Revamping Your Bathroom To Accommodate A Senior Relative

If you have an elderly relative who has mobility issues, and they are coming to live with you in your home because they need care, you will want to make a few changes to your home to help them get around with minimal risk of falling. The bathroom in your home is one area you will need to make several changes because slippery conditions can be harmful to your relative. Here are a few of the ways you can make your bathroom friendlier to your relative, minimizing the chance of injury as a result.

Add Rails

Place handrails inside the bathtub, along the wall next to the bathtub, and on each side of the toilet. These will help your relative gain stability as they sit down or stand up in these areas. Use a color that contrasts with the color scheme of your bathroom so your relative can see them easily. Make sure they are at a height your relative can easily grasp. To check this, have your relative help you by letting you know what height placement feels comfortable before you bolt the rails to the walls.

Change The Tub

For those with difficulty getting in and out of a bathtub, a walk-in tub is a wonderful alternative. These have a hinged door that can be swung inward, allowing your relative to easily get themselves inside without the need to lift their legs at all. This minimizes the risk of falling, and with the use of rails inside and outside the tub, your relative will be able to bathe without the need for someone there to monitor their entry and exit. There is also a shower nozzle attachment within easy reach so your relative can rinse themselves off without the need to stand at all.

Add An Intercom

Consider adding an intercom system inside the bathroom so your relative can alert you if they need assistance. Place a speaker next to the bathtub and toilet so your relative can get your attention with the push of a button. This gives you the peace of mind that they will not be in trouble while using the bathroom and gives them the chance for privacy.

Use Traction

Inside the tub, place rubber gripping tape along the floor to help your relative gain their footing without sliding along a slick surface. Tape easily blend into the decor by matching the pieces of tape with the color of the tub. You can also pick out patterned tape grippers to give the tub a stylish look. Place some of these on the backs of floor mats to help keep them in place as well.

For more information about making your home more accessible, contact a company like Twin City Stair Lifts.

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