Bathroom Safety for Elderly: 10 Easy Ways To Improve it

We believe that the elderly should not have any fear of falling or slipping in the bathroom whenever they go to one. It should be a comfortable and worry-free experience. If you have an elderly at home, then you should be aware of the tips and products that ensure bathroom safety.

In this article, we have listed all the relevant information that you must know. Have a look!

10 Tips To Improve Bathroom Safety

Here are ten tips that will improve bathroom safety for the elderly at your house. With these tips, the chances of bathroom accidents will significantly decrease, thus keeping away the discomfort and pain that comes along. Here’s how we can play our part in improving bathroom safety.

1. Use non-slip materials

To prevent slips in the bathtub, you can use non-slip mats or non-slip bathtub coating. Whichever you choose, it will efficiently do the task and keep the seniors safe in the tub.

2. Sufficient lighting

You have to make sure that the bathroom is well-lit. The light will help the elderly in seeing their path. If the light is not sufficient, they may not be able to see the objects ahead of them and may trip and fall.

3. Ensure the bathroom is clean

Keep your bathroom as clean as possible. If the soapy solution stays on the floor, there are risks of slips that can lead to significant injuries. So, ensure that you drain out the water every time you use the bathroom.

4. Install bath seats

Installing a bath seat is another precaution you can take to avoid bathroom accidents. Sometimes, seniors can’t stand in the showers for long. So, to keep away the danger of a fall, you can place a bath chair, which will allow elders to take a comfortable bath.

5. Remove throw rugs

Getting rid of throw rugs is another step you can take to make sure that the elders in your house do not slip and fall in the bathroom. However, if you want to keep rugs in your bathroom, go for non-slip ones as safer.

6. Add grab bars

Install grab bars in your bathroom. They will provide additional support for seniors to lift themselves from the toilet seat or out of the bathtub. They can hold on to the bars to support their weight.

7. Take measures to keep the bathroom dry

Keep the bathroom floor dry at all times. Whenever you use the bathroom, make sure to get rid of all the water from the floor so that it does not remain wet when an elderly enters. Slippery floors can highly favor slips and accidents; thus, it is better to keep them dry to prevent the risk.

8. Ask your elders to slow down

Make sure that the elderly around the house do not rush into the bathroom. Instead, tell them to take steps slowly and carefully to lower the chances of tripping in the bathroom.

9. Ensure accessories are easy to reach

Make the accessories in the bathroom easy to reach. Toilet papers, shampoo bottles, soaps, and toothbrushes should be kept in a comfortable area in the bathroom, which is easy to reach. This way, the seniors will not have to bend or stretch out to access the necessary items. As a result, bathroom accidents can be kept at bay.

10. Maintain the optimum temperature level

Keep the temperature of water at an optimum level. You can test the water just before an older person enters the bathroom to make sure that it is at an ideal temperature. If the temperature is not optimum and an elder comes into contact with it, they may make sudden movements by jerking away from the water, causing them to lose their balance and fall on the floor.

Know The Senior Bathroom Safety Statistics

Knowing these statistics will encourage you to take all the precautionary measures in your bathroom to ensure that the elders in your house do not fall and injure themselves.

• According to available data, 66% of bathroom injuries occur when you are in the tub or shower.
• Studies show that approximately 370 people get injured in a bathroom every day in the US. Thus, it is the second most dangerous room in the house.
• Around 50% of elders that fall lose confidence and start to avoid different activities.
• People over 85 suffer more than half of their injuries near the toilet.
• Reports show that falls cause more than 95% of hip fractures.

10 Senior Safety Products That Can Avoid Bathroom Accidents

Certain safety products in the market help the elderly to balance themselves once they enter the bathroom. Some of them also prevent falls. So, if you have an elderly around, it might be a great idea to install some of the following:

1. Bathtub Safety Grab bars

You can install grab bars in the bathtub or the shower area so that the elders will have something to support their body weight when they get out of the tub. Also, you can place one near the toilet to give the elders something to hold on to while getting up.

Once they firmly hold the grab bars, it will be easier for them to lift themselves without slipping or falling. Grab bars can hold up to 300 pounds of weight. Thus, you will not have to worry about any breakage when they shift their weight to the bars.

2. Safety Handrails

These are similar to grab bars, but they are horizontally mounted on bathroom walls. The elderly can hold onto the handrails for extra balance in the bathroom to save themselves from slips and falls.

It is easy to hold them firmly so that in case the person loses balance, he or she can quickly grab the rails for balancing the body in a suitable position. Therefore, these help to prevent falls.

3. Shower stools

A shower stool is another fantastic product that will keep the elderly safe from bathroom accidents, hence saving them from any pain that would come with it. The elders can comfortably sit on the stool and take a shower without any worries.

Moreover, they will be at ease if they shower while sitting on the stool. However, you must make sure that the stool has rubber tips on the legs so that it does not slip or slide away when someone tries to sit or stand.

4. Non-slip mats

This is a cheaper method to increase bathroom safety for the elderly. All you would have to do is buy some non-slip mats, and place them in the shower area, or at the entrance.

If you want to be extra cautious, then you can also place silicone mats in the bathtub to prevent slips while getting out of it. Along with protecting from falls, these mats also give your bathroom a new look.

5. Non-slip bathtub coating

This is an alternate choice for non-slip bathtub mats. To some people, they may feel uncomfortable and hinder an enjoyable bathing experience. Hence, if you do not want the mats, you can go for bathtub coatings with high non-slip properties.

You just need to cover the inside area of your bathtub with this coating and let it dry for a few minutes. It will then provide the elderly with a firm grip with their feet in the bath to keep away any falls and slips.

6. Walk-in bathtub

Another innovative product that is pretty helpful for the elderly population is a walk-in bathtub. The walk-in tub is just like a traditional one, but with one addition. There is a small door that lets you enter the tub so that you do not have to climb over. As a result, you can safely get in or out without risking any injuries.

7. Toilet seat with arms

This type of toilet seat is in an elevated position so that the elders do not have to lower themselves to reach for the toilet seat. This is comfortable, and sitting on it and getting up is easy. People who suffer from back and joint pains would greatly benefit from this seat.

Moreover, there are arms on each side that can give the elderly something to hold onto for support. Hence, there are lesser chances of accidents.

8. Safety Frame rails for toilet

These rails are placed on each side of the bathroom. They give the body strong support while getting up from the seat; thus, older adults can get up easily without any danger. They are firm on the floor, so they will not slip away when you grab them with your weight.

9. Pole grab bars

This is another type of grab bar that you can install in your bathroom to prevent such accidents and falls among the elderly that result in serious injuries. You can use their support to get out of the bathtub by firmly grabbing them.

Moreover, if the elderly have trouble getting up from the toilet, then they can take help from pole grab bars and lift themselves. They are pretty easy to install, and you can even move it to different places comfortably.

10. Automatic LED night lights

These lights will automatically turn on in the dark when someone enters the bathroom so that they can view the path ahead of them and not stumble upon something which could cause them to fall or slip. Therefore, even if they forget to turn the lights on, these night lights automatically turn on.