Did you know the bathroom in a home is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house? According to the National Institute on Aging, 80% of falls are in the bathroom. As a in home therapist my job is to educate on bathroom safety to prevent those falls. Do you or someone you know use the countertop, towel rack or shower door for balance in the bathroom? Because that is where a great deal of falls occur, along with getting in and out of shower/tub and getting up from toilet and it is simply not safe!
SHOWERS~
Many of my older patients no longer shower because they are either to afraid or they can’t get in and out of their shower or it simply becomes to hard. Now remember my job, I want people to complete there daily functions and showering is one self care function I believe people should complete. Many of my patient’s tell me they are fine sponge bathing and I need to remind them although sponge bathing is acceptable in between showers , showering greatly reduces skin infections, urinary tract infections and the prevention of itchy skin and body odor. Below is a few in home adjustments for shower safety. Now understand every home and situation is unique and I would encourage everyone to have a Occupational Therapist provide a in home evaluation for the safest home modification for the home and bathroom.
Grab Bars–
Should be installed outside the shower entrance and inside the shower for assist when getting in and out. There is an absurd amount of grab bars on the market even if you want something aesthetically pleasing you will most likely find one. Here below are a few I commonly suggest to my patients please keep in mind grab bars come in different lengths and should be securely installed into the wall. I do NOT support suction grab bars!
(insert different grab bars)
Non Skid Surface–
You can’t avoid water in a bathroom. Non skid surface items is a cheaper way to make your bathroom safe.
(Mats)
(decals)
(coating)
Hand Held Shower Heads–
I can never educate enough about hand held shower heads. They make showering so much easier!!! There are many options when it comes to these as well and they can be very inexpensive and very easy to install.
(insert hand held shower heads)
Shower Chairs/Bench/Stools–
I cannot express the importance of some sort of sitting device in the shower. Sitting while showering reduces the risks for falls and helps conserve energy. It is also essential for caregivers, I promise it will help make showering easier and safer for all.
(insert different shower chairs, benches and stools with explanation)
BATHTUBS~
Bathtubs can be the worst in homes as people don’t generally sit down in a tub to bathe anymore and most people have a hard time stepping over to get in and out. A tub transfer bench solves this problem.
tub transfer bench types
bath lifter
Tips: my patients complain to me all the time regarding water on the floor because of the tub transfer bench and shower curtain, I recommend cutting the shower curtain around the bench to avoid access water on the floor.
TOILETS~
Getting on and off the toilet is pretty important. It can be a rather difficult task for someone with poor balance and or weakness. I always recommend toilet rails. Toilet rails will help a person safely get up and down off the toilet.
(insert different toilet rails)
OTHER~
I had a 91 year old patient with dementia and the family stated they just couldn’t get her in the shower. They had all the proper safety recommendations to make showering easier but still struggled. Couple things I discovered with this patient, she froze whenever they showered her, and she hated losing her independence. So installing a little floor heater helped to keep the bathroom warmer for her and I gave her a wash cloth to wash herself while I quickly washed the rest of her. Keep in mind in this circumstance the patient never bathed alone and could just not bathe alone anymore unfortunately.
Towel warmers–
Floor heaters–
Ceiling heaters–