Minimizing Bathroom Hazards for Our Elderly Loved Ones
It won’t be a surprise to you to learn that, as we get older, we become more prone to injury. Naturally, with either the loss or diminishing of our motor skills, strength, balance and mobility, we become more susceptible to slips and falls. And of course, the older we get, the more hazardous to our health those fall becomes. We’re not just talking about your run-of-the-mill bumps and bruises here. The elderly face great dangers when they fall.
In a special to the Richland Source, Jessica Walter reveals that falls are considered the biggest of all culprits for injuries among seniors. Citing the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), she notes that approximately 1.4 million seniors, who are age 65 or older, are treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to consumer products each year. Walter goes on to reveal a number of other startling statistics related to injuries seniors suffer due to falls.
Over 8 million hospital ER trips are the result of falls, which is the leading cause of visits,” she writes, “According to the CPSC, more than two million fall injuries each year are the product of floors and flooring materials. One in three people over the age of 65 in the United States experiences a fall each year. The incidence of falls rises as each decade of living passes. Sixty percent of fall-associated deaths occurs in those who are 75 or older.
So What Can Be Done to Minimize the Risk of Falls for Our Elderly?
At Forward Day, we strongly believe that attention must be paid to the areas inside the home where falls are most likely to occur. Of course, accidents can happen anywhere. However, both statistics and our knowledge and experience tell us that the bathroom is one of the most common locations for injuries to occur for seniors. As a result, it’s important that we all take measures to minimize bathroom hazards for our elderly.
Noting that bathrooms are especially dangerous places for Alzheimer patients, Dr. Amy Ehrlich of U.S. News & World Report recommends that people install to grab bars in the tub and use bath chairs or stools in the tub or shower.
“Older adults with some degree of incontinence, which is common in Alzheimer’s patients, often have to rush to get in the bathroom, placing them at greater risk for falls,” writes Dr. Ehrlich, “Use a raised toilet seat with handrails, or installs to grab bars beside the toilet. In addition, to help avoid bathroom injuries, every household should have a nonskid mat for the bathtub and shower.”
Walter seconds that motion, listing grabs bars, towel bars, shower seats, non-slip surfaces and even glare-free lighting as necessities that will make bathrooms safer for our elderly loved ones. However, her point that “the shower can also cause the floor to get wet (creating) an unsafe/dangerous environment outside of it” highlights the fact that each of her suggested solutions isn’t necessarily fail-safe.
This is why; at Forward Day, we so highly believe in our Shower Bay portable showers as the safest solutions for seniors.
What Makes Shower Bay the Safest Bathing Option for Seniors?
The Shower Bay eliminates the possibility of falling because it allows for users to sit comfortably in their shower wheelchairs while enjoying full and thorough showers with running water. The portable showers also eliminate the need to enter and exit potentially unsafe bathrooms as they can be assembled in any room of the house. As long as a faucet is nearby, the Shower Bay can provide a cleansing and comfortable shower without the need to worry about the hazards of the bathroom.
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.
