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How to Prevent Bathroom Accidents

Most accidents in the home take place in the bathroom, usually due to the hard, slick surfaces and the additional moisture that cause slips and falls. Securing the home is important in keeping your family safe, especially if you have older relatives or young children in your household. In addition to safeguarding what is already in your bathroom, you should consider adding bathroom aids that are specifically designed for the elderly. In this post, we look at the different ways in which you can make your bathroom safer.

Tips for a Safer Bathroom

1. Making Your Floors Safer

Bathrooms are often quite small, and more difficult for an elderly person to navigate. Therefore, it is important to remove clutter such as wastebaskets, hampers, or plants that might make it harder for them to move around. Rugs that don't have a non-slip backing, can be a hazard for seniors, who can easily slip and fall.

2. Bathroom Aids for the Elderly

When it comes to choosing bathroom aids for seniors, you won't have to sacrifice appearance in order to promote safety. These bathroom aids are available in many different styles other than the usual aluminum that we're all accustomed to. By placing and installing grab bars on the inside and outside of the tub or shower stall, as well as near the toilet, you can enhance security and stability for your loved ones.

3. Making the Bathtub Safer

Replace your bathtub with a handicapped-accessible tub or walk-in shower. While this may not be possible in your home, consider a transfer bench that straddles the edge of your bathtub to make it easier to get in and out of the shower, especially if you have mobility-challenged loved ones.

Self-adhesive non-slip mats inside the tub will provide more secure footing and help to prevent falls.

4. Putting the Toilet in the Frame

A commode safety frame can help make it easier for seniors to get on and off the toilet.  This type of frame will fit over the toilet, using armrests to enable the user to raise and lower themselves easily. A toilet riser is another inexpensive and convenient option. The riser seat makes the toilet several inches taller.

Additional Bathroom Safety Tips

In addition to the above tips for the elderly, it is important to keep the bathroom safe for children too.  Here's how:

  1. Lock any medicines and cleaning agents out of the reach of children.
  2. Install shower doors made from heavy-duty plastic or safety glass.
  3. Always run the cold water first to prevent children from being scalded by accident, and be sure to check the temperature of the water before you get into the bath.
  4. Never leave your children in the bath unsupervised.
  5. Be sure to remove the soap from the water to prevent slips.
  6. Do not keep any electrical appliances in the bathroom.
  7. Always use non-slip mats at the bottom of the bath.

Anta Plumbing can advise you on any other bathroom safety tips that apply to your situation in particular.

What do you think?

Written by Anta

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