The bathroom is a dangerous place because it is usually wet and slippery. This creates a perfect condition for slips and falls. You might trip and fall while navigating around your bathroom, or when getting in and out of the shower or bathtub. Such falls are quite dangerous and might cause harm to your body. Therefore, it is very important to learn how you can prevent any accidents in the bathroom. This article will provide you with five major ways you can implement to avoid fall risks in the bathroom.
- Walk In Tub
A walk-in bathtub is one with a watertight door, which allows the user to step into the tub through a low threshold. This helps increase safety while getting in and out of the bathtub. The bathroom door closes, the tub is filled with water, and after the user drains it, he/she opens up the door and steps out safely. A walk-in tub is an incredible solution to people with mobility issues, including those on a wheelchair. This is because it helps with easy transfer from a wheelchair to the tub. The idea behind installing a walk-in tub revolves around safety, by mainly preventing falls. The elderly and people with mobility problems benefit from a walk-in tub’s anti-slip flooring, compliant overall design, low step height, and countered built-in seating.
- Walk In Shower
For the elderly, using the bathroom safely and effectively can be quite overwhelming. For people that have lost strength and mobility, standing in a shower for long is almost impossible. In addition, getting in and out of the tub can be a risky move. Thankfully, a walk-in shower can help in these situations. If you have a loved one that uses a wheelchair or has mobility problems, you know that it can be hard for them to use the shower. Because of this, you might want to install a walk-in shower in your bathroom. Anyone can use it comfortably, which helps reduce their dependency on family and friends.
- Install Shower Grab Bars
Grab bars are an essential bathroom feature, especially for individuals with mobility problems. This is because they provide you with something to hold when walking around the bathroom, when getting on and off the toilet, or when moving in and out of the tub. In addition to this, shower grab bars will be there for you to grab before falling. Some grab bars ought to be drilled into the walls, while others come with suction cups, which make them easier to install. When considering grab bars, you should know that they are better off when installed vertically or horizontally. Diagonal grab bars are not a good idea because the user’s hands can slide down easily when wet.
- Improve Accessibility
Ensuring that commonly used items such as soap, conditioner, shampoo, and towels are within reach is important for your bathroom. It helps prevent falls because the bathroom user does not have to struggle to access items, since all of them are in easy reach. In addition to this, your bathroom’s path should be kept clear of any cords and rugs, which are not secured to the floor. This is paramount because seniors are very likely to trip on, as they walk in the dark. This problem can be prevented by keeping your bathroom well lit.
- Install Non-Slip Surfaces
A slippery surface is another contributing factor of falls in the bathroom. With the water and moisture that is always present in the bathroom, falls here are very common. You should consider installing non-slip surfaces on your bathroom’s floors to prevent any slips. In addition to this, you should consider applying non-slip decals to your bathroom tile, as they can be very dangerous when wet. Some flooring materials you should consider for your bathroom include ceramic, porcelain, non-slip vinyl, glass, rubber, cork, or bamboo. Although no floor is perfectly slip resistant, you should go for one that helps prevent slips.
When it comes to falls at home, bathrooms are the biggest contributors. Bathroom falls can be very dangerous because one can hit their head on bathroom fixtures. It is therefore important for homeowners to work on their bathrooms to help prevent falls and injuries. The elderly and people with mobility issues are the ones that mostly experience bathroom falls. Slipping, standing, sitting, and using the toilet are the main contributing factors of falls in the bathroom. With the aforementioned tips in mind, you should be better placed to prevent fall risks in the bathroom.