Seniors, just like everyone else, sometimes need to maintain their independence and privacy, especially when using bathrooms. However, this might not be easy since bathrooms can quickly turn from pleasant to dangerous in seconds. To facilitate ease of use, enhance accessibility, and maintain safety, it’s important to consider certain safety guidelines by getting safety products. So, how do you keep safe in the bathroom, especially if seniors are around? There are several bathroom safety products that you should consider purchasing and installing. This article offers an overview of essential bathroom safety solutions and how purchasing such products can reduce spending costs since they promote independence.
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How Can I Make my Bathroom Safe for Seniors?
It’s important to make your bathroom safe by using bathroom safety equipment for seniors. With many dangers already lurking in bathrooms, it’s only right that you enhance safety in such rooms by getting products that enhance ease of use.
1.Elevated Toilet Seat
An elevated toilet seat is a must-have among the range of senior bath safety products. Especially beneficial for seniors coping with backaches, joint pain, and arthritis, it eases the process of sitting or rising from the toilet by reducing the overall distance and enhancing balance. Seniors often encounter challenges with leg strength and balance, making it crucial to have proper support when using the toilet. Whether transitioning from sitting to standing, having the right strength and stability is essential for bathroom safety for elderly individuals.
Toilet seats can easily be clamped onto any toilet bowl, resulting in a higher seat level. Besides that, these products are designed with or without arms, depending on your specific needs.
Bathroom safety equipment such as raised toilet seats is versatile since they normally come in different heights. However, you have to be sure of what you need. If you need assistance choosing an elevated toilet seat, you can seek the help of an occupational therapist or a nurse. It should be noted that it’s also important to install such seats with grab rails nearby for extra support.
Note: sometimes it’s essential to get seniors 3 in 1 commodes, i.e., potty chairs that can be used over the toilet seat and in the bedroom. You have to adjust the height of the legs depending on where you are or remove the underneath bucket and straddle it over the toilet.
2.Rubber-Grips and Anti-Slip Bathmats
Bathrooms can become hazardous, especially for seniors, due to slippery surfaces when wet and the presence of soap and oil residues. While bathrooms for the elderly often have non-slip flooring designs, additional safety measures are crucial to protect them in their vulnerable state. Consider investing in the best shower additions for elderly individuals, such as rubber grips and anti-slip bathmats, which provide enhanced safety features tailored to their needs. Prioritizing shower safety for the elderly can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure a worry-free bathing experience.
To provide essential shower assistance for elderly individuals, putting rubber grips or anti-slip mats in the shower or bath area goes a long way towards effectively reducing the risk of trips, slips, and falls. These products generally have a good grip, unlike the traditional bathmats. Most of them have suction cups that securely hold the mat onto the floor surface.
Note: apart from these anti-slip products, anti-slip bathtub treatment can also come in handy. Note that bathtubs are great for use by seniors, but they need to be treated routinely to prevent mildew buildup. If you are looking for a cost-effective and lasting solution, consider using non-slip bathtub treatment.
3.Sliding Transfer Benches
These benches are designed to offer bathroom assistance for the elderly with a sliding function that allows the seat to transfer the user into a bathing position quickly. Besides that, it has an anti-slide feature that locks the device on the bench. For extra support, sliding transfer benches have frames made of durable and comfortable materials and adjustable heights.
Seniors with mobility issues, especially those who have arthritis, can find the sliding transfer bench beneficial since it provides the ideal seating surface for bathing if they have difficulties standing. For those who can’t stand and step into the bathtub, this bench can easily extend up to the bathtub’s edge.
If you are not willing to use a commode yet still need extra help with your mobility, you can use this bench. You have to sit on the chair and then use its sliding mechanism.
4.Install Adequate Lighting
Old age usually results in reduced visibility. Besides that, accidents can easily happen in the dark, and that’s why having a good lighting system is an important bath help for the elderly. It helps the seniors with their orientation and prevents accidents in the bathroom.
For most people, overhead bathroom lighting is the best source of illumination. However, such a lighting system is highly problematic to seniors. Overhead lights don’t effectively illuminate all spaces, especially corners. Besides that, they cast shadows, reducing visibility for the elderly.
If you are staying with a senior, you need to install multiple lights for your bathroom to receive uniform illumination. To enhance visibility, you can use contrasting colors to demarcate different bathroom parts.
Note: avoid using high gloss vanishes in the bathroom since they can produce confusing glares for the elderly. Instead, consider using a matte finish. Motion sensor night lights may be ideal for some situations. Some older adults may need to get up in the middle of the night and use the bathroom. The combination of poor eyesight, darkness, and other health issues can easily lead to serious falls. Motion sensor night lights are effective and simple modern solutions to guide seniors to bathrooms.
5.Gripping Aids
Old age comes with conditions such as arthritis, which generally affects fingers and hands. Underlying medical conditions such as arthritis usually reduce pressure application essential in holding objects, both narrow and large.
