Although you may not realize it, the bathroom is the most dangerous room in most homes. That’s especially true when it comes to seniors. Older adults are more prone to falling, and 80% of those falls that happen in the home occur in the bathroom.
Those falls are especially common in the shower, due to its slippery surface. For those who are weak or have poor balance, taking a shower without any modifications is risky business. You’ll want to make sure you take some precautions to make the shower safer for older adults so they have a significantly lower chance of slipping and falling.
- Grab Bars – Your senior loved one can certainly benefit from placing grab bars in the shower. This gives them something to hold onto while getting in and out of the shower. It also gives them something to grab should they become weak or start to slip or fall.
- Nonslip Strips – These strips can be placed in the bottom of your shower or bathtub. They lower the risk of falling in the shower by making the surface much less slippery, even when it’s all wet.
- Lighting – Bathroom lighting is often overlooked. If your loved one can’t see very well in a poorly lit restroom, they’re more likely to lose their footing and take a spill in the shower. Providing a light directly over the shower can allow them to see everything so they are less likely to take a misstep.
- Shower Seat – One of the best ways to avoid falling is to avoid standing up in the first place. You can still sit down and shower effectively by using a hand-held shower handle. A shower seat combined with grab bars and nonslip strips can make taking a shower very safe.
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