Feeling unsafe in the bathroom is such a significant issue that some aging adults make choices like avoiding bathing altogether. Finding the right answers for your senior, whether that’s personal care at home or making some fundamental changes in her bathroom, might mean trying a few different ideas.
Rearrange Where Bathroom Items Get Stored
The bathroom setup your elderly family member has always had might have worked for her for a really long time, but needs do change over time. Take a thorough look at how your senior uses her bathroom and the things in it and determine whether shifting those items would be helpful. Keeping the items that she uses often within easy reach is essential in terms of safety.
Get Rid of Clutter as Much as Possible
While you’re rearranging some items, remove anything that isn’t truly useful for your elderly family member in the bathroom. Decorations might be lovely, but if they’re taking over the space that can be dangerous. Removing as much of that clutter as you can frees up space for what your senior truly needs.
Correct Lighting Issues
It might seem as if the lighting in your senior’s bathroom is just right. For your senior, though, that might not be the case. Improving lighting might even be easier than you think. Easy examples include swapping out light bulbs for brighter versions and adding motion-sensing night lights. It’s better to have more lighting than you think necessary than if the bathroom is too dark.
Look Into Floor Coverings
Floor coverings that are slippery or unstable should be taken out of the bathroom entirely. You can replace those with non-slip rugs and mats around the tub, toilet, and sink area. Non-slip mats inside the shower stall or the tub can also be a good idea. Solid footing around the bathroom can reduce a lot of anxiety for your senior whenever she’s showering.
Install Handrails Wherever Possible
Handrails are another common solution for safety devices that are actually easy to forget when you’re in the process of making the bathroom safer overall. Inside the shower or tub is a natural first place to put handrails, but don’t overlook any other open wall space for another set of handrails. Don’t forget also that handrails around the toilet can make a huge difference.
Modify the Bathroom as Much as Necessary
What other modifications would make bathing and other bathroom activities safer and easier? Putting a shower chair in the tub is one solution. Adding a toilet seat riser is another. Look at your senior’s needs and get creative about what you can do to improve safety in the bathroom. Working with home care providers can make this easier because they have experience with solving safety issues for seniors.
Consider Personal Care at Home
Even with all the right safety measures in place, your senior may still need some help. It’s daunting at times for people to accept help with such intimate activities as bathing and toileting, but personal care at home offers your elderly family member a dignified way to be safe while completing these necessary tasks.
Bathroom safety is a constant situation for your elderly family member. As her needs continue to change, so too will the safety measures that you’ll need to use.
If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Park City, MT, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Billings today. 406-839-2390
