5 Steps To Take To Secure An Elderly Shower And Bath

Top 5 Steps That Will Make Your Elderly Shower And Bath Safer

Here are the top 5 steps to ensure the showers and baths are safer spaces for the elderly:

Install Grab Bars

Grab bars are an essential and effective way to improve bathroom safety. Senior folk especially benefit from these. Grab bars are sturdy handles that help you get some extra support and stability. They can prevent falls to a great extent.

Grab bars are great to give the older folk something to hold onto as they make their way around the shower or bath. However, you cannot place the grab bars in just any place. They need to be strategically placed.

You can put them next to the toilet, in the shower area, and next to the bathtub if you have one. It is to be duly ensured that grab bars are anchored safely to handle a lot of weight.

Grab bars have various styles and finishes that can provide comfort to the user. You may even go for ergonomic options that match the aesthetic of your bathroom fixtures. To add an extra layer of safety, consider getting bars with a textured surface that provides a friction hold for wet hands.

Both horizontal and vertical bars need to be installed in showers and baths to support various hand movements. Once installed, check the safety of the bars daily to ensure they are secure to use.

Use Non-Slip Mats

Non-slip mats are the next step in securing your showers and baths from being hazardous spaces. An elderly person’s shower needs non-slip mats so they do not face the risk of falling down.

Not only are the bare tiles very slippery, but they can cause serious damage when one falls down on them.

Not just in the bathroom; try to put these mats outside the bathroom door as well. Ideally, non-slip mats with strong suction cups at the bottom work best to stay in place. You can further invest in mats made of antimicrobial properties to prevent the growth of mold.

Install A Shower Chair Or Bath Bench

Seniors who have limited mobility or those who cannot stand up for too long in the shower can be helped with the third step. This is to install a shower chair or bath bench. These can be important additions that guarantee the comfort of the seniors.

Seats in the shower help the elderly folk feel safer while bathing. This significantly undoes the risks related to falls. It can even make showering an overall comfortable experience for the elderly folk who might have found it hard to shower alone.

When you are looking for a shower chair or a bath bench, you have various considerations to make.

You must ensure the chair has non-slip feet so it does not slip or move when the tiles get wet. If the chair has a customizable height, that helps a lot as well in complying to the user’s needs.

Some shower chair models have additional features that your loved ones may like. Backrests and armrests can provide added support during bathing.

A lot of the chairs are sturdy enough to handle various weights for prolonged periods. Ensure the chair you get has drainage holes so there is no water accumulation during the bath.

Adjust The Water Temperature And Controls

Scalding from hot water during an elderly shower or bath is a serious issue. Those with sensitive skin need special temperature controls that can help them get the right heat or cold in the water.

Scalding from hot water during an elderly shower or bath is a serious issue. Those with sensitive skin need special temperature controls that can help them get the right heat or cold in the water.

Try to invest in anti-scald devices on faucets and showerheads so the water flow is better regulated. These devices automatically prevent the sudden burst of higher temperatures and help maintain a safer temperature.

Installing controls in the bathroom that are easy to work around is important. Seniors often find lever-style handles easier to operate than traditional knobs. Those with arthritis will find levers to be a much more ergonomic option to work around.

A handheld showerhead can go a long way in helping seniors work around with the water temperature they need at any time.

These help seniors find greater flexibility in their bathing routine. Try to use color-coded controls to clearly demarcate hot and cold settings in the bathroom.

Improve Lighting And Visibility

Last but not least, you must pay close attention to the lighting quality and visibility in the bathrooms. Proper lighting is important in helping prevent various types of accidents that occur in the bathrooms.

A lot of times, we underestimate the importance of proper lighting during showers. Low lighting makes it hard to see the potential hazards beforehand. Start by installing bright and even lights in baths.

High-wattage bulbs and LED lights are great for bathroom settings because they resemble the brightness of daylight. You may even set up such lights on the way to the bathroom so someone does not run into any accident while going there during the night.

Motion-sensor lights are another great option for showers and baths. They can automatically turn on when someone enters, so there is no need to manually turn them on.

If you decide to stick with manual lights, keep the switches accessible so they can be flicked as soon as one enters. The presence of properly sized mirrors in the bathroom can also help increase visibility.

Conclusion

A proper elderly shower and bath must have the necessary preparations or installations to ensure the safety of everyone who uses them. By taking the 5 steps given above, you can make bathrooms into a much safer private space for your loved ones.