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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the most frequent spot for injuries for older populations in the bathroom. Whether you’re getting older and want to plan ahead, are moving a parent into your home or want to help remodel your parent’s home, there are several bathroom remodeling steps you can take to make the space more accommodating to seniors. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following tips:
Here are a few bathroom safety improvements you can do yourself:
- +Install grab bars. Install grab bars around the shower and toilet to help older people stay on their feet.
- +Improve lighting. It’s important to make sure the bathroom is well lit, especially as vision tends to decrease with age.
- +Change door handles and knobs. Make sure the bathroom door handle and knobs on the cabinets and sinks are large and easy to grab. Older hands may have a hard time grasping small handles and knobs.
- +Add a nonslip mat in the shower. Slippery surfaces are dangerous, especially for the elderly.
- +Purchase a transfer chair. Adding a transfer chair makes it easy to help an elderly person into the shower.
Here are a few bathroom safety improvements that may require a professional:
- +Widen the doorway. Doors can be widened to 32 to 36 inches. This improves access for wheelchairs, scooters and walkers.
- +Raise the sink. Depending on the situation, you might need to raise or replace a sink. If a wheel chair-accessed person lives with you, make sure the sink is raised between 30-34 inches and the bottom is open and wide enough. If a person that has trouble bending over lives with you, raise the sink to 40 inches.
- +Install nonslip flooring.
- +Add a special-height toilet. Elevating a toilet allows older adults to stand up more easily. You can always add a molded plastic seat.
- +Remove rugs.
If you need getting your home ready, contact your Shorewest, REALTOR® for a recommendation for a professional!
Categories: Home Improvement
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