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More than one in three persons over age 65 fall each year, often at home. If falls do happen, luckily, most do not result in any injury with the exception of a minor bruise or scraped knee. But falling in the bathroom is an entirely different matter. According to a 2011 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 200,000 Americans are treated in emergency departments for bathroom- related injuries annually . Due to a multitude of reasons, bathrooms are very hazardous. Bathrooms have unforgiving and slippery surfaces , and few dependable things to grasp onto, which greatly increases the chances for harm. Fall- related injuries range from minor cuts, scrapes and bruises to more severe injuries, such as broken bones (especially hip fractures), head contusions, and even spinal cord injury . Are you or a loved one susceptible? Up to 80% of falls in the home are in the bathroom. Anyone can stumble and fall in the bathroom but having poor muscle strength and ba...

Older people need a bathroom that will suit their current and future needs. When designing a bathroom for an older person, safety and efficiency should be a primary consideration. As people age, mobility can become limited, and some seniors require the use of wheelchairs and walkers to move around. This requires that bathroom design incorporates maneuverable space , safety features such as grab bars, and organization that limits the need to move around the space when wet. Safety Considerations The bottom of an older person’s tub or shower and the floor of the bathroom should have a non-slip surface to prevent falls. Use non- slip bath mats for tubs and showers and use resilient or vinyl flooring instead of hard surface such as marble or ceramic tile for the main floor. Opt for fixtures, including vanities and counter tops, without sharp edges, so that the severity of injury is minimized in the event of a fall. Consider replacing towel rails with grab bars, which can serve both fun...

Seniors who want to age in place should consider remodeling their bathrooms so that they better accommodate their needs. Below are some ideas to keep in mind when planning a remodeling project. 1.   Include a Bathroom on the Main Floor If possible, place a bathroom on the same floor as the main living area . A bathroom located where the senior spends most of their time means they can avoid using the stairs. It’s a tall order for many homes, but can make a world of difference for older adults with declining mobility. 2. Provide Adequate Floor Space The bathroom should be large enough to accommodate someone using a cane, a walker or even a wheelchair to get around. Someone who uses a wheelchair will require the most space—at least around 60 inches of open floor space to turn around. Doorways should be at least 32 inches wide so that a wheelchair can get through. Some chairs may require 36-inch-wide openings. 3.   Make Tubs and Showers Accessible For some seniors, standard bathtubs are d...

bathing safety devices ." title="Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images" /> Grab bars are bathing safety devices . One-piece tubs and shower enclosures consist of a single gel- coated fiberglass shell . Grab bar mounting brackets made specifically for fiberglass installation have discs that safely distribute the weight of a person and prevent the fiberglass from cracking. By attaching the brackets to wall studs with bolts, you ensure that the grab bar will not pull out from the tub or shower wall when in use. Grab bars can be purchased in sets of two, which allow you to install a vertical grab bar in a one-piece tub and shower for standing assistance and a horizontal grab bar to help people rise up or sit down in the bath tub. 1 Locate a stud on the shower wall near the shower head with a stud finder. Find the center of the stud 33 inches up from the floor and mark it with a long piece of low tack painter 's tape. This is where the vertical grab bar will be...

When we remodeled my Mom’s bathroom, we had to work fast. With some bathroom renovation experience already under my belt — and with the help of Aunt Mary Anne , who is a design whiz — I think we made some great decisions and the bathroom turned out really well. But, I also made some “mistakes.”  Today, I spotlight 9 things that I was really happy with. I’ll follow up with a post on some things I learned that could be done better … next time. First up: 1. Install a timer for your bathroom exhaust fan . We added this to both bathrooms — and the love for this little feature is already huge. No more forgetting to turn off the bathroom fan and exhausting all your conditioned air into the environment for, like, eight hours (guilty!) Note: You need an entire switch area for this timer.   2. If you have a pretty bathroom floor — consider a vanity with legs so that you can see underneath . Of course, you will be forever fighting dust bunnies , but I think it is well worth it. Honestly, I wou...

Dear Savvy Senior, What tips do you recommend for making a bathroom safer and more functional for seniors. My 79-year-old mother slipped and fell getting out of the shower last month, and I'd like to modify her bathroom a bit with some safety features that can help protect her. --Searching Daughter Dear Searching, Because more accidents and injuries happen in the bathroom than any other room in the house, this is a very important room to modify for aging in place. Depending on your mom's needs, here are some tips for each part of the bathroom that can make it safer and easier to use. Flooring: To avoid slipping, a simple fix is to get non- skid bath rugs for the floors. Or if you want to put in a new floor get slip-resistant tiles, rubber or vinyl flooring, or install wall-to-wall carpeting. Lighting: Good lighting is also very important, so install the highest wattage bulbs allowed for your mom's bathroom fixtures and get a plug-in nightlight that automatically turn...

Bathrooms can be very dangerous, both to the disabled and the elderly. The smooth surfaces , awkward movements, and generally solitary usage of the bathroom makes it one of the most common areas for accidental falls and injuries to occur, both for the elderly and the disabled. However, given the prevalence of falls and injuries in bathrooms, there are many useful products on the market that can help prevent falls, and allow greater autonomy. Let’s take a look at 5 of the best ways to outfit bathrooms to help your loved ones avoid falls and other dangerous situations, and give you greater peace of mind. Grab Bars Grab bars are perhaps the single most important addition you can make to a bathroom to help your loved ones avoid falls and injuries. These simple devices are generally made out of a durable plastic or a high- quality stainless steel , and can be applied to walls in the shower, bath, or next to toilets to allow for increased grip and stability during awkward movements, such a...

