Blog > Easy Ways Seniors Can Reduce The Risk Of Bathroom Falls

Easy Ways Seniors Can Reduce The Risk Of Bathroom Falls

January is National Bath Safety Month. That means it’s a fantastic time to sit down with a senior parent and talk about some bathroom safety tips. Even if your senior loved one is still mobile and doesn’t have a particularly hard time taking a shower or cleaning up each day any senior can fall in the bathroom by accident. Accidents aren’t always preventable but there are some things that you, your senior loved one, and their home care providers can do to reduce the risk of bathroom falls and accidents.

Some of the things that you should talk to your senior loved one about include:

Grab Bars

Even if your senior loved one hasn’t needed grab bars before now is a good time to install some. Any senior can lose their balance or have some muscle weakness that makes it difficult for them to get in and out of the shower or tub. Talk to your senior loved one to see if they would feel more comfortable using the shower if they had grab bars to help them get in and out safely. Then you can decide where to put them together so that your senior loved one will always have a bar nearby they can grab if they need one.

Home Care

Home care is one of the best things that seniors aging in place can have for safety. With home care seniors aren’t alone in the house. Even if they don’t need help with physical activities like bathing seniors can benefit from having home care to help clean up the house, make sure that there’s no clutter in the bathrooms and make sure that all bottles and products are safely stored where they won’t leak and cause slipping hazards.

Spills and Splashes

Spills of water or splashes from the tub or sink can be a major slipping hazard for seniors. The best way to prevent falls because of slips and splashes is to make sure that any spills or splashed get cleaned up right away. A home care provider can ensure that your senior’s bathroom is always dry to reduce their risk of falling. Water absorbing mats can also make a difference. They are non-slip mats that can be placed over bathroom and kitchen floors that absorb any water so there’s no danger of slipping. They’re a good idea for seniors to have if they’re aging in place.

Home Care Jonesville FL – Easy Ways Seniors Can Reduce The Risk Of Bathroom Falls

Installing A Shower Bench

All seniors should have a shower bench or chair in the shower. Any senior can lose their balance and fall while they are trying to shower. Get a bench or chair that is waterproof and has sturdy bottom grips so that it won’t move or shift in the shower when it gets wet. Most seniors find that a shower bench is more comfortable than a chair but you can talk to your senior parent to find out which they would prefer. You may even want to have a nice sturdy shower bench professionally installed in their bathroom for them.