Which one is better for older adults with mobility restrictions: a walk-in tub or a walk-in shower?

Safety
One of the most important reasons people purchase standing showers or walk-in tubs is their low entry threshold, meaning that you won’t need to put weight on one leg to raise the other off the floor. People usually lose their balance and fall at this point.
Walk-in tubs are much more reliable since they offer a low-entry threshold relieving the problem of clearing a high tub wall. They also include handlebars to help you get in and out of the tub, along with textured flooring helping you keep your balance when getting in and out. It’s typically safer to stay seated when bathing, but there is the danger of slipping and falling before, during, and after cleaning in a standing shower. Walk-in tubs usually come with a seat extension compliant with the Americans Disabilities Act to remove this risk.
Therapeutic and Health Benefits
Both showers and baths have scientific evidence proving their advantages. In comparison, showers are more hygienic as the bacteria go down the drain, while baths offer skin and health benefits for therapeutic gains. It’s a well-known fact that heat can relieve you from minor aches and pains. Soaking in a warm bath for half an hour can help people who suffer from joint aches or arthritis at the end of the day, making their lives more peaceful and enjoyable. That being said, a walk-in tub can take one step further by providing you with hydromassage that enhances circulation and gently massages aching joints.
A standing shower does not offer you these benefits, but you may be able to get a showerhead with a massage setting, but it will be hard for seniors to target all of the areas that hurt. It is, in fact, much easier to sit in a warm bath and get a massage to help ease minor aches and pains while enjoying a nice soak.