For the majority of people, their home is the one place they always feel safe and comfortable. But, unfortunately, as you age or experience a disability it is common to find your home difficult to navigate. Sometimes your home can become limiting if your rooms don’t cater for easy access and simple solutions.
One of the rooms in the house that people can dread is the bathroom. This room is often referred to as the most dangerous room in the house for anyone with mobility issues. Countless slips, falls and accidents occur in the bathroom and this can cause difficult, and sometimes embarrassing, situations for people. If you’re looking for ways you can make your bathroom more accessible, ISB Mobility has put together a list of easy changes you can make.
GRAB HANDLES
These small handles/rails can make such a huge difference to the way that people move around a bathroom. You may hear these handles referred to as grab rails, grab bars or handrails, they are all essentially safety rails that get screwed into a wall. They are designed to hold the weight of someone, so they can lean on them to manoeuvre around the room with confidence.
It is beneficial to use multiple rails around the room and put them in areas that are specifically difficult to navigate. We would always suggest that you put them next to the toilet, on the inside wall of the bath and also in the shower.
WALK-IN BATHS
Traditional baths aren’t always suitable for disabled or elderly users. It can be really difficult to climb in and out stepping over the sides of the bath even if you do have rails installed for support. Thankfully, you can now get walk-in baths, these essentially have a door that you can use to enter and also a bath seat for you to use making them much safer than a standard bath.
An extra tip is to purchase a rubber mat for the bottom of your bath too. The slippery surface of a bathtub can be really dangerous if you’re unsteady on your feet. This incredibly cheap accessory can provide you with extra grip and make a big difference.
SHOWER SEATS
The shower can be one of the most hazardous parts of the bathroom for people who aren’t confident standing unaided for a long time. Shower seats are the perfect solution for anyone who still wants to be able to use a shower independently but would rather sit down. They are a simple yet incredibly effective design and can take away the fear of falling in the shower.
You can now even get shower chairs or stools that fold away. They are specially designed to be compact when not in use, so other people won’t have to shower around the seat. With lots of designs to choose from, there is something for every bathroom.
RAISED TOILETS
Going to the toilet is something that we do multiple times a day and for some people, getting up and down from the toilet seat can be really difficult. Whilst toilet surround frames or grab rails can help with this, installing a raised toilet may be a better choice. You can get seats which are raised higher from the bowl, so you won’t need to lower yourself so far down.
It may also be a good idea to install a backrest onto your toilet. These padded backrests can help with your stability when sitting on the toilet. They provide you with something to lean on so you don’t hurt your back too.
COMPLETING BATHROOM ADAPTIONS
Thankfully, there are so many things you can do to help make using your bathroom a much less frightening experience. These easy adaptations can make a huge difference to so many people’s lives and aren’t too complex to implement either.
If you would like to make your bathroom more accessible and you’re searching for a company that can help, visit the ISB Mobility website today. We offer a range of solutions for home adaptations, ensuring maximum convenience and accessibility to people with reduced mobility. So, whatever your bathroom needs may be, we are the perfect company to help.
