7 Tips to Keep Seniors from Falling in Bathroom

As one ages, muscles weaken and the body starts to lose balance. Your seniors may face hurdles in simple tasks, such as walking, eating or answering a nature call. To keep your loved ones safe from tripping and falling in bathroom floors, here are 7 simple and effective tips recommended by the experts in  affordable home care giver services in your area,

Improve Lighting


Almost all seniors have weak eyesight. This makes it difficult for them to read and see things. In such cases, it is advisable for you to improve your bathroom lighting and make sure everything is visible for your seniors. You can consider installing a night light, motion light or LED light system for your bathroom.

Medical Kit

A spare medical toolkit always comes in handy in the event of an emergency. Keep an ample supply of antiseptic liquids, bandages, first-aid sprays and pain ointments in the kit. A medical alert pendent placed near toilet or an emergency communicator (intercom) placed near the toilet or tub area is highly recommended.

Plastic Seat

Most of the seniors prefer sitting on a plastic seat in the bathtub when bathing. This makes it easy for them to reach their legs without bending. To prevent any mishaps, you can install a sturdy plastic seat and a hand-held nozzle for shower in the bathtub. This ensures that water can reach all hard-to-reach body parts of your loved ones- without the fear of them tripping over when applying soap.

Nonslip Material

Many at times, your bathroom surface is too slippery for your loved one. While a surface renovation is costly, you can consider other budget-friendly measures. For example, you can apply nonslip grippers in your bathtub floor and put a nonslip floor mat.

Toilet Seat

A taller toilet seat facilitates bowel movement. This makes it easier for seniors to answer nature calls, especially if they suffer from chronic constipation or an irritable bowel syndrome. Similarly, taller toilet seats also ensure that all fecal matter remains confined within the toilet and can easily be flushed.

Hand Rail

Towel rails are an essential feature of any bathroom. However, these rails can be delicate and may fall off with time. Furthermore, a simply towel rail can only hold up 1-2 towels at a time. A better approach would be to install a hand rail. This structure is strong and sturdy. It can hold 3-5 towels at once and is unlikely to collapse if your senior uses it for extra support.

Basin Area

The wash basin area needs to be large. Consider placing a small cabinet beneath the sink. This prevents the sink water from spilling on the floor and keeps your loved one safe from slipping. Make sure to unclog the wash basin drain regularly to prevent water from accumulating.
The basin area should also be wide enough to hold a number of accessories (such as soap dish and toothbrush stand) to make it easy for your senior to use. Alternately, you can consider installing a wall cabinet to hold toiletries.

Source: Senior Home Care Tucson

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