which puts them at risk of falling forward and injuring themselves, Saint-Amant explains.

Manufacturers also are paying more attention to ergonomics and increasing comfort. For example, the seat of Moen's soon-to-be-released shower chair is made out of mesh material that gives, so it is as comfortable as an office chair, Jones says.

Light and Simple

As the aging are living more active lifestyles and traveling more than previous generations, the demand for products that are lightweight and portable is growing, says Health Circle's Marcus, whose company sells suction cup grab bars.

“It seems to be more about convenience,” he says. “They want to live, they don't want to just be stuck in their homes.”

Many consumers also are looking for products that are portable and compactable for storage within the home, notes Invacare's Sandhu. In response to this trend, the company recently released a folding commode that can be put away when it is not being used.