By Meghan Diemel
Linda and John Vogel of Oneida found a solution to an accessibility problem that plagues many seniors and individuals who suffer from leg, knee and hip issues. As landlords, the Vogels were tasked several years ago with installing an accessible bathtub to accommodate the mother of one of their renters, who could no longer lift her leg up and over the bathtub ledge. They quickly learned that remodeling their tub and shower system could cost as much as $10,000 and meant sending the existing system to the landfill.
Enter the Vogels’ invention: The Step Thru Shower and Tub system.
“I said to my husband, ‘We have to do something better than this,’” Linda says. “That is a ridiculous price, and the average person who needs this cannot afford that type of job.”
John used scrap cardboard to create a design that allows the tub to remain intact in its space, but with a large opening to walk through. Pieces are then custom fit to the tub to make it safe and aesthetically pleasing.
Linda says they learned John’s design could be molded, manufactured and sold for less money than the competition. But it still uses companies based in the United States, including one each in Clintonville and West Bend Wisconsin. The end result of John’s work is a $99 kit that converts a tub and shower combo into a walk-through shower in about two and a half hours, using fairly common tools and equipment.
The Vogels say the Step Thru system allows people to remain in their homes longer, remain self-sufficient, and do so safely and in an affordable way.
“We have people call us and tell us, ‘Oh my goodness, this is so great; thank you so much. You’re a Godsend,’” Linda says.
