A number of new developments to highlight in assisted bathing:

Gainsborough Specialist Bathing's Gentona Bath (shown here) is a variable height bath designed for intensive use in care environments.

Kingkraft's Lifestyle bath is a high-end, luxury bath which combines style with great accessibility.

The Scorpio 1800 from Abacus Healthcare is longer than average, and includes a detachable transfer chair, which can be used on a wheeled base for moving between rooms.

Astor Bannerman's Rio bath provides extra quiet height adjustment and great stability. It can be combined with their Neatfold stretcher, for drying and changing over the bath.

AKW's iCare electric shower is the first with Bluetooth connectivity. With its own free smartphone app, you can turn on your shower from bed in the morning...

Prism Medical's Freeway Easi-Change shower benches are wall-mounted, and available in both fixed and variable height models. A major benefit is that no floor fixings are required, so they are suitable for installation in a range of different environments.

Experts in assistive toileting, Clos-o-Mat has produced useful guidance on how to make it easier and more comfortable to use the toilet if you have mobility or dexterity problems. Their Palma Vita wash and dry toilet has been developed to meet different individual needs, and respond to changing requirements.

Geberit has ensured that their AquaClean 8000plus automatic shower toilet is equally accessible to children with disabilities, as it works with most paediatric shower chairs, including the Rifton HTS shown here, without the need for any modifications.

PDS Hygiene is well known for the high quality BioBidet retrofit bidet toilet seat. Their latest development is a wheeled commode chair designed so that people who can’t transfer onto the toilet can still benefit from a Bio Bidet

Novamed's Solaticare is the 21st-century answer to the bedpan – a dignified means of toileting in bed for those who are continent, but unable to get out of bed unaided.

Some really beautiful and functional washbasins to be had.

Astor Bannerman's height adjustable basin has a refined new style, and is recommended by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. It is also ideal for Changing Places fully accessible public toilets – shown here is a recent installation at Attingham Park: the very first at a National Trust property.

Matrix basins from Pressalit Care are beautiful and very functional. The latest addition to the range is the Curve, which has wide, sloping side edges that enable users to lean in and rest their elbows for stability and support. The shallow bowl accommodates wheelchair users as well as those who are ambulant.

The principle behind Jonvac bath supports is vacuum forming. They can be easily moulded to fit the user’s body whilst in a soft, non-vacuum state. When the desired shape is achieved, air is extracted, leaving a firm cushion that provides support and stability. They can be reshaped as often as required.

Drive Medical has introduced bathroom supports in vivid red, particularly to help people with dementia, who often find it difficult to orient themselves without strong visual cues. A white grab rail fixed to a white wall is never going to be easy to find...

Able2 has a range of mobile grab rails (shown here) which are safe and strong, and come in many sizes and configurations. The Mobeli Quatro Plus rails are fixed to a nonporous surface by suction.

A new fall detection alarm system from Easylink UK, is ideally suited to elderly people, those with epilepsy, diabetes, or other conditions that may cause blackouts. The combination of dual inertia sensors with gravity correction software eliminates a high percentage of false positives.

The sensor can be worn on the wrist or used with a lanyard, and it is waterproof, so can be kept on in the bath or shower – a particularly useful feature, when you consider that many falls occur in the bathroom.

I would be pleased to hear your views about our product round-up. There are various ways you can get in touch: email me; visit our Facebook page and leave a message there; or if it's short and sweet, Tweet!

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Until next time, when we will be looking at bedroom equipment,

All good wishes,

Frances