| Summary • Showering can be a dangerous activity for aging adults, especially those with disabilities or balance problems. • Naturally, the surfaces of the shower and even the bathroom floor will be slippery. This can quickly lead to a fall. • To ensure you or your aging loved one can shower safely, you may want to consider installing grab bars, purchasing a shower chair, and choosing nonslip bath mats. • Other bathroom safety tips include wearing a medical alert device, ensuring bathing essentials are easy to reach, and that there is proper lighting at all times. |
Showering can be a soothing experience — one that can bring you comfort, wash away your worries, and leave you feeling fresh.
But this activity can also pose a safety hazard, especially for aging adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 235,000 people visit the hospital due to bathroom-related injuries each year.
With slippery surfaces and hard surrounding walls, a revitalizing shower can quickly cause a serious injury if your aging loved one slips and falls.
Showering is a highly personal activity, so your aging relatives may not necessarily want help with this.
To ensure your aging loved ones can enjoy independence in the bathroom and shower safely, we’ve put together a few helpful tips for you to follow. In this article, we’ll show you what you can do to enhance bathroom safety for aging adults so that they can enjoy every minute of their shower experience.
7 Ways You Can Enhance Shower Safety for Aging Adults
Here are some simple things you can do to avoid shower-related injuries:
Invest in a medical alert device
Most medical alert devices are designed to be used anywhere, both in the home and outdoors. They can even be used in the shower.
Many of LogicMark’s devices are designed to be worn as waterproof pendants, making them the ideal safety accessory to help aging adults maintain their independence while showering.
A medical alert device from LogicMark will allow aging adults to connect with 911 or their emergency contacts if they slip and fall.
Better yet, choosing a device like the Freedom Alert Plus with built-in fall detection means emergency services will be notified if your loved one falls and is unable to call for help.
Install grab bars
It can be difficult to ensure a bathroom is completely hazard-free. After all, it’s hard to keep bathroom surfaces dry. This is where grab bars, or shower safety handles, are particularly useful.
Installing grab bars will give you or your aging loved one something to hold onto to maintain balance and get in and out of the shower safely.
Grab bars also mean you don’t have to rely on unstable towel rails or the sink for balance.
When enhancing bathroom safety, consider not only a shower handle but also installing a grab bar near the toilet to aid in safely sitting down and standing up.
Purchase a good shower chair
If you or your loved one has trouble with balance, buying a high-quality shower seat may be the best answer. Shower chairs are usually available in several sizes and designs, meaning you’ll easily be able to find the perfect one to suit your bathroom and your needs.
Many shower chairs can be wheeled in and out of the bathroom as necessary, making them a convenient choice. Or they can be built into the shower.
If a shower chair isn’t entirely necessary, you may want to consider adding a simple corner seat or small bench if all you need is a place to sit for a few minutes while you bathe.
Use weighted shower curtains
Shower curtains are another potential safety hazard, as they can hang on the bathroom floor and be tripped over. They may also cause water to splash onto the floor, making it slippery.
A shower curtain with weights in the hem can help keep it in place and reduce how much water lands on the floor.
Apply anti-slip coatings
As we mentioned earlier, slippery surfaces are a given in the shower. One way to make bathtime safer for aging adults is to coat surfaces like shower floors with a non-slip material.
If this isn’t an option, you could also stick non-slip strips to the bathroom and shower floors.
Buy a simple shower caddy
One way older adults can quickly lose balance and fall in the shower is by trying to grab hold of toiletries in high or hard-to-reach places.
Another way to keep aging adults safe in the shower is to ensure that all bath essentials are easily accessible.
Purchasing a shower caddy that can store multiple items is a great way to make sure everything can be accessed without the potential for an accident.
You may also want to consider installing soap and shampoo dispensers on the shower walls for even easier access.
Replace bathroom mats with non-slip options
Another risk for slipping and falling is when aging adults step out of the shower and try to get a footing on the bathroom floor. If they aim for bath mats that aren’t fixed in place and that could slip away beneath them, they could easily fall.
Choosing a non-slip mat is a simple and affordable way to improve bathroom safety for aging loved ones.
Build a walk-in shower
The tips we’ve outlined above are all small and affordable changes that can make showering safer. However, if you can afford to modify your home, you might want to consider having a walk-in tub and shower installed in your bathroom.
A walk-in shower is especially useful for aging adults with disabilities or balance problems, as getting in and out of this setup is much easier.
Navigating the edge of a shower or bathtub can be challenging. Walk-in showers don’t have these edges, and your aging loved one can simply step straight in and out of the shower without lifting or bending their legs.
Other Ways to Improve Bathroom Safety for Older Adults
Unfortunately, the shower isn’t the only area where aging adults are potentially unsafe. If you think about it, your entire bathroom poses a safety risk. Here are some other practical ways you can make your aging loved one’s bathroom even safer:
- Add a raised toilet seat: Raised toilet seats eliminate the need for an aging adult to get up and down from a toilet, which could lead to falls.
- Keep the bathroom floor clear: Ensure that there isn’t any clothing, loose rugs, or anything else that could be tripped over on the bathroom floor. Placing a laundry basket or hamper in the bathroom may make sure nothing gets left on the floor.
- Use a bathtub transfer bench: Getting in and out of a bathtub can be just as tricky as doing so in the shower, especially with a slippery tub floor. A tub transfer bench can help aging adults get into the bathtub without much effort.
- Install proper lighting: An important part of preventing falls in any area of the home is to ensure the environment is well-lit. Installing night lights in the bathroom, for example, can help aging adults find their way around the room without tripping.
- Water temperature: If the water coming out of any of the faucets in the bathroom is too hot, it can cause burns. Use a water heater thermostat to ensure that the temperature of the water is kept constant.
- Choose the right fittings: Turning a faucet on and off can be challenging for aging adults with health problems like arthritis or osteoporosis. To make sure they don’t hurt themselves, ensure that the shower, bathtub, and sink faucets have an easy-to-use lever to turn them on and off.
The Ultimate Shower Safety Accessory for Aging Adults
A medical alert device from LogicMark is by far the most essential item to have in any aging adult’s bathroom.
Knowing that your aging loved one can get help when they need it provides both you and them with comfort and peace of mind. It also allows older adults to maintain their independence and shower without assistance.
The Freedom Alert Plus, our latest offering, is ideal for bathroom use. With its large touch screen and built-in fall detection technology, this compact device can be easily used to contact emergency services, a caregiver, or loved ones, even when speech isn’t possible.
To find out how LogicMark’s devices can improve bathroom safety for aging adults, visit our website. You’ll find a great range of medical alert devices to choose from designed to keep you or your aging loved ones safe in the bathroom and beyond.
