Decreasing strength and mobility issues make independent living a challenge. The idea of aging in place is a good one, but you will need to make a few modifications to make sure that your house isn’t sabotaging your efforts. Always start with the bathroom. The bathroom is often viewed as the most dangerous room in the house. Frequent bathroom visits and daily ablutions are a part of daily living, so what are you going to do to promote safety in that room alone?
Hard slippery surfaces, sharp corners, and not enough space to maneuver about, all combine to trip you up one way or the other. Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization among older Americans, and most at-home falls occur in the bathroom. Upgrading the bathroom with products designed to facilitate aging can make a huge difference. Your bathroom doesn’t have to be the place where an accident is just waiting to happen. A few simple improvements in key areas provide a cost effective way to ensure home safety.
An ad in the Sunday USA Weekend (June 10-12, 20ll) featured an Easy-Access Shower by Premier Care. I have touched on the idea of easy access tubs in previous articles, but hadn’t given the shower much thought. Some of us actually prefer a hot steamy shower rather than a soak in a tub. I’ve always, even when I was younger, felt that showering in a bathtub was pretty risky business. It becomes even riskier when you get older. I love a stall shower so the idea of an easy access shower sounds like the ideal solution. Modern easy access showers have taken the stall shower to a new level. Ultra low entry areas make it easier to get in and out. Hand held and dual fixed showerheads, slip resistant floors, secure handrails and a comfortable padded folding chair provide added safety features that should make you can feel secure enough to shower on your own.
An article in the Washington Jewish Week (Gaithersburg): January 6, 2011) adds a few must have items to make your bathroom senior friendly:
- Grab bars: as you get older it becomes harder to lever yourself into a standing position or lower yourself to a seat. Grab bars can help people use bathroom facilities safely.
- A seated shower: some people get tired just from standing for any length of time. Fatigue and unsure footing can make showering a tense situation. A free standing shower seat is helpful but make sure it isn’t going to tip over. A seated shower seat that is a part of the stall unit would be a safer option.
- Slip-resistance: Some of the most popular bathroom floors (ceramic and vinyl) can become slippery when wet. It is important for tubs, showers, and floors to be equipped with slip resistance materials.
- Hand-held shower heads make it easier to use the shower from a seated position and minimize the need to reach over your head. Such shower heads are popular and come in a variety of styles.
- Levers: people with hand strength issues appreciate how easy lever handles are to use. They make it easier to adjust water temperature controls than the standard knobs.
- Lighting: You need more light to see by as you grow older. Be sure that your bathroom has ample light.
From seated showers to slip resistant flooring, homeowners can find plenty of bathroom products to help keep them safe and comfortable. An easy access shower tends to address most of these issues in one convenient unit.
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