Whether you’re planning to welcome an elderly resident into your home or retrofit a bathroom for your own personal needs, here are five important bathroom safety tips to keep in mind for seniors:

Add Support

One of the great fears for seniors in the bathroom is the threat of falling; for many, even a minor fall can be debilitating. Fortunately, there are all sorts of additions you can make to your home bathroom to help minimize the threat of slips and falls.

To help your elderly family members get in and out of the shower or tub, there are all sorts of transfer bars and benches available to help ease transitioning. For safety in the shower, add plenty of grab bars, support handles, or tension poles in strategic places, and consider placing a shower chair in your tub or stall, to allow your elderly family member to sit comfortably and minimize the risk of slipping.

Go Non-Slip

And it’s not just stepping in and out of the shower that poses the risk of slipping: All of the water and condensation in your bathroom can pose a major threat to older residents. To help fight back against slipping, consider adding secure rubber bathmats in your shower or tub, and be sure to keep them clean and free of soap scum or mildew, which can cause slips. And if you’re going to have rugs outside of your shower, make sure that they’re non-slip; loose towels or carpet scraps can easily slide on wet tile, which can cause falls.

Make Your Toilet Senior-Friendly

Toilets can also pose a hazard to elderly homeowners. To make your toilet more senior-friendly, consider adding a “raised seat” – increasing your toilet height by three to five inches cuts down on the distance that seniors need to rise or squat. Similarly, adding grab bars next to or attached to the commode can make it easier for seniors to sit and stand more safely.

And believe it or not, many recommend adding a home urinal for older men: It cuts down on the risk of falls from standing or squatting, while also saving water and cutting down on your bills.

Keep Everything Accessible

Besides adapting and retrofitting your appliances, there are plenty of ways to make your bathroom more accessible and secure for elderly users. First, consider how easy it is to reach towels, bottles, toilet paper, and any other bath products – keep in mind that older guests may have limited mobility, and won’t be able to reach too far up or down to grab what they need. Make it easier by keeping everything important within easy reach.

Similarly, consider how you may need to update your doors to accommodate for older guests. Is the door easy to open? Will it open wide enough to allow in emergency responders or caregivers in the unfortunate event of a fall? Should you replace your shower door with an easier-to-slide curtain?  

Consider Your Lighting

While we here at Combat Plumbing focus on plumbing , water leak, sewer and gas line, we’re no stranger to seeing plenty of bathroom interiors. One vital design element to keep in mind for seniors? Lighting! Make sure the path to and from the bathroom is well-lit, that your light-switches are in easy reach, and that you have nightlights ready to brighten up the room for nighttime visitors.

Have any more questions about updating or retrofitting your bathroom? Looking for service for your Red Oakland system today? Combat Plumbing is here to help! Drop us a line today to get the conversation started!