Providing a safe living environment for seniors begins with the bathroom, where most at-home accidents occur for the elderly. This is a slip in the shower or tripping on the way to the toilet at night.
As a result, if you want to improve bathroom safety at home, you must understand how to deal with bathroom hazard concerns. Here are some crucial modern bathroom safety tips to keep you and your loved ones safe at home. Therefore, before you look for “clawfoot tubs near me,” let’s begin!
Use Grab Bars in Bathroom
Grab bars provide something to grab when getting in and out of the shower, as well as a way to catch yourself if you are about to fall. Install grab bars and safety rails in the shower/tub and near the toilet. Check that they are securely fastened enough to support an adult’s weight.
Install Non-Skid Surfaces
Since skid proof decals are a step in the right direction, they do not cover the entire surface of the bathtub. So, slips are still possible. Instead, look for a mat that covers the whole surface of the bathtub floor. Similarly, you may want to add a rubber-backed mat to the bathroom floor.
Keep In Nightlights
Nightlights add illumination to those late-night trips to the bathroom. It’s making the difference between seeing your way straight to the toilet and tripping on something along the way.
Lesser the Water Temperature
Set the whole-house water temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. So, older adult is less likely to be injured even if they cannot notice the hot temperatures. Make seating available. Standing for long periods to brush one’s teeth, wash one’s face before bed.
So, one can be exhausting for an elderly body. Add seating to the bathroom so that you can sit while getting ready. Think about adding a shower chair with a rigid back that allows you to sit while showering.
Elevate the Toilet Seat
Avoid overexertion when going to the bathroom. Install a raised toilet seat that makes sitting and getting up much more accessible. This can be a fantastic, practical way to improve bathroom safety for anyone suffering from knee, hip, or joint pain, among other conditions. You should also be careful about setting the bathroom items. For an example, you should choose the best widespread bathroom faucet for your bathroom.
Get Items Within Reach
Put things in the places where you use them, whether shampoo and conditioner in the shower or toothpaste and soap near the sink. This reduces the need for unnecessary reaching, searching, and standing. The risk of accidents these activities entail.
Provide Supervision
Sometimes, the care of a loved one is the best and most important way to protect a senior in the bathroom. Having someone nearby, whether a relative, friend, or home health aide, dramatically reduces the possibility of serious injury.
The Bottom Line
It’s natural to become more concerned about home safety as you or your loved ones get older. You want to sleep soundly, knowing that simple tasks like going to the bathroom will not harm you.
It’s because, while staying at home can be an excellent comfort, you must remain safe. Use the eight tips listed above to make your bathroom a safer place where accidents are less likely to happen!
