Top Bathroom Safety Tips for Preventing Falls and Injuries in elderly

1. Top Bathroom Safety Tips for Preventing Falls and Injuries in elderly According to research carried out in Australia, it was reported that seniors between the age of 65 and 75 have double the risk of suffering an injury in the bathroom. The risk of injuries increases further for those over the age of 75. As we age, our mobility, stability and balance decrease. A slip in the bathroom can be devastating for the seniors and often will lead to severe injuries or even hospitalisation. Bathrooms become hazardous due to its hard surfaces, sharp corners, lack of items to grab onto and slippery surfaces. Majority of bathroom injuries occur when: Walking while between sink tops, towel bars, and other objects to keep balance Getting in and out of a shower or tub Getting up off or sitting down on the toilet Other factors that can increase the risk of fall for the seniors in the bathroom include: Slippery bathroom floor tiles Slippery shower and bathtub floors Sliding shower doors that may unexpectedly move when getting in or out of the tub Low toilet seats Shower chairs that do not have slip-resistant material

2. Making the bathroom safe should be a top priority for elderly living at home. It is important to take necessary measures for preventing falls and injuries vulnerable to seniors. In this article, we will briefly discuss the useful tips for improving bathroom safety for an elderly Australian. Add grab bars You should install grab bars throughout the bathroom to stabilize elderly individuals by giving them something to hold onto in order to prevent falls in case they lose their balance or slip. Grab bars can be used by the seniors to get up and down from the toilet and they can also provide stability while entering or exiting the tub or shower. Improve accessibility You should make sure that commonly used items in the bathrooms are within easy reach, so that they don’t have to move or reach far which in turn could cause a slip and fall. So it is important to make sure that soap, shampoo, conditioner, towels, and other items are within close reach of the elderly. Install non-slip surfaces You’ll find plenty of slippery surfaces in a bathroom, especially when wet. The bathtub and shower are commonly very slippery, which may cause a fall. To reduce the chances of slipping, it is advised to add non-slip surfaces around the bathroom. Non-slip mats help seniors to move around the bathroom freely and decreasing their risk of falling. Such mats can be placed on the floor of the tub or shower to provide grip and prevent slips. Use mobility aids Mobility aids are an absolute must when it comes to creating a safer bathroom for elderly. It will help with providing stability and security when moving around the bathroom. Recommended aids include:

3. · Shower chair / tub seat with arm and back rest: provides stability and security when washing · Over-toilet frame: providing stability when lowering onto the toilet · Toilet seat raiser: increasing the height will help those with balance impairment · Toilet Lifting aid: making getting off the toilet easier If you are after all four, the multifunctional shower chair and over toilet frame by Assist Ability Australia is perfect for you. The innovative bathroom chair is designed to prevent falls with it’s 6 functionalities. Based on your precise needs and requirements, this all-in-one chair can effectively transform into a walker, shower chair/bath bench, portable commode chair, toilet seat raiser, and toilet safety frame/toilet handrail. Latest machinery and cutting-edge technology are used by “Assist Ability Australia” to manufacture these products as per the industry standards and regulations. The U-shaped frame of the chair is made with high-quality aluminum alloy for providing greater durability and strength. It provides seniors greater stability due to its reinforced cross-frame design. It can also fold down for easy transport and storage. Made from corrosion resistance material, this chair can support up to 130 kg. In addition to this, this mobility aid is approved from food and drug administration (FDA) and comes with a 12-month warranty. A few simple modifications can make the bathroom a safer place for seniors and reduce the risk of injury.