Bathroom Safety Tips for the Elderly

Going to the bathroom doesn’t become an issue until you get older. The bathroom becomes one of the most dangerous places as we grow old. This is because as we age, we develop cognitive issues, weakness, frailty, and some balance issues. These are just some of the common problems elderly people go through as they age, and if you happen to be living with one, the best thing you can do is to make the bathroom a safer place for them. There are a lot of ways to prevent accidental slips and falls that may lead to dreadful scenarios. We have prepared a handful list that you can use to make your bathrooms safer for your elder loved ones.

Useful Bathroom Safety Tips for the Elderly

If you can’t be there to supervise your elderly folds 24/7, here are a few things you can do.

Maintain a Clear Path

Since elderly people are likely to have problems with their vision and balance, it is important for you to make sure that the toilet and the path leading to it is clear of clutters and distractions. Install lights that are bright enough to illuminate the way. Get rid of mats or rugs that may cause them to slip. Make sure that the floor is always dry and that there are no objects lying around the room as it may cause them to trip or slip.

Accessibility Matters

When you are taking care of an elderly person, you should focus on making things easier for them. This means paying attention to trivial things like shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrushes, and other essentials readily available and easy to reach. Place them in areas that are easily accessible to prevent instances where they would have to reach out to get them.

Install Toilet Risers

With limited movement, it will be hard to make even the simplest actions like sitting and rising from the toilet. This can be an activity that is tiresome and risky because of the possibility of slips and falls as they attempt to stand up. If you have seen a toilet riser for the handicapped, you will be able to figure out how it helps. It raises the level of the toilet which requires less effort for an elderly person to sit and rise from it. These are great add-ons to your bathrooms, especially for your elder folks.

Use Non-slip Mats

As mentioned earlier, throw rugs and mats should be discarded. If you really insist to have a mat in your bathroom, make sure to get non-slip mats. These are specifically designed to lessen the chances of risks and falls. Since a floor’s surface can be made extra slippery by mud, water, oil, and other substances, non-slip mats can be placed to lessening the surface’s slipperiness.

Transfer Benches Work

Older people may have a hard time lifting their extremities. In this case, lifting their legs to hop into the bathtub can be extremely challenging. This may be a cause to make them lose their balance so it is wise to get a transfer bench that they can use to get into the tub. This is a device placed over the tub and utilized to let them slide into the tub without putting an effort to lift their legs higher. This lets them go in and out of the tub while assuming a sitting position.

Make the Habit of Checking the Temperature

It is good to make it a practice to check the water temperature first before having an older person get in the shower or in the tub. Sudden reactions from extremely hot or cold temperatures can lead to falls and slips.

Let Them Use a Shower Chair

For a person who has weak joints and bones, it can be a challenge to stay standing for a long time. There are those who are not able to sustain good posture and balance for a long time. In this case, having them use a shower chair helps. They can easily bathe without having to worry and feel tired from being in an upright or standing position for a long time.

Conclusion

Living with an elderly person can be made easy by putting some effort in keeping their environment safe. With the challenges they experience in terms of physical, emotional, and mental aspects, daily living can be hard. The simplest things like going to the bathroom can be very difficult and draining. Hence, the need for additional measures is needed. The steps mentioned above are some of the best and most practical ways to do it. These devices are easily available and accessible, so you can score it in a breeze in your nearest physical or online store. With all these at play, you can go through your day in a breeze while being at peace.

Guest Contributor: Gourav Sharma