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Bathroom Safety for Seniors

Today, independent living seniors can enjoy safe and comfortable bathrooms without sacrificing style. Adding grab bars or a barrier free shower with a hand held showerhead makes using the bathroom easier for everyone in the home.

Universal design principles are gaining popularity and make the bathroom experience useful to people of diverse abilities, from an elderly parent with limited mobility to an agile teenager.

Seeking professional advice to analyze your unique situation can often result in simple solutions.

For example, an occupational therapist in San Francisco had an older client who had difficulty getting in and out of the bathtub due to a weak leg. The faucet was on the left side of the tub, causing the elder to enter the tub using their fragile leg, which made the process difficult. The occupational therapist suggested moving the faucet and handles to the right side of the tub so the senior could enter with his stronger leg. Fortunately, the plumbing change didn't require a major renovation.

This article highlights some of the things you can do to make your bathroom more accessible.

An accessible bathroom design helps make bathing enjoyable. There are many new products available that promote safety, comfort and attractive design.

Depending on your needs and budget, here are some simple and inexpensive things you can do to make bathroom living easier and more enjoyable.

•  Install a barrier free Accessible Shower and a Shower Chair.

•  Install Bathroom Safety Grab Bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower.

•  Use a bath lift or a bath bench.

•  Use lever controlled taps; single-handed faucets are preferred for people with limited mobility and strength

• Mount a hand-held shower head with a shower hose and glidebar, which allows the shower to remain accessible to everyone.

•  Tilt-down mirrors are good because they can be adjusted as needed by all family members.

•  A heat lamp installed in the ceiling is an inexpensive way to increase the room temperature while bathing.

•  Automatic faucets and sinks help to turn the water on and off.

•  A wall hung sink with ample room underneath provides room for someone to sit at the sink in a wheelchair or bath chair.

Many homeowners are installing Accessible Showers or Walk-in Bathtubs. These items are much more affordable and stylish than just a few years ago, featuring tile look patterns and granite style surfaces which blend right into your bathroom decor. An independent living bathroom design will often allow an individual to bathe without assistance.

Where a standard toilet seat is 14 inches high, an accessible toilet is 17 inches high to reduce the need for lowering and lifting oneself on and off the seat. Some designs also feature an elongated bowl. Products are available to raise the seat without replacing the fixtures, saving you money. Features such as raised padded toilet seats can also add to your comfort.

The more space you leave for manoeuvring around a bathroom in a wheelchair, or with a walker, the easier and safer it is going to be.  Wheelchair accessible bathroom dimensions suggest a clear space measuring at least 30" x 48" to accommodate a single wheelchair. The space can be positioned for a forward or parallel approach to equipment.

A wheelchair requires at least 60" in diameter to make a 180 degree turn. To conserve space, a T-shaped turning space with aisles 36" wide allowing a three-point turn is also acceptable. A section of the diameter or T-shaped turning space may be located under fixtures as long as the required knee and toe clearance is provided.

A wall mounted sink or vanity increases accessibility. A portion of the clear floor space located under fixtures provides the required knee and toe clearance so that a wheelchair can be rolled up to the bathroom sink.

There are many ways to make your bathroom safer and more user friendly for the whole family. See more at Accessible Bathrooms.