Do you “see” your bathroom objectively? Are you a senior – or do senior members of the family live in your home? It’s a well-known reality among Health Care agencies that falls aren’t the second major cause of death, with regards to accidents – but that almost all these happen in the bathroom.
What steps are you able to take to improve the safety of your bathroom?
Common Bathroom Hazards
Several! But before we ever get to installing anything, first let’s look at the most frequent hazards reported by emergency personnel:
*Rugs that slip or rumple easily
*Projecting objects individuals trip over
*Inadequate lighting
*Unstable toilet seats
*Normal toilet seats (too low for people with poor mobility)
*Stiff taps
*Water on the floor
*Bathtub entry and exit
There’s an additional hidden danger most people can not see: The actual fear of a fall that seniors and individuals with limited mobility experience daily. This fear can limit confidence, generate stress and insomnia, enhance ill health, and diminish enjoyment of life.
Yet it is human nature to dismiss or simply plain not think the needs of those with limited functioning go through, when we’re young. If we’re well-brought-up or especially kind-hearted, we may soothe ourselves with “token” concern. Many of us take it for granted that seniors “just have to be a little more careful” – or do not really have any cause for fear. But like it or otherwise not, this really is going to be us, in 10, 20, 30 years from now.
Increasing Bathroom Safety
Installing one of those tubs you see on Television – the ones that open so seniors can effortlessly step inside – isn’t possible for many people. It is beyond their budget range. But you can certainly still make the bathroom a much safer location – even minus the special tub.
Some are absurdly straightforward fixes – but can often mean the difference between actual injury or death, and safety. A few will cost a little more on home improvement.
1.Sew rubber mason jar rings or stick double-sided tape onto loose rugs, to stop them from slipping – or even better, take them out altogether. Rugs remain the number one bathroom hazard for the elderly, or individuals with limited vision. (And do use rubber “non-slip” stick-on inserts in the bathtub or shower.)
2.Mount an extendible magnifying mirror, to assist those with impaired vision in personal grooming.
3.Use wall-mounted soap dispensers as opposed to loose bottles. The latter could be slippery or cause an accident as somebody reaches over trying to catch one they’ve pushed off the vanity or bathtub rim. (And be sure to mount them where the individual with physical challenges can actually reach them!)
4.Replace your fixed shower heads with hand-held ones. Those with poor mobility do much better when they can control the shower head themselves. They don’t have to worry about not being able to react quickly enough, if the water rushes out, scalding hot.
5.Install an increased-height toilet. The standard toilet is between 14” and 15”. Increased height toilets are a full 16.5”. This extra 1 ½” – 2 ½” can mean more than you’ll ever understand to a senior – or someone else who has mobility, balance or back difficulties
6.Change your faucet – Install one with simple lever handles that can be easily turned on and off with out requiring physical strength. Lever handles are also reported to be less confusing for anyone having a cognitive disorder. (Install one with a hot limit stop, too – this stops accidental burns from scalding.)
7.Put in a “barrier-free” shower. If you are planning to change the shower anyway, this really is one option you might want to take. What does “barrier-free” mean? The floor in the shower includes a threshold that’s less than ½” from the finished floor. This allows people with walkers, or those who can’t climb steps, to enter effortlessly. (But if you are thinking of a truly wheelchair accessible shower, be aware that this is typically much larger than the average shower. This one will almost certainly mean a significant bathroom re-design.)
8.Install a taller sink – one that a chair or wheelchair can fit underneath. Regular pedestal sinks are 24”-30” high. Install a vanity or pedestal sink that’s 31”-36”.
9.Clamp-On Grab Bars. If your financial budget is extremely limited, this can be a life-saving option. These tall handles mount quickly, without having installation of any hardware, around the rim of the average bathtub, which means that individuals with limited mobility can grab onto them with out bending, and make use of them as a support while climbing in and out from the tub. (If you have a built-in shower unit, you are able to replace the whole insert entirely with a new unit -containing a ready made grab bar.)
10.Bath Chairs and Transfer Seats – these can also free-stand in the shower, to be removed when other members of the family are bathing.
The beautiful thing about Bath Chairs or Bath Stools, and Clamp-On Grab Bars – you are able to typically find them very inexpensively at Assisted Living shops (usually under “Medical Supplies” in the Yellow Pages.)
Also, when there is a volunteer-run “Loan Cupboard” where you live, products are usually found there – in fantastic condition. (Some donated by people who are fortunate enough to only need assistive devices temporarily.)
Bear in mind – even one of these precautions could easily save a life.
These are facinating points we wrote in our post, but it isn’t the only place to find this subject. We have found other sites like this one about bathroom safety that you may find facinating too. If you liked the post please share it with your pals on Twitter.
No comments yet.