Awash in Potential

How do you wash your feet?

It’s a question Sunil Achia, a product designer at HealthCraft Products, often uses to break the ice in social or business situations. Usually the answer he hears is something like “by raising one foot at a time in the shower.” The response points to the importance of bath safety products, especially for older or physically challenged people, Achia contends. “You’re standing on one foot, balanced in a slippery tub with water in it. It’s one of the most dangerous things you could be doing, even for an able-bodied person,” he says.

There continues to be an increasing stream of products aimed at making the bathroom a safer place. It’s a market whose growth is driven by shifting demographics: Some 40 percent of the U.S. population will be over 55 by 2015. Also propelling the market are a trend toward aging in place and demand by active seniors for injury-related products. Many in the older demographic will also need bath safety products while they recover from hip or knee replacement.

However, the economy is making consumers more careful with money. “They are looking for good value,” says Brad Crozier, senior product/brand manager of Home Care by Moen. “Caregivers are making the purchase and they want to buy a good quality product, something with a middle-of-the-road price point and with the features they need.”

For HME providers, bath safety products can be a rich source of cash sales during a time of shrinking reimbursements and government red tape.

Shifting Product Trends

Joseph Panico of Janesville, Wis., is familiar with bath safety products both from the perspective of his building renovation business and as a provider focusing on adaptive living. He began his renovation business in 1990 and almost immediately gravitated toward accessibility-related projects. The interest evolved into his current enterprise, Blackhawk Homecare, which sells a range of bath safety products online.

“I am always on the prowl for new products, new ideas, new innovations,” Panico says. “People want functionality in a product, but they also want design.”

Panico sees more products on the market to meet the demand. For example, he says, “more and more people need to have a jetted tub for therapy applications.” He has also noticed increasing demand for automation such as ceiling track lifts.

Raj Sandhu, group product manager, personal care and standard wheelchairs, at Invacare, says he is now seeing a broader recognition among providers of the opportunities for cash sales from bath products. Invacare is looking to help with improved packaging and merchandising. While packaging has transitioned to a new look that coincides with its advertising design, Invacare also offers 4-, 8- or 12-foot updated planograms to enable providers to display an optimum combination of products.

The company offers an extensive assortment of inside-the-bathroom items, including chairs, transfer benches, grab bars, shower heads and raised toilet seats, some including higher weight limits for bariatric users. Invacare also supplies a line of bedside commodes.

In particular, Sandhu says there is a lot of potential in grab bars, including new pivoting designs and those with suction cups that have the same weight capacity as standard grab bars. Traditional white or off-white are still dominant finishes — to convey cleanliness and fit into any bathroom decor — but some colors are creeping in.

To combat the perception that grab bars are only for seniors and appeal to a larger audience, HealthCraft has created its Invisia Collection. Each model looks like something you would see in a bathroom: a soap dish, a shower corner shelf, a towel bar or a toilet roll holder. The products look like home accents but, hidden in plain sight, interface with the wall and function as grab bars with a 350-lb. capacity. The Invisia line has opened up additional opportunities for customers who shun more overt products, Achia says.

“There’s something to be said for aging gracefully and having a feeling of dignity when you are in your home,” agrees Crozier of Home Care by Moen. “We pride ourselves on decorative and designer grab bars that match the decor, whether faucets or towel bars.”

Home Care by Moen’s SecureMount grab bar line includes finishes in brushed nickel, chrome and bronze to combine aesthetics with long product life. The company supplies grab bars that can support up to 500 lbs. and designer grips that support up to 300 lbs., as well as shower chairs, hand-held showers with straps for gripping, toilet safety rails and elevated seats, and tread strips for the bottom of the tub. Consumers who visit the company’s Web site can search by zip code and be referred to a local HME provider.

Another continuing development in bath products is the inclusion of antimicrobial agents. Some HealthCraft products, for example, have a powder coat finish that prevents the spread of microorganisms and suppresses growth of bacteria and mold. Frequent washings do not reduce the properties.

