4 Tips For Ensuring Bathroom Safety For Seniors

No one expects their bathrooms to be dangerous. These rooms of the home are used on a daily basis, and, for the most part, the experiences are incident-free. That doesn’t mean, of course, that injuries can’t occur. It goes without saying that bathrooms have slippery surfaces. People with mobility issues are cautioned to take extra special care when visiting the bathroom. This goes double for seniors.

Do you live with an elderly loved one? What can you do to ensure your bathroom is safe for him/her to use? Here are four tips for ensuring bathroom safety for seniors:

1. Keep All Necessities With Reach

Making sure that everything in the bathroom is accessible is a key way to avoid slips and falls. By eliminating the need for a senior to bend over and/or reach up to collect soap, shampoo, razors, and the like, he/she will have better control of balance. Put up some waterproof shelves in the shower area. Be sure that it is easy to access. Place all necessities neatly on the shelf. Now you have a shower that promotes the safety of all who use it!

“Older adults should be able to reach items they need and put them away again without having to stretch or bend,” contends manager of marketing and digital experience at Intrepid USA, Rachel Albin, “Often, people keep shampoo, conditioner, soap, and other products along the edge of their bathtub or shower. Not only does this pose a fall risk for seniors as they enter and exit the shower or bathtub, bending down to reach these items can cause them to slip.”

2. Brighten the Lights

You don’t usually trip over things you can see. Adequate lighting is a key ingredient to a safe bathroom. This is especially true for seniors and other individuals with vision impairments. As BathFitter.com warns us, when you combine reduced lighting with steam, accidents are bound to happen.

“The perfect lighting setup needs to be bright enough so the elderly can see what they are doing, but not too bright that it dazzles or blinds them, which often could result in dizziness and a loss of balance,” informs the website, “Replace existing low-light bulbs with brighter bulbs to create a more comfortable and visible environment.”

3. Rid the Floor of Clutter

Image Source: Bath Fitter

The walking space in your bathroom must be completely clear of any obstacles. Removing potential tripping hazards is a top way to reduce the risk of slips and falls. For example, put all toiletries, cleaning products, and cosmetics in your cupboards and cabinets. As well, do away with throw rugs. They are known to bunch up and create uneven surfaces. Opt for non-slip mats instead.

“Keeping things tidy is one of the easiest – and most important – steps you can take to help seniors avoid bathroom falls,” insists Albin, “Most bathrooms are relatively cramped spaces already, and additional clutter makes navigating this space even more challenging. In addition, the bathroom floor must be free of clothing and other objects that might cause a senior to stumble.”

4. Stop Showering in the Bathroom

When Forward Day came up with the Shower Bay portable shower, we had safety in mind. Shower Bay can be snapped together in any room of the home where a faucet is nearby. In addition, it enables wheelchair users to enter with their shower wheelchairs for safe and comfortable shower experiences. No bathroom is needed!

For more information about our revolutionary portable showers, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-877-593-4461 or email us at info@showerbay.com.