January is Bath Safety Month, and while the focus of the month is rightly set upon keeping infants and toddlers safe in the bath, it’s also a good month to review how safe your elderly loved one is in the bath as well. Personal care at home providers can help.
Since the bathroom is used multiple times each day for various purposes, it’s important that your elderly loved one feels safe whenever they need to visit the bathroom and for whatever purpose. Without proper supportive devices and help from personal care at home services, it can become an area that is dangerous for seniors.
Four Greatest Dangers of the Bathroom For Seniors
There are several areas that present the greatest risk for seniors. Focusing on these areas and helping your senior navigate them safely is key to preventing bathroom-related injuries or falls that could debilitate them.
- Floors: Bathroom floors can quickly become hazardous when wet or when items on the floor create tripping hazards.
- Toilet: If your senior struggles with weakness or arthritis, getting on and off a toilet without nearby support can be dangerous.
- Tub/Shower: This area often presents the most challenges for seniors. Making sure your senior has appropriate assistive devices to bathe safely is key to preventing falls and injuries while bathing.
- Lighting: Appropriate lighting, especially for middle-of-the-night visits, is important so your loved one can see where they are going and avoid tripping hazards.
Five Bathroom Safety Strategies
Since January is Bath Safety Month, this is a great time of year to get your elderly loved one’s bathroom safe for them to use whenever nature calls.
- Make the toilet easier to use: For some seniors, the toilet is too low to the ground, making it difficult to both sit upon and get back up from. A raised toilet seat can make it easier to sit safely and get back up. You can also add in support bars and make sure the toilet paper dispenser is within easy reach to prevent accidents.
- Clean up floors: Keep dirty clothes and towels off the floor, and ensure any floor mats are flat with no curled-up edges. Any large water spills should be cleaned up immediately, and if a steamy shower is taken, give the room plenty of time to air out so the floor isn’t damp and slippery.
- Shower and bath area: Each home is different, but work with your loved one to find the best way for them to bathe. It might be adding a shower chair to sit on, installing extra support rails, or affixing a hand-held shower wand.
- Lighting: A motion-activated nightlight provides enough light to see without blinding your loved one, helping keep them safe during late-night visits.
- If your loved one can no longer shower safely on their own, consider having a personal care at home provider help with their bathing and grooming needs. A personal care at home provider can ensure your elderly loved one stays safe while receiving the care they need.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care at Home in Oyster Bay, NY, please contact the caring staff at Help at Home today at (631) 859-3435
Help at Home is a top provider of home care services in Islip, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Hempstead & Oyster Bay, and surrounding areas on Long Island & NYC. We serve Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties.
Whether you or a loved one is recuperating from an illness or a senior requiring care, we can help. Help at Home is committed to providing quality home care at affordable rates. Helping a patient remain in the comfort and security of their home is our goal. We are the best alternative to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Help at Home caregivers
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