Bathroom Designs For Elderly Comfort And Safety

Modulated bathroom designs with walk-in bathtub, thermostat controlled showers, non-slip floors and stands for support are some of the basic requisites for ensuring utmost elderly safety and convenience. If you are considering a remodeling project for the bathrooms for older adults at home or some assisted care center, following are some eminent considerations that will help to accomplish the user-friendly design specially dedicated to the seniors.

Easy to Handle Fixtures

Rotating doorknobs may not be of much problem for other residents for the house. However, the seniors and other members of the family with osteoarthritis can feel the pain every time they open the bathroom door. Instead of the rotary ones, you can consider a simple replacement with the lever style locks, faucets and others for easy access. Consider placing grab bars for support near the commode, bathtub, shower area etc.

Shower Designs

The shower area in your house requires major modification in case you do not have enough provisions for elderly comfort. Always consider wide glass shower doors with easy to open hinges. The elderly members cannot afford to stand under the shower for too long. Some sitting arrangements or fixture can be very helpful for self-help as well as with a caregiver. People having patients with mobility problems at home can call the developers to choose customized solutions.

Electrical Accessories and Illumination

Lights are very important in the bathroom to avoid unnecessary collisions, slips, falls etc. Depending upon the area of the bathroom, you can install multiple lights to get proper vision at all corners. Try to keep the switches of electrical installations such as geyser, lights, and heaters at a reach for easy access even on wheelchairs. You can also remove the toggle switches and install the rocker illuminated switches.

Walk-in Bathtubs

People used to bathing in the bathtubs may not always like to shift to the walk-in shower. The modern day walk-in bathtub is designed to answer this requirement. These bathtubs are equipped with low entry opening to easily walk-in rather than climbing over for easy access. Some models also have the belt adaptation feature to allow low sinking or uplifted positioning in the bathtub. With a little more consideration, you can have features like aromatherapy or home spa installations in the bathtub to address specific health requirements.

Non-Slip Materials

The bathrooms are prone to have slippery surfaces if you choose the super gloss enhanced furnishings, tiles and other materials. The high humidity molds and wet floors can raise the chances of slipping for the elders as well as the other members. While removing the material all together can be expensive, you can opt for rugs and non-skid mats for extra protection.

The moderations in the bathroom designs are dedicated to the security of the elderly people who may either have access to the features for performing daily tasks independently or with aided provisions more comfortably. The solutions are centered on preventing crucial accidents, slips and falls for avoiding crucial injuries, that is often a cause of concern.