Bathrooms can be a space where you relax and pamper yourself. However, as you age, glossy tiles and deep set tubs become traps that can lead to a fall. The stats show that 3 million seniors need emergency care after a fall each year. So, it is very important to have a bathroom that is safe for you and your family.
By transforming your bathroom, you can make it a safer space for an older person to use. Plus, they may even gain a sense of autonomy from being able to easily navigate this new space by themselves.
In this blog, we’ll reveal tips to maximize convenience and bathroom safety for the elderly.
The Dangers the Elderly Face in Bathrooms
The bathroom poses several issues for seniors. It’s often a small, crowded, slippery place that can easily make them fall. Furthermore, if anything falls on the floor, they need to bend over to pick them up, which can be difficult or even painful at an advanced age. In fact, moving in general can be difficult, making the side of tubs and raised curbs of showers impossible to safely navigate without help.
Top Tips to Keep Your Elderly Safe in Bathrooms
For the elderly to use bathrooms safely, autonomously, and with dignity, they need features that minimize the risk of falls. Features that help them access facilities can lessen the pain they endure in trying to navigate a bathroom by themselves.
Here are tips to make the bathroom a safe and functional space for older folk:
‣ Select an Accessible Washing Facility
The first and biggest change to a bathroom you can make to make it safer for an older person is the selection of the bath and shower. The washing facility they use should be easy to enter and use. Moreover, it should have features that reduce the likelihood and severity of falls.
The following options best suit seniors:
- Walk-in Shower: This type of shower has no curb or a small one. This makes it easier for those with mobility issues to enter.
- Walk-in Tub: This bathtub has a door that you can open and easily enter through. Then, it seals hermetically, allowing you to soak. Plus, they often come with additional safety features such as grab bars.
- Handheld Shower Head: This type of shower head is flexible, allowing someone with a limited range of movements to manipulate it instead of moving their whole body. Moreover, you can use it while seated and change its setting to a gentler flow.
‣ Create Storage Areas
To increase safety in the bathroom for the elderly, you should create more areas where you can store things. When a bathroom is cluttered with things, it can increase the risk of objects falling to the ground. They could then trip an older person or force them to bend down to pick them. Creating areas where you can store these things will help reduce these risks.
However, you can’t use just any storage. A cramped space full of furniture with hard edges and storage that is difficult to reach won’t help. Instead, you should try to install accessible storage. The elderly person should be able to reach the storage without bending or stretching. If there are no doors to open, it’s a plus.
Moreover, the storage area shouldn’t be in their path. Instead, you should fit it in already existing fixtures, such as above a sink. You can also use the space above toilets and the walls of a shower. Then, the storage could be something you attach to the wall, such as a dispenser, furniture, a shower caddy, or part of the structure, like soap niches.
‣ Update Your Lighting
Having the appropriate lighting is crucial to ensure bathroom safety for the elderly. Your lighting needs to be comfortable for them to see clearly – especially in small bathrooms since they can be dark.
In addition, you should add motion lights and night lights. They’ll ensure that the elderly person doesn’t need to search for the light since it’ll already be on. Plus, nightlights can be helpful guides to ensure they can step into the bathroom without bumping into anything.
‣ Install Grab Bars
Installing railings or bars can help optimize shower safety for seniors. These bars and railings help older people ease themselves into showers and baths. They can also rely on them to use the toilet more comfortably.
However, when you’re selecting a bar, you need to take precautions to buy the right one. A towel bar isn’t a substitute for a grab bar since it can only support a lightweight. Similarly, a grab bar with suction cups could slide, leading to a fall. Instead, you should install a wall-mounted grab bar. These are secure and can support the weight of an adult body.
‣ Adjust Your Water Temperature
You should ensure the water is at the right temperature in all the taps and shower heads. According to reports, most tap water burns occur in the elderly and young children. Therefore, bathtub safety for seniors should include managing the temperature of the water.
You’ll need to alter the temperature setting of the water heater to 120°F or 48.9°C or lower. Alternatively, you should install a walk-in shower or tub that has precise temperature control.
‣ Raise Your Toilet
You should also raise the toilet seat to guarantee bathroom safety for seniors. Normal toilets may be difficult for them to sit and get up from. They may even hurt themselves trying to use them. Therefore, you should use seats that are higher.
Usually, these raised seats are an addition you can place on top of a normal toilet. They can be as high as 18” above the normal seat. With a grab bar next to the toilet, they’ll be even easier to use.
‣ Use Anti-Slip Surfaces
To maximize safety in seniors’ bathtubs, you should install an anti-slip surface at the bottom of the tub. This material comes in strips that you can attach to the tub. Additionally, you can use these strips on other surfaces, such as shower pans or the floor of a wet room. Some walk-in tubs and showers come with these strips to reduce the likelihood of falls. Plus, they’re usually textured, which gives older people a sense of stability and security because their feet and slippers easily grip this surface.
Similarly, you should ensure that you’ve securely attached any mat or rug to the floor to ensure they don’t slide and make an older person fall. Alternatively, you could install flooring that’s less slippery such as cork or rubber.
‣ Add a Seat
Lastly, you should add a seat to your bathtub for the safety of the elderly. You can use a bench, chair, or stool. However, you should ensure that it’s waterproof, stable, and can support its weight. For instance, bath chairs usually consist of plastic which makes them easy to clean and prevents water damage. They also have a metal frame to ensure they can support the weight of an adult.
In addition, you could select a seat with a belt, armrest, or footrest. Moreover, if you build a custom bench, you should verify that it has no sharp edges. But the most important feature is comfort. The elderly person who will use it needs to find it comfortable. To find the right one, you may consult their doctor.
Recap
Bathroom safety for the elderly is all about ensuring they can easily and safely navigate this space by themselves. Every fixture should be convenient. This could mean installing aids such as raised toilet seats and motion lights. You’ll also need to focus on features that prevent injuries, such as anti-slip strips, grab bars, and temperature control. Finally, ensuring accessibility with easy-to-reach storage will help them navigate this bathroom easily. With these tips, create a facility that not only safeguards your loved ones but also offers them a sense of autonomy.