Statistically, the bathroom is the most dangerous place for seniors age 65 and older. The Center for Disease Control found that seniors were most likely to receive injuries like contusions and broken bones from falling in the bathroom. Since many of the customers Medi-Rents interact with are older, we thought it would be appropriate to discuss the concept of bathroom safety and how you can make your bathroom a safer place. Remember, January is National Bathroom Safety Month.
The first thing in evaluating the safety of your bathroom is to identify the problem areas, or the areas you feel most vulnerable to an accident. The most common places are in the shower, getting in or out of the shower or bath tub, or getting on or off the toilet.
For help with getting in and out of your shower there are grab bars that can be suctioned to the side of your shower or securely bolted into the wall. There are also shower chairs and benches that can put you in a safer seated position as you shower. This greatly reduces the chances of a slip and fall in the shower leading to further injury.
Grab bars can also be used if you prefer to use a bath tub. Whereas grab rails attach to the wall, tub rails attach to the side of your tub without damaging it to help you ease yourself in. For those with less mobility, a transfer bench allows you scoot towards the tub, swing your legs over the edge of the tub and slide into your tub.
The toilet can also be made safer with a raised toilet that allows you an easier on-and-off. There are also handrails made to fit around your toilet to help you ease yourself on and lift yourself off the toilet.
See the experts at Medi-Rents & Sales today with your questions about bathroom safety and equipment to help you or a loved one.
Tags: Bathroom, Bathroom Safety, safety