Bathroom Updates For Seniors
Bathrooms are one of the rooms in the house that can be the most dangerous, especially for seniors. Water, soap, and cleaners can easily turn the floors into a slippery disaster waiting to happen, and a lot of seniors have difficulty feeling safe in their bathrooms. Falling is the number one preventable non-fatal injury in the United States, and falling as a senior can be much more detrimental than falling as a young person.
Many individuals want to remain in their own homes as long as possible before making the move to a senior living facility, so making improvements to their homes is essential for keeping it safe. A bathroom is a place that can easily become dangerous and difficult for seniors to maneuver in, but there are some easy installations you can even do yourself that will make a huge difference in the safety of the bathroom. If you’re unsure where to start, here are some of the most common and helpful renovations you can make to a bathroom to improve accessibility for seniors.
Photo by Gustavo Galeano Maz
Grab Bars
Bathrooms are the perfect place to slip and fall, with hardwood or tile floors that can easily get wet, it is a recipe for disaster. Especially as a senior, you or your loved one is at a lot higher risk of slipping and injuring themselves, and for individuals who live alone, this can be very dangerous. Placing grab bars, especially in the entryway of a shower or tub, near the toilet, and anywhere else you think it's necessary can help seniors have something to steady themselves with.
Raised Toilet Seats
Seniors commonly injure themselves by standing up too quickly from the toilet and losing their balance, slipping, or becoming lightheaded. A raised toilet seat will reduce the amount of space they have to stand up, so they are a lot less likely to fall. Additionally, sore joints and stiff muscles can make sitting down difficult, but a raised toilet seat will make it a lot easier because they won’t have far to go. This makes going to the bathroom a lot more accessible and comfortable for seniors.
Adding a raised toilet seat and a grab bar will ensure that your senior loved one can get on and off of the toilet safely.
Shower Seats
Standing in the shower for long periods of time can be tiring, but having a place to sit can make it a lot easier. A shower seat can easily be installed into any shower, and also provides a way for seniors to get clean without having to bend down. Washing parts of your body like your legs and feet can be difficult and dangerous if you have difficulty bending down, and can lead to slips and falls if you lose your balance. Instead of wobbling on one leg to get in between your toes, a shower seat offers a simple solution. With a seat, you can feel more comfortable and secure while you get clean, which will relieve some of the stress of bathing.
Skid Mats
The bottom of the shower, outside the tub, and near the sink are all places that are likely to get wet and become extremely slippery. By placing a rubber mat or skid mat in these areas you can tremendously reduce the risk of falling. You can place a skid mat wherever you think it is necessary for the bathroom.
Additionally, the hard floors can become cold and uncomfortable, especially during the winter months. Placing a rug over the skid mats can provide cushioning for your feet, and keep them off of the chilly floor. Seniors are more likely to be chilled throughout the winter, so adding this touch of comfort can make a huge difference.
More Lighting
As we get older, we often cannot see as well as we used to. When you are in the bathroom, you definitely need to have good lighting, and poor eyesight does not go well with bad lighting. You can easily install more lighting throughout the bathroom to increase visibility. This way seniors can see things like spilled water more easily.
Walk-in Bathtub
A walk-in bathtub may not be a DIY project, however, it can seriously improve the safety of a bathroom for seniors. You will probably need to hire a handyman to install the tub, but it will definitely be worth it. With a walk-in tub, you’ll no longer have to worry about lifting your legs over the edge and trying not to slip as you get your whole body inside. Instead, you have easy access to one of the parts of the bathroom that can be the most dangerous and slippery.
Additional Bathroom
If you or your senior loved one live in a home that has stairs, and the only bathroom is up those stairs you may want to consider adding another bathroom on the bottom floor. Traveling upstairs can be dangerous and get very exhausting, especially if you are using the toilet a lot throughout the day. Having a bathroom installed in the main living area of the home will reduce the number of times seniors have to go up and down the stairs throughout the day.
Author Bio: Jenn Walker is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beach goer operating out of Southern New Jersey.
