Our elderly loved ones need all the love and care we can give them. Of course, catering to their emotional well-beings is a super important part of providing adequate care. But we also must always be mindful of their safety in our homes. This is especially true for seniors who have mobility issues. And although you don’t likely need to be reminded, the bathroom is the room of the home that deserves the most attention.
Notoriously known as the most dangerous room in the home, due to its penchant for providing slippery surfaces, bathrooms requires a number of modifications to keep seniors safe. Here are three proven ways to improve the safety of the bathrooms in your home:
1. Put a shower chair in the bathtub.
If slips and falls are among your concerns (and they should be), it’s wise to find a way for your elderly loved one to do as little standing as possible while in the bathroom. This is most important in the shower, of course. It doesn’t get much more slippery than a wet bathtub floor. A shower chair helps to eliminate the risk of falling by allowing your elderly loved one to sit comfortably under the running water.
“A shower chair can provide stability for an elder with difficulty balancing and a rest place for those who have difficulty standing for long periods of time,” says ConsumerAffairs.com, “A good shower chair has rubber tips on the legs to prevent sliding. When used with a hand-held shower head, an elder can remain seated while bathing.”
2. Switch out your regular bath tub for a walk-in tub.
If you’d like to take things a step further than the shower chair, installing a brand new bathtub may be the key. Walk-in tubs are great for seniors because they take away the risk of slipping when climbing into the tub. With these tubs, there is no climbing necessary as they have doors that allow for easy and safe entries and exits.
“Installing a walk-in bathtub or shower system with a built-in seat brings back a measure of independence in self-care,” states MedicalCareAlert.com, “Many walk-in tubs are designed to fit perfectly in the space of a conventional tub for easy installation and are now available with luxurious special features.”
3. Put up some grab bars.
Of course, bathing isn’t the only activity that takes place in a bathroom. When your elderly loved one enters the bathroom to use the toilet or the sink, it’s still helpful to ensure that there are ways to keep him/her from slipping and falling. Grab bars are proven solutions for keeping seniors upright.
According to UpliftingMobility.com, “grab bars are essential for seniors with poor balance and difficulty getting in and out of the tub. Many seniors rely on towel bars to keep them steady and balanced when getting in and out of the bathtub, but these bars are not designed to support more than a few pounds of weight.”
If you have any questions about the shower chairs, walk-in tubs, grab bars or any of the other home bathroom modifications offered by LifeCare Mobility Solutions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 647-350-4488 or email us at info@lifecaremobility.ca. You may also contact us by filling out the form on our Contact page!
