Bathroom Safety Products For Seniors

My mother is a senior who lives indepedently and hopes to be able to continue to do so. One of the first concerns she voiced was difficulty getting in and out of her bathtub. Although she's a small woman, her strength and balance are significantly reduced and she feared she might one day be unable to get out of the tub. We didn't feel she was at a point where help was really needed with bathing but we agreed that some adaptations were in order.

Like many seniors, my mother prefers bathing in a tub to showering, so we started our search for bathroom safety products there. There are special tubs available which allow the user to walk into the tub just as you do a shower. This keeps the individual from having to step up into the tub and with the seat that's installed, they also don't have to lower themselves into the tub very far. My mother didn't want to make major changes to her bath so we went a different route.

The first thing that she decided to do was to get a long handled sponge to help her in reaching her back and all other areas when bathing. Next, we installed grab bars on the tub so that she could steady herself both when getting in and getting out of the tub. Again, she didn't want to make major changes so she opted to get the grab bars that attach via suction cup This allowed us to easily install them, relocate them any time we wanted, and avoid drilling holes into the shower wall. Unfortunately we found that these grab bars didn't stay in place well. Therefore, I would recommend only properly mounted grab bars installed into wall studs so that they stay securely in place and can support the full weight of an individual. Here are some tips for DIY installation.

We also discussed a tub bench which would help eliminate the need to lower herself into the tub and the extra effort to get up from such a low position. Some tub benches merely sit in the tub like a chair while others attach securely to the side of the tub. My mother decided that this wasn't necessary, but agreed that it would be reassuring to have a medical alert system, so that if she did fall in the bathroom or have difficulty getting up, she could summon help quickly and easily. Choosing this was a bit more involved and you can read about it by clicking the link above if you're interested.

Of course other small changes like a using no skid mats were also completed.

My mother experiences periods of back pain which significantly reduces her mobility. Although she can typically use her tub, she wanted to also make some adaptations in her shower so that it could be used when use of the tub wasn't possible. Her shower has a step up of only a few inches and includes two shower seats. We discussed shower chairs but she felt the seats in her shower were sufficient as they're fairly large and certainly offer stability as they're part of the construction of the shower itself. They don't offer the added security of arms but short grab bars are placed appropriately to help her get up and down.

With the use of the seats in the shower, we needed to add a handheld shower so that she could direct the shower stream appropriately and operate it from where she was seated. She again chose one that mounted by suction cup to the wall so that installation would be simple. The shower hose itself was only 5 feet long, so we purchased an extended hose (7 feet) to fit her large shower.Of course, getting no-skid mats was also important.

Although my mother has no difficulty with her toilet, some seniors do have trouble either getting down on the toilet or coming up off of it. Certainly raised toilet seats can be really helpful for some of these individuals. They provide a higher seat and arms for stability.

There are of course a number of other bathroom safety products that are very useful, they simply weren't ones that my mother required. An evaluation by a therapist can identify any needed adaptations and assistive devices. Long handles for faucets, aids to assist with dressing, transfer benches and lifts for getting into the tub, and structural changes may be needed.

Photo Credits

Introduction: NancyHugoCKD.com (no derivative work allowed)
Used in the Tub: danperry.com.