BATHROOM SAFETY FOR OLDER ADULTS

Getting older brings with it a number of challenges, not least of which is a growing concern about slips and falls. The CDC estimates that 3 million older people are treated in the ER for injuries caused by falls each year, including more than 230,000 nonfatal bathroom injuries. Although it’s difficult to know where all fall injuries occur, studies of emergency department data show that bathroom injuries increase with age, particularly around the toilet and in or around the bathtub or shower.

Whether you are getting older and want to make sure that you’re staying safe or you are a caretaker for someone with limited mobility, here are a few recommendations for bathroom safety for seniors that may help to prevent slips and falls.

General Bathroom Safety

Making the bathroom a safer place doesn’t necessarily require a lot of new equipment or a major overhaul:

• Remove throw rugs that could move or slip when stepped on
• Make sure the floor is clear of any obstacles that could cause a person to trip
• Get a non-slip mat (or decals) for inside the tub or shower
• Add a non-slip mat outside the tub or shower if you have a tile floor or any flooring that could be slick when wet
• Put a nightlight in the bathroom for those 3 A.M. visits
  • A motion sensor light can minimize light disturbance and eliminate the need to search for the switch
• Make sure a second person is around to help if needed

Making these few simple changes can reduce the risk of tripping in the dark or stepping out of the shower and slipping and falling on an unexpectedly wet floor. And having someone around when an elderly person is in the bath can be beneficial even if they don’t need help getting out of the bathtub – if a fall should happen, help is close at hand.

Bathroom Modifications

When you or an older adult that you care for needs a little more assistance to prevent slips and falls in the bathroom, additional equipment and bathroom modifications may be needed.

• Grab bars and tub rails – the standard in bathroom modifications, and for good reason. When attached correctly, grab bars can be extremely helpful in providing support in and out of the shower or tub, and toilet safety rails can assist older adults when sitting or standing from the toilet. It’s important to note the difference between permanently attached grab bars, which are made to be screwed firmly into the wall studs and can typically support a person’s full body weight if they fall, and suction cup grab bars, which hold extremely firmly but are more helpful with balance and fall prevention.

• Shower chairs and bath benches – A great solution for those who have trouble standing, have balance issues, or who are concerned about slipping in the shower, shower chairs and stools let individuals sit comfortably as they bathe. All are waterproof, and many can be easily folded up for storage. A related bath item, transfer benches straddle the side of the bathtub, making it easy for individuals to get in and out of the tub. In both cases, check the size of the chair or bench to make sure that it fits in the shower or tub with no tipping, and choose one that can support the weight of the person who will be using it.

• Shower head sprayer attachment – Make it easier to get clean whether you or your loved one is sitting on a shower chair or standing in the tub with a shower sprayer attachment. Hand-held shower heads have a flexible hose that allows water to be sprayed everywhere it needs to be, moving the water source and not the person.

• Raised toilet seats and toilet safety rails – For those with limited mobility, sitting to use the toilet is typically recommended for both men and women. Adding a raised toilet seat and/or toilet safety rails can make both sitting down and standing up easier. If getting to the bathroom is the challenge, consider a commode, which can be placed in the bedroom for emergency use or for those who cannot move far from their bed without assistance.

• Bath refinishing – Similar to adding non-stick decals to your tub or shower, bath refinishing can add a rougher texture to the floor of your tub or shower, making slips and falls less likely. Unlike decals or a bathmat, refinishing can return your tub to like-new condition.

• Walk-in / no-step (zero-entry) shower – A walk-in or no-step shower (also called a zero-entry shower or barrier-free shower) has no curb or sill between the shower and the bathroom floor, so there’s nothing to step over when entering the shower. This can be a big help to older adults, those with limited mobility, and even individuals in wheelchairs. However, depending on the design and size, walk-in showers are often considered a luxury style, and they can be quite expensive. Walk-in bathtubs are also available; most of these tubs do have a curb that must be stepped over to enter, but it’s much lower than a standard bathtub. Many tubs also have built-in seating, making bathing safer.

Think Outside the Bathroom

It’s important to think beyond the more visible safety risks in the bathroom and think about additional ways to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy. Here are a few additional general tips to improve bathroom safety that don’t necessarily involve making changes inside the room:

• Make sure the water heater temperature is set at 120°F or lower
• Install lever faucets with clear “hot” and “cold” indicators; this style of faucet is easier for those with reduced hand strength to turn on and off
• Set up some type of alert system – add a phone in the bathroom, install a buzzer or light that can be activated if there is a problem, or consider a commercially available alert pendant
• Put locks on both sides of the door so that individuals can have their privacy, but the bathroom can be accessed quickly in case of emergency
• Add nightlights or other lighting outside the bathroom and remove obstacles in bedrooms and hallways that could cause someone to trip and fall in the dark
• Place a chair in the bathroom so that older adults and those with reduced stamina can sit down for a few minutes if needed

As you can see, there are many things that you can do to improve bathroom safety for older adults and those with limited mobility. Begin by doing small things like clearing obstacles, adding lighting, and making sure that rugs and flooring aren’t a fall hazard, and you’ll be on your way to creating a safe space for everyone in the home.