71dvance Plumbing Supply Advertisement

Bathrooms For Boomers

Susan Kehoe, Ph.D. { Contributing Writer

nyone older than 45 knows that
middle age brings aches and pains,
as well as wisdom and experience.
The aches and pains are the body's way of
warning us about the natural changes that
will inevitably follow. With the baby boomers
hitting the golden age of 65 at a rate of 10,000
a day, safety considerations around the house
abound.
The bathroom is the most likely place in the
home for accidents. According to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, injuries
in or near the bathtub and shower account
for more than two-thirds of emergency room
visits. Furthermore, the likelihood of an ac-
cident increases significantly every year over
the age of 60, with an injury rate for women
72 percent higher than men.
Many of us plan to stay in our homes and
age in place. We want a safer bathroom, but
dread the look of those we've seen for people
with age-specific concerns or disabilities.
Fortunately, Advance Plumbing and Heat-
ing Supply Company is a leader in providing
bathroom products that are both safe and
stylish. Advance Plumbing, with large state-of-
the-art showrooms and convenient locations
in Detroit and Walled Lake, has been satisfying
customers since 1920.
Josh Moss, the operations manager and
great-grandson of the late founder, Harry
Chernick, says, "We can easily retrofit a bath-
room to make it usable and accessible, while
also keeping it looking beautiful, rather than
institutional."

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everything to do with design. Nonetheless,
curbless showers are safer than conventional
showers because they are flush with the floor,
eliminating the tripping hazard due to a barrier
or raised edge. They also provide greater inde-
pendence for those using assistive devices.
Advance Plumbing uses Arc Inc. systems to
install curbless or zero-entry showers. The Tuff
Form Wet Room System from Arc offers a fully
tiled shower area screened by frameless glass
panels, two of the key features in contempo-
rary bathroom updates. This system can be
made to fit almost any existing bathroom.
"When we use these systems to retrofit for
an existing bathroom, the result is a more spa-
like feeling," Moss says.

Contemporary Accessories

Once you have that dream shower, it can
be personalized with functional accessories.
Those heavy-duty handrails and grab bars now
come in a variety of styles and finishes, and
can be built right into the design. Decorators
often recommend grab bars as a fixture for
showers at any age because of the slipping risk
on wet and soapy floors. Shower seats have
also taken a step up from their institutional-
looking predecessors; many resemble teak-
wood benches found in club sauna rooms.
Advance Plumbing displays an array of
showerheads in their showrooms. They come
with sprays that feel like gentle falling rain or
a refreshing massage. For more invigoration,
try multiple sprays that hit various parts of
your body at one time. Showering will take on
a new dimension when you experience the
soothing and uplifting new options.

Walk In Tubs

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A curbless shower from ARC Inc.

Curbless Showers

The first time I saw a curbless shower; it was
the focus of a striking, contemporary bath-
room in a luxury hotel in Cologne, Germany.
My dream of having this kind of contemporary
shower had nothing to do with safety and

4 I BOOM Magazine • February 2015

There are few comforts that can match a
warm soak in the tub; just add Epsom salt
for aches or bubbles for fun. Unfortunately,
many of us forgo that luxury because of the
awkwardness and danger of crawling in and
out of that slippery little compartment with
high walls. Advance Plumbing suggests walk-in
tubs that allow you to step in, sit down on the
sculpted seat and completely submerge your
body while remaining upright—no need to
bend or lie back against a cold surface.
The watertight door is easy to maneuver
and the quick water filling and draining system
shortcuts any waiting time. Configurations for
walk-in tubs include almost every option on
the commercial market: soaker tubs, whirl-

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Ilr

A walk-in tub from Mansfield

pools, air bath and combination baths are all
available as walk-ins. You can even customize
your tub with a variety of add-ons like in-line
heaters, chromatherapy lights and hand-held
showerheads (great for washing your hair in
the tub) for a safe, effortless bathing experi-
ence.
Advance Plumbing offers the best con-
sumer products and collections to serve aging
boomers who deal with daily balance, agility
and mobility concerns — or those who want
to build-in prevention to prepare for possible
issues later.
As a family-owned business, Advance
Plumbing demonstrates a strong commit-
ment to quality, craftsmanship and customer
service. Four generations of family members
have served our area for 95 years including the
late founder; Harry Chernick; his late son-in-
law, Ronald Moss; Chernick's grandson, Jeffrey
Moss and his great-grandsons, Joshua Moss,
who manages daily operations, and Justin
Moss, who works at the Detroit location.
"In our showroom, we offer the best of the
best, but we also carry an enormous price
range so that we can work within any budget
to please any customer, no matter what they
need," says Joshua Moss. "That is our goal. We
want customers to know we have what they
need, and it can be beautiful."

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Advance Plumbing Supply

2984 Grand River Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 831-7770

1977 E. Maple Road
Walled Lake, MI 48390
(248) 669-7474

advanceplumbing.com

