Possibly the most dangerous room in the house for many elderly people is the bathroom. It can be exceedingly difficult getting into or out of the bath, and the fact that you are in contact with water can make the floor slippery. Taking a shower, for those who cannot easily stand, can also be a problem. Even just standing at the basin and cleaning your teeth can cause difficulties. Not to put too fine a point on it, the bathroom, for someone elderly, can cause serious problems.
Fortunately, there are many manufacturers who have come up with ingenious solutions which will help those unsteady on their feet, and with other discreet problems which may occur in the bathroom.
Probably one of the most simple and useful tools is a grab rail. Grab rails can be installed anywhere in the house, but are particularly useful in the bathroom and toilet where they can offer considerable help to those who are unsteady on their legs. They are especially helpful for people who have reduced strength in their legs and are no longer able to stand up using leg power alone. When getting up off the toilet, a suitably sited grab rail can make the process very simple and can be a boon to many.
Grab rails can also be used to ensure stability when getting up and out of the bath, getting into it, or when entering or leaving a shower. If you are travelling you can also benefit from grab rails fitted with suction cups which can be fixed to walls without causing any damage, but they may not be as reliable as fixed grab rails. However, if you are in a hotel and there is no fixed grab rail it is certainly better than nothing at all.
Walk-in Baths
A walk-in bath can be a huge blessing for people who find it almost impossible to climb over the edge of a standard bath tub. These come with a door which opens to allow entrance to the bath, is then closed and is completely watertight. There is one disadvantage over a standard bath tub which is the fact that the bath cannot be filled before accessing it, nor can it be emptied until it has been drained of water. This means that you have to get into the bath and then fill with warm water, and when you have finished you have to drain the bath before you can leave it. However, today’s walk-in baths have quick-draining efficiency which means that they will drain faster than a normal bath and the user can leave the bath very shortly after finishing bathing.
Walk-in baths can be the same length as a normal bath and so can be used by the whole family, the walk-in access only being used when needed. Able-bodied people can use it in the same way as an ordinary bath, and of course this means that the bath can be filled before use and drained after use. This gives a family household with a disabled person the best of both worlds.
For those who prefer a shower, a shower chair allows you to sit in the shower rather than having to stand. Some models can be folded up and stored elsewhere when not in use, while others can be fitted to the shower wall and folded up against it after use. Some types of shower chair have back and arm rests for extra safety, while other types have seats which rotate, enabling the user to turn round in the shower easily.
Another excellent idea is a toilet which provides a warm water cleaning jet which can be set to the desired pressure. A warm air dryer is included in these toilets which obviates the need for toilet paper.
For more informaion on protecting yourself from bathroom falls follow the link below:
http://www.manageathome.co.uk/blog/bathroom/protecting-bathroom-falls/