Lately, it seems like my elderly father is showing his age a lot more. Falls and close calls are happening with more frequency, and this worries me. When I think about the home he lives in, the place that concerns me most is his restroom.

 

If you share the same uneasiness for your elderly loved one, your apprehension is well founded. According to the CDC, over 175,000 individuals per year will visit the emergency room as a result of an injury sustained in the restroom.

 

Plentiful are the slip hazards in a standard restroom. To make matters worse, there are too many hard surfaces to land on. Let’s take a look at how to remedy some of these hazards and make the restroom a safer place for your loved one to shower, groom and toilet.

 

Safe water and power

Before we dive into the features of a safe restroom, let’s talk about the electricity and hot water.

 

Electrical outlets in all restrooms should be protected with a GFCI outlet. These outlets will disconnect power if they sense an unusual power drain from the circuit. This drain may be caused by a hair dryer that fell into a sink or a number of other hazards that are present when you have electricity and water in the same place. One GFCI outlet will not only protect itself, but all outlets “downstream”.

 

 

To avoid scalding injuries, be sure that your hot water heater is set to a maximum of 120°F. If you take a look at the temperature dial on your water heater, you are likely to find it’s not marked with numbers, only “hot” and “warm”. To check the real temperature, you’ll need to go to the faucet closest to the water heater and run hot water for three minutes. Collect a glass of hot water and use a thermometer to see how hot it is.

 

 

Take control of slippery surfaces

Slips and falls are the emblematic risk for elderly people in restrooms. Age, decreased equilibrium and medications make it easy enough to tumble to the floor. Throw some slick surfaces into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

 

Use non-slip decals in the shower or tub. A generous application of this anti-slip tape will provide the traction needed in this slip zone.

Are you considering using a suction cup shower mat? I would encourage you to personally test it first. Some of these mats will slip across the bottom of the tub while suctioned down. It’s better to provide real traction rather than a false sense of security.

 

If your restroom floor is tile or linoleum, go ahead and install some non-slip tape on the floor as well as the tub. These floors can become slick once they get wet. I suggest traction tape over a throw rug because throw rugs introduce a trip hazard to the area.

 

Traction coatings can be sprayed or rolled onto bathtubs and flooring. While this method takes more work than traction tape, it is a permanent solution.

 

Keep in mind that soap scum is very slippery when it accumulates on a bathtub. Cleanliness in this area will contribute to safe bathing for the elderly.

 

Grab bars

If there is one sign of a well designed restroom that is safe for elderly use, it’s the liberal application of grab bars. These stout bars can be used around the toilet, in and around the shower and anywhere else a helping hand may be needed. Aside from typical hand rails, you may want to consider a safety pole that installs from the floor to the ceiling next to the bath tub.

 

Be sure that all your grab bars are properly installed. This means that fasteners must be driven into wall studs or into a wall plate that is fastened to studs. I have seen grab bars that were screwed into the sheetrock alone. They have the appearance of a safety aid but would never function as one.

 

Avoid a false sense of security

In a moment of unsteadiness, an elderly person will reach for the nearest source of stability. Be sure that likely hand holds can be trusted. I suggest that you remove towel hangers and other flimsy attachments and replace them with a real grab bar.

 

Even the toilet paper holder can be removed and replaced with one that multitasks as a paper dispenser and worthy grab bar all in one.

 

Take a look inside the bathtub or shower. All add-ons like temporary shampoo racks or other extras need to be replaced with a shower shelf that is firmly attached. In short, eliminate anything that may be grabbed for stability but is not up to the task.

 

Tub and shower safety

Aside from the few shower items already mentioned, let’s take a focused look at safe bathing facilities.

 

Provide a shower seat that has non-slip feet. A transfer seat has two of its legs inside the tub and two outside. This allows a bather to sit down on the seat before even entering the tub. With the prospect of stepping into the tub eliminated, bath time is much safer.

 

Keep frequently needed items such as soap, shampoo and towels within easy reach. There should be no need for your loved one to extend their center of gravity out to reach toiletries or a washcloth. To do so is begging for a fall.

 

If your shower has a curtain instead of a door, spend a few extra dollars to get a quality curtain with weights at the bottom. A good shower curtain will do a better job of keeping water in the shower where it belongs. Less water pooling on the floor equals less chance of slips and falls.

 

A handheld shower head allows a person with limited mobility to stand still and direct water where it’s needed rather than stepping and turning to rinse. With less maneuvering, your loved one can focus on showering from a stable position or from the shower chair if needed.

 

It may be worth the investment to replace your standard tub with a walk-in tub or shower. This eliminates stepping over the edge of the tub. Some purpose-built tubs even have a shower chair molded in.

 

Injuries happen while toileting too

While the toilet does not have the same slip and fall risks as the bathtub does, plenty of injuries happen here nonetheless. The average toilet seat height is a long way down when you lack strength and stability. This can be remedied by using a raised toilet seat addition. Get one that not only raises the level of the seat but also provides its own grab bars. You can choose from a simple extender that can be moved into place with ease or go so far as to install a seat with an electric lift built in.

 

Make sure that help is available

If your loved one needs the help of a caregiver, consider a few changes to their restroom that can make help available while preserving as much dignity and independence as possible.

 

The restroom door must swing out instead of in. This ensures that the door will not be blocked shut even if an elderly person has fallen in front of it.

 

The lock on the door needs to have an outside keyhole to give a caregiver emergency access even if your loved one has locked the door.

 

Install a pull cord alarm. This will allow privacy while ensuring that help can be called easily. Since we are talking about a restroom, the call box should be water resistant. The Smart Caregiver brand has a system that fills the need nicely. The 2007-CB-RB can be triggered with a pull cord or a large button. This is a wireless unit, so there is no need to hire an electrician. The wireless signal is sent to the 2007-ECA where a light and audible signal lets you know that help is needed.

 

Provide adequate lighting

While mood lighting can be a nice addition to a hot soak in the tub, it doesn’t work so well for an elderly person with eyesight that’s fading. Be sure to provide plenty of light during the day and night lights illuminating the path to the restroom as well as the restroom itself.

 

Encourage your loved one to use healthy habits

While most of this article has been about the restroom itself, let’s discuss some things that you should encourage your keen-ager to do for safety. As stubborn as an aging person can be, it’s worth the effort to solicit her cooperation. Here are four things you should encourage an elderly person to do while in the bathroom:

• Take your time. There is no need to rush while toileting or showering. Remember that this is a safety issue, so everyone else can wait.

• Dry off completely before stepping out of the tub or shower. A sopping wet body will deliver water to the restroom floor and create a slip hazard. This requires that towels be kept where they can be easily reached from the tub or shower seat.

• Side step into the tub. A lot of elderly people find that side stepping is more stable than a normal forward step over the tub edge. Grab that stability bar and give it a try.

• Don’t be shy about asking for help. It can be hard for an independent senior to concede that he needs help. This may represent an unwelcome loss of autonomy, but keep in mind that a slip or fall can mean a total loss of independence. It’s better to play it safe.

 

The transition to getting old is not an easy one. It seems to arrive unnoticed. When the time comes to consider safety measures for your elderly loved one, remember how hard this change can be for them. A little patience and consideration from the younger generation is in order.  After all, your elderly parent taught YOU how to use a toilet in the first place.