The bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house, according to studies by the Centers for Disease Control.
It’s not hard to understand why. Wet floors and bare feet are the biggest culprits.
Avoid getting hurt by improving the safety of your bathroom with a few simple changes.
Avoid falls:
Grab bars give you something to hold onto when you lose your balance. Better yet, you can avoid losing your balance in the first place by holding on to one. When you think of grab bars you’re probably thinking of industrial looking bars like the kind you find in handicapped bathrooms, but recently several manufacturers have finally started coming out with downright attractive grab bars. Some plastic grab bars attach with suction cups. Most require attachment to your wall with screws. Shop for grab bars on Amazon.
The least you should do: The idea of installing grab bars might be a little overwhelming. Finding the studs behind the wall, drilling into tile, maybe having to hire a contractor to do the work… The quick solution is to buy and try a grab bar that sticks on with suction cups. These are cheap (some are less than $20) and install quickly. They’re meant for helping you balance, not taking your whole weight. Once you’ve got one of these installed you can start looking for a real grab bar solution.
Make bathing safer and more comfortable:
There are many products to make bathing safer and more comfortable. Problems here range from the difficulty of balancing while showering (see grab bars above), to seats to sit on while showering, to transfer benches to help you get over the tub side, to sophisticated bath lift chairs that can actually lower you into the water.
Shower chairs make bathing safer by providing a safe seat while showering. Click for our shower chairs buying guide page.
Here’s a video example of a shower chair with a bar that swings against the wall when you don’t need it.
See all models of the Dependa-Bar.
Increase comfort:
Raised toilet seats make using the toilet much easier, reducing stress on joints and preventing loss of balance at an awkward moment. Shop for raised toilet seats on Amazon.
Grab bars are also great near the toilet, as is the Dependa-Bar.
Other good ideas
- Remove any small throw rugs or other tripping hazards
- Improve the lighting if the room is dark. Consider good nightlights to help make the room easier to navigate in the dark.
- Use a non-skid tub treatment or no-slip mats in the tub.
- A safety pole can also help with tub entry and exit, and with using the toilet.
Go back to the main elder home safety page.
70% of home accidents occur in the bathroom. Over 75% of slip-fall deaths occur to people 65 years of age or older (CDC). The combination of water and smooth surfaces makes taking a bath or shower a risky proposition.
Slip and falls account for over 20,000 fatalities per year in North America. About 120 kids are injured by slips and falls in bathtubs and showers every day (Ohio State University).
Grab bars are good but the surface safety of the wet, slippery bathtub or shower is more important.
This can effectively be remedied with Invisible Bathtub Mat®
Invisible Bathtub Mat® increases the “GRIP” by bonding invisible microscopic particles to the porcelain bathtub surfaces or ceramic tile shower floor to create a non-slip surface. Invisible Bathtub Mat® will not change the color, appearance, or texture. The surface remains easy to clean because there is no surface damage to allow grease and soap build-up that result in dark discolored tread patterns. In 7 minutes you have a slip resistant tub that lasts for years.
Benefits:
Takes 7 minutes to apply and lasts for years;
Invisible Bathtub Mat ® does not penetrate the surface:
No bacteria growth
It’s a breeze to keep the surface clean. No special or additional cleaning products required.
Surface remains shiny
Does not alter the appearance, color or texture
Watch the application of Invisible Bathtub Mat® http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsYMWSuAQGg
Website: http://www.slipandfallsolutions.com
Contact information:info@slipandfallsolutions.com
Hi, Diane–
Thanks for sharing this solution with us. This is a product you can apply yourself, right? But it only works on certain types of tubs…?
It only works on cermaic /porcelain bathubs. You can test for the right tub by seeing if a magnet will stick to the inside wall. If it sticks, Invisible Bathtub Mat® works. It also works on ceramic shower floor tiles and ceramic bathroom floors.
You apply it yourself with a sponge. Watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsYMWSuAQGg
Invisible Bathtub Mat® will be available in Canadain Tire Stores in Canada in January 2012.
The link to Invisible Bathtub Mat® video has been replaced with
Invisible Bathtub Mat® is now available in Canadian TirebStores in Canada