Taking a tumble is no laughing matter for elderly folk. They can suffer head injuries or fractures that may confine them to a wheelchair. Falls in the bathroom are quite common, said Ms Shirleen Sim , an occupational therapist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital . While there are no official figures, she estimates that at least a third of elderly rehabilitation patients in the hospital have fallen in the bathroom. She points out the hot spots, and what can be done to guard against falls. SLIPPERY SURFACES The floor can get slippery from soapy water, so if an elderly person does not feel steady on his feet, he should sit on a chair while showering. Try not to let him sit on the covered lid of the toilet seat as the smooth surface can easily get slippery and cause him to slide off. Installing a vertical grab bar in the shower cubicle may be helpful, allowing him to hold on to it when he stands up to wash. One can also place non-slip mats in the wet areas of the bathroom. But lay them out proper...

Bathrooms require special attention in order to meet the living needs of elderly adults who want to age in place. Everyday routines like bathing, washing up and brushing teeth can be challenging for some older adults in a standard bathroom . Luckily, there are a number of ways to make bathroom faucets more user-friendly for seniors with mobility issues. The design tips shown here should be part of an overall design philosophy for aging in place bathrooms that include appropriately placed grab bars, nonslip flooring and adequate lighting. 1. Handheld Showerheads Replace a wall-mounted showerhead with a handheld model. A  handheld showerhead attached to a pole allows elderly users to adjust the showerhead's height when standing or to use it as a handheld model when sitting or standing. Here are some other user-friendly changes that can help older adults: Combine the showerhead with built-in or portable shower chairs to make bathing more comfortable. Bathtubs and walk-in showers ...

February 26, 1993 | By Nancy Maes. The bathroom can be a dangerous place, but it doesn't have to be. More and more manufacturers and designers are finding ways to make them safer. When California designer Gary White was asked to design a safe bathroom for the 1992 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show , the statistics on bathroom accidents guided his work. "The No. 1 cause of injuries in the home is slipping and falling," he says, "so the flooring in a bathroom should be textured so that it is slip-resistant." Grab bars and rails to hold onto when getting into and out of the bathtub can also prevent falls. For further safety, White used a foam- cushioned bathtub , as well as cabinets and countertops with large, rounded smooth shapes instead of sharp corners and edges, and benches to sit on when drying off and getting dressed. Burns from scalding hot water are the second leading cause of accidents in the bathroom. Children are particularly vulnerable to water that i...

<?xml encoding="UTF-8"???><?xml encoding="UTF-8"???> If you are planning on remodeling a bathroom to either meet the needs of a handicapped individual or an elderly person you will need to keep in mind the needs of such a person. There are two main criteria that you will want to keep in mind when doing a handicapped bathroom remodel . The first is that you need to provide safety and the second is that you need to make sure that it is usable. Handicapped and elderly individuals may possibly be using a wheelchair or a walker. Therefore there has to be allowable room to maneuver either one without creating a hazard. The first thing that you will require when designing such a bathroom is adequate floor space . It will be quite frustrating if you do not provide enough room to maneuver a wheelchair. Keep in mind that you will also need to install wider doors and you will need to provide the ability to reach the various features in the bathroom. You will need ...

Entry #1900, December 3, 2012 Life as a senior citizen is more complicated than many young people realize . Simple day-to-day tasks become much more difficult with age, especially for those who use walkers or wheelchairs to get around in their old age. This effect is most strongly pronounced in the bathroom, which becomes something like an obstacle course for those who don’t have the same physical capabilities they possessed in their younger years. When designing a safe bathroom for seniors, be sure to keep this in mind. What is convenient for you may be a difficult mess for the elderly. Ensure the bathroom is accessible for aging adults Image via: David Wilkes Builders Walk-in showers and bathtubs Walk-in showers and baths are some of the best utilities available for senior bathrooms. Stepping in and out of the bath can be dangerous even for those in their prime years. Losing your balance is very easy, and the slippery surfaces make it even easier to fall over and hurt oneself. This...

During “National Safe at Home Week,” which runs Aug. 21 to 25, the Glendale Fire Department is asking the community to focus on their homes and correct any unsafe practices in hope of eliminating unintentional injuries and death.   Across the country, 31 million medical visits each year are a result of unintentional injuries . Following these simple tips will help everyone be safer at home:     • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in or near all bedrooms, and test the batteries at least once a month. • Use carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas. • Plan and practice home escape plans . • Use safety covers on electrical outlets and anti-scald devices in faucets in homes with young children. • Make sure all porches, hallways and stairwells are well lit. • Use a non-slip mat in bathtubs and showers. • Install grab bars in bath and shower stalls. • Keep medicines and household chemicals out of reach of children. • Put your poison control center number (800-22...

December 7, 2016 BOOKMARK THIS STORY Designing your private sanctuary can be mind-boggling when faced with a myriad of choices in the market. Unlike furniture that have distinct styles and characteristics, bathroom fittings and wares often comes in similar designs and functions and more often than not, we leave it up to the price to decide. So before you start shopping around for your sanitary items, here's a quick guide on the factors you should take into consideration, so that you will not end up with an incompatible item for your bathroom. Basin There are a few types of basins in general (see image below). Homeowners today prefer the countertop as they fit in with the modern décor. Due to space constraints however, many opted for wall mounted ones instead. Images credit: lavabostore.com, ferrara.com, de-lune.com, bathshop321.com The choice is pretty much a personal decision and preference for the general design and outlook and well, budget. Some things to take note of are: The ...