How to make bathrooms safer for seniors
Courtesy METRO
"Danger" might not be the first word to come to mind when individuals consider their bathrooms, but perhaps it should be? After all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year more than 1.5 million aging adults visit emergency rooms for fall-related injuries, many of which occur in the bathroom.
Many falls and spills that occur in the bathroom can be prevented. Seniors or their loved ones can make some minor adjustments to bathrooms so falls are less likely to happen.
• Install grab bars in the shower and bath and elsewhere, as necessary. Grab bars make it easier for aging men and women to get into and out of the shower or the tub by giving them something to hold onto. This can be especially helpful for seniors who must step up and over their tubs to bathe. Though they're primarily used in showers and tubs, grab bars also can be installed alongside toilets for seniors who could use a little help sitting down and getting up from their toilets. AARP notes that sheltering arm grab bars provide the best support around toilets. Such grab bars come around both sides of the toilet and look similar to armrests.
• Install LED lighting. Poor lighting in a bathroom can make it hard for seniors to see, which can make them more vulnerable to slips and falls. That's especially so for seniors who find themselves making frequent bathroom visits overnight. Even bathrooms with seemingly adequate lighting may be dangerous if they feature dated light fixtures that rely on incandescent bulbs to light the room. Incandescent bulbs burn out with greater frequency than LED alternatives, which can last for years. The longer bulbs last, the less often seniors need to change them, which also reduces their risk for injury. In addition to replacing traditional fixtures with LED alternatives, individuals can plug in LED night lights that make it easy to see when making nighttime visits to the bathroom.
• Utilize non-slip bath mats. Non-slip bath mats often utilize rubber-backed liners to ensure the mats stay put even when floors get wet or damp from condensation after a hot bath or shower. Non-slip mats can be placed where individuals will enter and exit the shower and even by the toilet and sink so individuals always feel steady on their feet.
• Clean bathrooms regularly. Bathroom surfaces can grow slippery from soap scum, condensation and previous spills. Prompt and routine cleaning can reduce the likelihood that seniors will fall in their bathrooms. Seniors who have difficulty keeping up with household cleaning can hire a cleaning service or ask a younger relative to help them keep their bathrooms clean and safe.
Seniors can fall anywhere in a home, but may be more likely to do so in a bathroom. Various measures can help make bathrooms safer for aging individuals.