As we age, bathrooms become increasingly dangerous spaces for falling. To remove this risk, renovating your bathroom for seniors can ensure that the space is safe, convenient, and comfortable. In this blog, we’ll explore the different features that you should include and avoid to make your bathroom senior friendly.
What is a Senior Friendly Bathroom?
A senior friendly bathroom takes into account the various hazards that a standard bathroom could have for seniors and adds features to mitigate the risk, which makes it safe for those with mobility issues. These bathrooms contain bathtub aids for seniors, allowing them to easily use the tub on their own with no more concerns about the possibility of falling.
Hazards in a Bathroom for Seniors
There are many risks that a bathroom could hold for seniors who have low mobility, reduced vision, and slower reaction times.
Some common hazards that may result in injury are:
Slippery Tile Floors
Polished tiling in bathrooms can very often turn slippery which can be especially dangerous for seniors. Flooring alternatives should be considered to avoid any accidents and to make sure that seniors can safely move around their bathroom.
Water on the Floors
Water on the floors exacerbates the slipperiness of tiles, making it more likely for someone to fall. While there’s nothing to be done about water, as it’s a requisite aspect of any bathroom, it’s still important to watch out for.
Dim Lighting
Seniors with vision problems often have a difficult time in low-light rooms. Dim lighting in the bathroom makes it hard for them to see their surroundings, so lighting should be made brighter, though not too bright, to help with this.
Unsecure Bath Mats
Bath mats that haven’t been properly fastened to the floor are extremely dangerous in regard to falling. Take care to use non-slip mats with a rubberized backing in front of a senior bathtub in order to reduce that risk.
Sharp corners or edges
Sharp edges can also add to the danger of a bathroom, resulting in injuries from bumping into various objects around the room. Sinks and vanities with smooth, rounded edges are preferable for senior friendly bathrooms to mitigate those injuries.
Key Features for a Bathroom for Seniors
To create a senior friendly bathroom, there are features that must be added. Below are some examples of key features that will produce a safer and more comfortable bathroom for seniors:
Shower tub transfer bench — A bathtub bench for seniors is essential for those who cannot stand for long periods of time or have issues with balance. This enables them to sit in the shower or tub while washing themselves, making the whole process easier. A good bench is typically made of plastic with a non-rusting frame and should fit securely within the shower/tub.
No throw rugs — Instead of throw rugs, which seem like a nice aesthetic option but do not properly stick to the floor, non-slip mats are a must-have. Replacing rugs with non-slip mats, especially those with rubberized backing that can be fastened to the floor, will allow for walkers to better roll over them and reduce the possibility of falling.
Weighted shower curtain — A way to lessen getting water on the floor is to use a weighted shower curtain. Unlike standard shower curtains, these have weights sewn into the hem of the curtain to keep it in place, reducing the amount of water splashed onto the floor, which in turn reduces fall risks.
Large cabinet handles — For those with arthritis or limited use of their fingers, it is vital to include large cabinet handles that are easy to grab hold of to pull doors and drawers open. This means no finger pulls or knobs for the vanity as they can make it more difficult for seniors to access their belongings.
Shower items within reach — It is important to ensure that shower items are within easy reach in a shower for seniors. This means that everything should be at body level so seniors don’t need to stretch or bend for anything. A simple shower caddy to organize shampoo, conditioner, and soap can be useful, as well as lower shelving for brushes or combs.
Flooring alternatives — Changing glossy tiles to a matte-finish floor such as natural stone, ceramic or porcelain tiles is a great option In order to make the bathroom floor less slippery. Stone flooring is a safe, non-slip surface and can actually absorb water. There is also the option of textured, non-slip tiles or non-slip decals added to the tub or shower to mitigate the chances of slipping.
Hand-held shower head — A hand-held shower head lets seniors properly wash themselves while staying seated, giving them more independence. Additional features can be added to the shower head including an on/off switch for those with arthritis, spray head patterns to adjust the water pressure for those with sensitive skin, and a longer shower hose length for extra movement.
Ergonomic faucet — Another way to help those with arthritic hands is by installing ergonomic faucets, specifically lever faucets rather than ones that need to be twisted, to make it easy to turn on and off. Hands-free motion sensor faucets are also a good option. As well, hot and cold markings on the faucet should be extremely clear for seniors with reduced vision.
Accessible storage — As with keeping shower items in reach, accessible storage guarantees that all necessary items in the bathroom can be grabbed without trouble. Avoiding low storage or high cupboards, since bending and stretching can be difficult, will help create a more comfortable space. Eliminating doors below the vanity countertop can also help make it easier to reach things.
Bigger light switches — Another key feature to help seniors with low vision and arthritis is oversized light switches. Having big switches for light fixtures ensures that seniors will be able to both see the switch and easily turn it on and off. While this is a seemingly small change, it’s often overlooked and makes a huge difference in creating a comfortable bathroom.
Remove all clutter — Only leaving out items that are regularly used will reduce clutter, turning your bathroom into a cleaner space that is safe and easy to navigate. Without any decorative objects, there is less risk of things falling onto the floor and causing tripping hazards. No clutter will also make surfaces easier to hold onto.
Benefits of Creating a Safer Bathroom for Seniors
Creating a safer bathroom for seniors allows them the freedom to take care of themselves. It also helps them stay in their home longer.
Bathrooms are quite dangerous when it comes to the risk of falling and renovating your bathroom to account for all the ways falls could happen reduces that risk.
Seniors will be able to feel comfortable in their bathrooms knowing that everything was designed specifically with their safety in mind.
Designing a senior friendly bathroom is not nearly as difficult as it may seem. At iBathrooms, we are here to help you create an accessible bathroom so you don’t have to worry about the future and can remain in your home for years to come. We make the process simple, working closely with you to create a safe bathroom that includes a bathtub for seniors.
It depends. Bathtubs for seniors can be made safe, but not all bathtubs already are. To make sure a bathtub is safe for seniors, it should be a walk-in tub. Standard tubs that require you to step over the edge to get in can often be dangerous for those with mobility issues. Meanwhile, an accessible bathtub that has a small door on the side allows seniors to simply step through, which is a much safer option for getting into the tub. A bench placed in the bathtub also makes it safer, letting you sit comfortably while soaking.
First off, if your floor is made up of glossy tiles, that will need to be changed. Matte-finish flooring like natural stone makes it safer for the elderly to walk across as it is non-slip and can also absorb water. As well, throw rugs that are not securely attached to the floor should be removed to help reduce falls. Instead, non-slip mats that can properly stick to the floor are needed to increase safety and decrease the risk of falling. Non-slip decals can also be added to the bottom of showers or tubs to avoid any potential accidents.
A higher toilet, referred to as chair height or comfort height, makes sitting down and standing up much easier for the elderly. If you don’t want to replace the whole toilet, adding a raised toilet seat to the toilet you already have is a great way to make it elderly-friendly. There are a variety of models that you can choose from to suit your needs and reduce the chance of any accidents occurring. Grab bars beside the toilet are also helpful so that the senior can pull themselves up without assistance.
There are many ways to prevent seniors from falling in the bathroom. For one, a shower safety bar is useful, giving them something to hold on to while in the shower to keep them upright and stable. More grab bars around the bathroom are also helpful to keep seniors steady on their feet as they walk around. If they do not have the strength to stand for long periods then shower benches are great for minimizing the risk of falling. Additional features to prevent falling include non-slip mats and natural stone flooring.
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