These products make it easy to handle countless everyday tasks that may be difficult or painful to handle. Gripping aids are expertly designed as tub assistance for the elderly to promote ease and comfort during use. They come in numerous forms to effectively cater to different demands. Other gripping aids include:
- Pen grips
- Key turners
- Jar holders
- Utensil handles
These products make it easy to handle countless everyday tasks that may be difficult or painful to handle. Gripping aids are expertly designed to promote ease and comfort during use. They come in numerous forms to effectively cater to different demands.
6.Grab Rails
If your elderly loved one has poor balance, they will have problems using the bath. Understand that most accidents at home are usually in the bathroom, and seniors are even more vulnerable. In a bid to maintain balance, seniors often use towel rail for support, especially when they are getting out of the tub. However, shower rails are usually weak and not designed to offer support. As a result, they usually collapse, which may further increase the risk of slips and injuries.
In case a senior still have sufficient upper body strength, then installing grab bars can be more beneficial to them. Just make sure that these rails are effectively installed in incorrect positions and easily turn to them for support. Grab rails are important in promoting independence since seniors can still enjoy their privacy and maintain good personal hygiene without relying on third parties.
7.Adjustable Shower Heads
Hygiene should be a priority for most seniors and having a relaxed and enjoyable bath is one of the best ways that an elderly loved one can keep clean and fresh. But due to reduced mobility and hunched backs, using the shower can be difficult for some seniors. So, it’s important to invest in adjustable handheld showerheads.
When choosing a showerhead, consider a product with a long and flexible horse measuring at least 5 feet. Besides that, it should be easy to operate with turn on and off buttons. Don’t forget to choose a lightweight product since seniors have weak hands.
8.Walk-in Baths
Safe bathrooms not only need additional products but sometimes remodeling. That’s why it might be essential to consider renovating an existing bathtub and changing it into a walk-in tub. This might be the most effective solution, especially if your elderly loved one enjoys taking warm relaxing baths, but they have issues getting in and out of bathtubs.
Walk-in baths are easier to use since they open doors, allowing the user to get in and sit down. They enhance convenience since seniors don’t need to climb over them, unlike traditional bathtubs. Overall, this helps to reduce the risk of injuries through slips and falls.
9.Perching Stools
Seniors who have problems standing for extended periods can get practical support from perching stools. They are high stools with slightly sloppy designs from back to from. Perching stools are commonly used as “semi-sits” since the user doesn’t need to fully sit on them but just perch for support while keeping their feet on the ground.
As a result, they effectively remove the total weight burden from the legs and feet, allowing seniors to maintain upright postures while in the bath or shower. If an elderly person has issued standing for long due to balance, coordination, and fatigue issues, then this might be the ideal solution for them.
Perching stools are quite versatile and can be used in several positions, including when showering, using the mirror, washing, brushing teeth, and among other things. They create significant differences in an individual’s routine since they come in different designs to blend with different bathroom styles. Besides that, most of them are made with pin-clip mechanisms that allow height adjustment for each leg.
10. Convenient Storage
There are many things found in bathrooms, ranging from shower gels, face products, products for oral use, towels, and tissues. Rethinking storage for seniors is important since bathroom products need to be stored within reach but also securely.
Your loved one doesn’t need to stretch high up or bend extremely down low for them to reach the most basic items. Instead, you can make use of a shower caddy that allows easier access to accessories and toiletries. Wall-mount storage options are usually ideal since they can be fixed on a specific location and the height adjusted as needed. Besides that, wall mounts help to reduce clutter.
Limited Time:
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No payment due for the first 18 months after installation!
As low as $100 a month
Why Seniors Need Extra Assistance in the Bathroom
Aging usually comes with lots of complications. Even the most simple and normal tasks become difficult to perform. There are significant physical, mental, and emotional changes, and sometimes this is coupled with ill health.
Seniors have weak muscles, reduced visibility and hearing abilities, and reduced functionality as humans. That’s why they need to use certain bathroom safety products. They are important because:
They help seniors avoid embarrassments
Using the bathroom is a personal experience, and so most seniors might feel embarrassed requesting assistance from family members or friends. Besides that, some seniors don’t want to be vulnerable, especially loved ones. To avoid this, it’s important to install or use certain bathroom safety products that promote independence. This allows them to have better control of life still, especially when it comes to private experiences.
Reduce Costs
Instead of relying on the services of caregivers or taking your elderly parent to a senior home which might be costly, you can get them these products. They help to reduce spending costs since they are affordable and reusable.
When choosing these products, consider those that suit the senior the most. For instance, it would be ideal to buy a sliding transfer bench if your elderly loved one has mobility problems. But even with these solutions, a senior good’s health needs to be covered with quality health insurance. UPMC for Life is one of the best health covers for prescription drug coverage and enhanced medical coverage.
Conclusion
Bathrooms might be safe zones for most adults, especially when they need to relax and freshen up. However, they are also serious accident zones with many hidden dangers. There are thousands of bathroom accidents reported annually, and most of them usually involve seniors or people who are physically impaired. To protect your loved one and reduce the risk of injuries or accidents, it’s important to use bathroom safety products. The above-reviewed products are among the most commonly used; hence they are essential. They help to minimize the chances of slipping and falling off. Besides that, they promote easier accessibility and enhance the independence and privacy that the elderly need.
Limited Time:
Buy Now Pay Later
No payment due for the first 18 months after installation!