Finding Ways To Promote Greater Safety For Seniors In The Bathroom

The bathroom gets a bad rap. But it’s hard to blame those of us who point it out as the most dangerous room in the household. Bathrooms are known for their slippery surfaces. Add the much-required presence of water and you have rooms that are practically designed to make people slip and fall. This is especially true for the elderly. It’s bad enough that so many older people already have to contend with decreased strength and balance. They shouldn’t have to add being in the bathroom to their list of concerns.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

reports that people who are between the ages of 75 and 85 are twice as likely as the average person to endure a non-fatal injury in the bathroom. Those who are over the age of 85 are at even greater risk – they are more than four times more likely than the average person to be hurt in the bathroom.

How Can Bathroom Use Be Made Safer for Seniors?

The first, and most obvious, step would be to minimize the risk of slips and falls as much as possible. This entails placing grab bars by the toilet and in the bathtub or shower. Grab bars help seniors to maintain their balance when walking on slippery surfaces. However, it’s advisable to make those surfaces as slip-free as possible by placing non-slip mats on the floor and in the bathtub or shower.

“Make sure the surfaces are skidproof,” insists Griswold Home Care on their list of bathroom safety tips for the elderly, “There are a number of skidproof surfaces available for both the bathtub/shower stall and the bathroom floor. Individual decals do not cover the majority of the tub floor so consider using a mat for the entire surface and rugs with rubber backing.”

How Do You Make Bathrooms Safer for Wheelchair Users?

While individuals who use wheelchairs may not have slipping and falling at the top of their lists of worries, the bathroom remains a dangerous place for them. Naturally, they still need to use the facilities, but most often it is with the help of a caregiver. This is where transfer benches come into play. They help to make the transition from the wheelchair to the bathtub a lot easier.

However, some believe it’s safer to not have to climb over the edge of a bathtub at all. As a result, they install walk-in bathtubs which have doors that open and close. The problem, however, is they often take a long to both fills and drain and can have their users sitting in cold environments for lengthy periods of time.

How Does Shower Bay Eliminate the Risks Involved With Bathroom Use?

Forward Day’s Shower Bay portable shower takes the bathroom out of the bathing equation. It can be snapped together in any room of the home where there is a faucet nearby. Wheelchair users can roll their shower wheelchairs in and out of Shower Bay independently. They are able to close the doors behind them for private and thorough showers with running water. No fear of slipping and falling need to be involved!

If you have any questions about our Shower Bay portable showers, please don’t hesitate to contact us to ask them. Give us a call at 1-877- 223-8999 or email us at info@showerbay.com.