Boosting Bath Sales

HealthCraft offers a variety of display units for HME providers, including complete mock bathrooms that can be shipped on a skid; it’s a fully functional display unit. The company also provides posters, mailers, resource materials, brochures and videos. “Displays work if you have a full retail center with walk-in traffic,” says Ian Crawford, who handles the company’s marketing. Crawford also suggests that providers donate equipment for demonstration at local rehab centers along with a “courtesy of” plaque and a phone number for contact.

Ideally, providers who have enough room should have a showroom-type facility that is conducive to merchandising, says Sandhu.

Crozier recommends creating an environment in the store that promotes making the sale. “Have products out of the box that customers can test, and set up a bathroom vignette so they can see how the products would look in the home.”

“Displaying products is a great way to [earn trust],” adds Achia. “People go to a plumbing store to pick out their taps and sinks. They should feel the same way about a grab bar. They want to see it, touch it and feel it.”

Participants in the National Association of Home Builders’ Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation program are good potential partners for HME providers; the NAHB Web site lists 1,967 builders who have been certified. “You can be their resource for safety products,” comments Crawford. “They can redo a bathroom, but do they really understand the requirements? You can be the extra help they need.”

Panico suggests HME providers talk to local builders’ associations to find remodelers who specialize in home modification and bathroom renovations related to accessibility. “There is an untapped resource in remodelers who have to buy their products somewhere. You have to go out and get the business. Don’t just wait for people to walk through the door,” he says. Also try attending building trade shows to find local business.

“It’s important to listen to what people need,” Panico says, noting that reading forum entries online and attending local senior or other advocacy association meetings can provide helpful insights. HME providers can differentiate themselves by emphasizing fast turnaround times and offering high-quality, cost-effective products, he believes.

“The goal is to get the word out there about your business and what you have to offer,” says Crozier. “Let hospitals know, let the community know whether through advertising or online. Seed the market with information about who you are.”

Crawford urges providers to reach out into the community to promote their business, for example, by holding a lunch-and-learn for area occupational therapists. They are hungry for knowledge and looking for products, information and support, he says. “They are the front-line people you will see in people’s houses,” he points out. He also suggests involvement with Visiting Nurse associations.

According to Sandhu, “Some providers are also using direct mail coupons and even billboard advertising on buses to get the word out.”

Inside the store, he emphasizes the need for cross-selling and suggestive sales. “Customers don’t know what they need, so it is an opportunity to suggest additional items. A lot of these products go hand-in-hand. If someone knows they need a tub bar, they might not know they also need a toilet safety frame or a shower seat.”

Continues Sandhu, “It’s important to educate employees on how to properly talk to customers and sell up to better products. Providers are not traditional retailers, so they don’t think of having salespeople on the floor who have the proper training. [Salespeople should] ask the customer about his situation and suggest other products. Don’t miss an opportunity when someone walks in the door. If they want to see a shower chair, ask ‘Have you thought about some of the other things your mother might need?’”

Looking Toward the Future

Crozier foresees a continuing emphasis on “innovative functionality” as bath safety product development continues. “In the past,” he says, “a lot of products have been very medical and institutional. Products are going to change to serve the growing baby boomer market. We came out with a palm shower that latches onto your palm so you can shower without gripping or holding on.” In the future there may be opportunities to incorporate more electronics into bath products that could, for example, notify authorities in case of an emergency.

Panico predicts additional crossover of technologies from the commercial market. For instance, a residential version of motion-activated faucets common in public restrooms might be useful if someone’s arthritis makes it difficult to turn on the water.

Providers will also have to continue dealing with shifting demographics. “We have noticed a general shift in our market, from people who are 70 to 80 who need some help to people who are 50 to 60 who are buying for their parents but who are also looking ahead,” says Crawford.

There is also looming competition from big box retailers. They may sell grab bars and bath boards, but their selection is limited, says Crawford. “If you can carry more products to complement the basics, it’s a huge benefit. This is what you do. You are there to keep them safe. Walmart is there to sell a product.”

Experts Interviewed

• Sunil Achia, product designer, and Ian Crawford, marketing, HealthCraft Products., Ottawa, Ontario
• Brad Crozier, senior product/brand manager, Home Care by Moen, North Olmsted, Ohio
• Joseph Panico, owner, Blackhawk Homecare, Janesville, Wis.
• Raj Sandhu, group product manager, personal care and standard wheelchairs, Invacare, Elyria, Ohio