Everyone wants to feel safe, comfortable, and secure in their own bathroom. Whether enjoying a long soak in a hot bath, applying makeup, or taking a quick shower before bed, bathrooms are crucial to daily life.
However, they can become more dangerous as we grow older. Walking, climbing in and out of the bathtub, brushing teeth, and using the toilet may all get a little harder over the years.
Fortunately, accessibility solutions can improve bathroom safety for seniors — and grab bars are one of the simplest, most effective products.
They can make a huge difference to a senior’s bathroom experience, increasing their safety, comfort, and confidence while performing everyday tasks. In this post, we’ll explore the top five reasons why.
Why Grab Bars Can Improve Bathroom Safety for Seniors
Create a Fixed Handhold to Help Seniors Stay Safe
More than 24% of Canadians aged 65 years and above live with a mobility disability. For seniors who find walking even short distances difficult, something so simple as using their own bathroom can be a difficult, time-consuming process.
In some cases, seniors may rely on help from a professional carer or a loved one to navigate the bathroom. A little support will make it easier to walk from one side of the room to another, or to stand at the sink while brushing their teeth.
However, installing one or more grab bars in a bathroom can restore a little independence. They provide a secure handhold for one or both hands while moving, standing, or sitting. Grab bars can conveniently be positioned at different heights, suitable for seniors with diverse physical capabilities (including wheelchair users).
Reduce the Risk of Falls and Injuries
Younger people may take falls in their stride. Simply tripping over their shoelaces or a loose paving stone can lead to little more than a moment’s embarrassment. They’re still at risk of injury, but their young bodies are more likely to develop bumps and bruises from a fall rather than something more severe.
However, for seniors, even a mild fall can lead to injuries that have a significant impact on their health and lifestyle. And fall-related injuries appear to have become more commonplace. Between 2008 and 2019, the number of hospitalizations related to falls among Canadians aged 65 and over increased by 47%.
Bathrooms are particularly likely to feature slip hazards than other areas of the home. Water from running taps, showers, and full bathtubs can easily splash onto the floor. Condensation may also leave surfaces slippery.
Seniors concerned about slipping on moisture in their bathroom can use grab bars to stay steady on their feet. They can enjoy greater peace of mind and confidence when using the bathroom. Additionally, using grab bars will encourage them to stay close to the walls, which may help with avoiding wet areas.
Help Seniors Take Showers and Baths
Taking a shower or bath can be a wonderful way to relax, unwind, and feel reinvigorated. However, both can become more complicated and (sadly) dangerous with age.
Stepping into a shower and standing under the head as it blasts hot water down upon you may be daunting for infirm seniors or those with mobility limitations. Shower floors are incredibly slippery, and maintaining rigid balance for several minutes will be difficult for many seniors.
Similarly, climbing in and out of a bathtub poses a risk. Seniors may struggle to stay balanced while lifting one leg at a time over the edge of the tub. That becomes even more hazardous when the tub is still filled with water.
Installing grab bars beside a shower or bathtub can help alleviate these problems. Seniors may still need assistance, but they can hold onto grab bars to aid their stability and balance.
Assist with Toilet Usage
Seniors who struggle to get on and off their toilet may find grab bars improve their safety and comfort. One or two bars on either side of the toilet will allow users to get into a stable position on the seat. They can also hold onto the bars while sitting if they feel concerned about their balance.
But one of the biggest benefits of installing grab bars beside a toilet is the increased independence. Using the toilet is the most private, personal bathroom activity, and having a carer or loved one present may be tough for seniors to accept. With grab bars, though, seniors will find it easier to stay comfortable and secure without help.
Complement a Range of Other Bathroom Safety Improvements
Seniors who want to improve bathroom safety at home can choose from a wide range of accessibility solutions. Grab bars are a popular example, and they can complement other effective products brilliantly. These include:
Accessible showers: A roll-in shower has no lip on the entrance removing the need to step into the shower allowing you to enter and exit the shower safely. There’s no need to climb over the edge, and grab bars add extra stability.
Shower seats: Shower seats transform the process of showering into a safer, more comfortable experience. Seniors can sit while showering, which is ideal if they’re unsteady on their feet. Grab bars make sitting and standing safer.
Transfer benches: A transfer bench empowers seniors to get into and out of a standard bathtub with ease. They simply move along the bench instead of climbing over the side. Grab bars provide handholds to make this process safer.
Grab bars are available in various materials, including plastic, but stainless steel is best suited to bathrooms. These are waterproof and resistant to rust.
How Can You Have Grab Bars Installed in Your Bathroom?
If you feel grab bars will improve bathroom safety in your home, either for yourself or another member of your household, Total Access Solutions is ready to help.
We can install high-quality grab bars in your bathroom to suit your individual needs. Whether you would prefer one bar in a specific location or multiple around the room, or you’re not sure what will work best, we’ll make it easy for you.
We provide in-home and virtual consultations to help you understand how we can help. To speak to our friendly team, contact Total Access Solutions today.
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