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| Senior woman fall in bathroom |
Bathrooms are one of the most important rooms to focus on when concerned with elder care safety. Because bathrooms are very hazardous, they have slippery surfaces which can greatly increase the chances of getting hurt.
Fall-related injuries range from scrapes, minor cuts, and bruises to head contusions, spinal cord injury, and broken bones. If your seniors loved one have a history of falls, the risk is even greater. Here are some tips to make their washroom safer for seniors:
- Prevent Slips: To prevent slips, it would be recommended to install non-slip surfaces on the floor of your elder loved one’s tub. Non-slip decals should be applied to bathroom tiles which can prove to be a dangerous when they are wet. Also, make sure to remove scatter rugs which are easy to slip on.
- Remove Obstacles: You can improve bathroom safety for your elderly loved ones by removing items which are easily slipped over. One of the largest risks is tripping over the bathtub side. Installing a superior-quality walk-in bathtub can prevent tumbles when getting into or out of the tub.
- Prevent Hot Water Burns: Seniors have more delicate and thinner skin; sometimes it can take longer to feel hot temperatures. Due to this, they could be at risk of burns caused by hot water. Make sure that your loved one’s bathroom taps are labeled clearly and set the hot water temperature to a maximum of 120 F.
- Install Grab Bars: For elder care bathroom safety, grab bars are an essential tool, as they perform 2 functions. Firstly, they give your elder something to hold on and anchor themselves when moving in and out of the tub. Secondly, grab bars can help your senior catch themselves in the case of a fall.
- Improve Accessibility: You need to make sure that regularly used items are easily accessible in the areas where the risk of falling is height. This is especially important in bathtubs. Check to make sure their shampoo, soap, conditioner, towels or any other bathing things are within an easy reach distance.
- Reduce Risk of Exertion: Several falls and injuries are mainly caused by overexertion so you can greatly diminish the risk of your loved ones over exertion by installing a secure bathing seat for them.
- Improve Visibility: Frequent urination is a common complaint among many elderly people. You can reduce the chances of a fall by installing lights that light up the path from their bedroom to the bathroom. This way your senior will be able to walk safely even at night.
Overall toilet safety is just as vital as bathtub safety for your senior loved ones. Therefore, bathroom safety can be simply improved by having a person around to look after your loved one. Whether that person is relative, friend or a care-provider, having someone to help greatly reduces your elder’s risk of injury in the washroom.
