Advice To Make Bathrooms Safer As You Age

Much though you may not like to admit it, you need to be more careful as you get older and consider how you can make your home as safe as possible for you and the rest of your family.

The bathroom is one area that you should look closely at. An article from Southern Trust Home Services, a US-based HVAC, plumbing and electrical company, recently pointed out just how important bathroom safety is as you age.

It cited figures from the US, which revealed that 80 per cent of the falls that occur among those aged over 65 each year happen in the bathroom.

Ted Puzio, owner of the firm, explained that there are a number of things you can do to make your bathroom more accessible and safer. One of his top suggestions is to install walk-in shower baths because you’re removing “any hurdles your loved one might have to step over in order to bathe”.

Fitting grab bars in the shower is also a good idea to ensure that, should someone slip, they have something sturdy to grab onto and potentially prevent them falling.

Another thing to consider is installing a toilet seat that raises the height of the loo. This will make it easier for people with reduced mobility to get on and off the toilet. Choose one with arm rests on either side to give them some extra leverage when they stand.

If you’re worried about how these additions will make your bathroom look, don’t be. We recently pointed out that there are many ways to make accessible bathrooms look stylish, including installing features like grab rails vertically or fitting a grab rail in place of a shower slider, so that it serves a dual purpose.