How about this? Railing will be a single welded piece, bolted to wall studs in four places. Curtain will be multi-part to accommodate. Not anchoring railing to floor means tub can be removed/replaced without moving railing. Not sure how high upper and lower railing should be. Not sure there is actually any reason for lower railing, except structural. Assume polished SS would look nicest, maybe with brushed sections for more secure holding.
Suggestions? Where would you get something like this fabricated? Estimated cost?
Zeke, I think you're suggesting a railing that includes the curtain rod. I'm thinking it might make sense to have all railing structure lower, down where older or shorter people would actually grasp it (since old people may have trouble reaching high above their heads) and use it to raise themselves out of the tub. I admit I have thought about bolting a subway car straphanger sort of thingy to the ceiling, but couldn't figure how to make ti easily reachable by short people but not be a head-bonker for tall people.
My 80+ y/o dad will hopefully be living with me, which is why I'm getting serious about adding handrails etc all over the house. This is a four level house if you include the basement, so there are a lot of stairs and he's going to have an increasingly hard time with those. Eventually I may have to build him a little place in the basement with an exterior door; thinking ahead to when his mobility really deteriorates.