Safer Senior Living

a safer bathroom includes grab bars and a hand held shower head

Safer Senior Living

According to statistics, the bathroom is the second most dangerous room in your home, after the kitchen. Approximately 370 people each day in the United States are injured in a bathroom. A majority of those who are injured, 79% are ages 65 and older. The most common injuries come from slips and falls. According to the CDC, every year 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for falls. There are steps you can take to make your bathroom, or a loved one’s bathroom safer while living independently and improve senior living.

Bath Safety Tips for Those Aging-in-Place

Below are some of the most common ways you can improve senior living with safety measures.

  • Most of the injuries that occur in bathrooms (66%) happen in the tub or the shower. Using non-slip bathmats in the tub can help reduce the possibility of a fall.
  • If possible, install a walk-in shower. This zero-entry way to enter the shower can help reduce falls when stepping into a tub. For those with mobility issues, including people who use wheelchairs, a walk-in shower can make life much easier and safer.
  • In addition, a shower chair or transfer bench can provide a safer alternative to standing in the shower. For those with balance issues, shower chairs and benches can provide a safer way to transfer in and out of the tub.
  • When in the shower, a hand-held shower head will help reduce the need to stand and move around in a potentially slippery tub. Combined with a shower chair, a hand-held shower head makes the bathroom less hazardous for seniors.
  • Add grab bars and safety rails to your bathroom in the shower, tub, and near the toilet. These bars should be installed so they are easy to reach and allows the user to grab without reaching too far up or down.
  • Remove throw rugs in the bathroom and replace them with non-slip bathmats. Throw rugs can cause seniors to trip and fall. Non-slip bathmats are slim and won’t slide out from under feet.
  • Make sure the water temperature isn’t too hot. As we age our skin gets thinner and water that is too hot can cause serious burns. Keep the water temperature set at 120 degrees or lower.
  • A taller toilet or raised toilet seat will help in the bathroom as well. These seats ensure the person in the home doesn’t have to sit too low which can be hard as you age.

Senior Living Home Care

In addition to making the bathroom safer for your loved ones, you may need assistance aging in place. All Saints Home Care can be there for you to help with personal care including hygiene and grooming, meal preparation, medication reminders, general house cleaning, and errands. The proper support and safety measures can ensure you or your loved one can live independently for as long as possible. Contact us at 316-755-1076 for more information about our home care services.

All Saints Home Care
3425 W. Central Ave.
Wichita, KS 67203

©2024 All Saints Home Care | Site design and development by Baseline Creative.

All Saints Home Care is an equal opportunity employer. All Saints Home Care prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.
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