Is Your Senior’s Bathroom Ready for Her Current Stage of Life?

One of the first areas in your senior’s home that you might need to look at more closely is the bathroom. This is the room in which your elderly family member is likely to be the most vulnerable and it’s one in which you can readily improve the overall safety.

Senior Care in Vienna VA: Bathroom Safety

Install Hand Rails

Handrails are one of the biggest safety tools you can install in your senior’s bathroom. These give her a way to stabilize herself and to catch herself if she feels that she’s losing her balance. They’re also much easier to install than most people think that they are, so you can possibly tackle this project on your own.

Address Potential Slipping Hazards

Between water and the fact that most bathrooms have flooring types that tend to be naturally more slippery, slipping hazards are a huge risk for your senior. Non-slip rubs and anti-slip stickers in the tub or shower stall can be a huge help. You might also want to look for ways to reduce water puddles, such as absorbent shower mats that soak up drips fast.

Toilet Height Matters

As your elderly family member ages and her abilities change, simple things like sitting on the toilet and getting back up become more complicated than anyone expects. Elevating the toilet, either using a kit that raises the height of the entire toilet or by use of a raised seat, can be the right answer. Raised seats can be the simplest way to go and if you install handrails around the toilet that helps even more.

Rework the Shower

Most people think of the shower or tub as something that just is what it is. But by adding a shower chair or installing a detachable shower head, you can change the entire functionality of the shower and tub. Look for solutions that meet your senior’s needs.

Think Basic Safety

Above all, basic safety is your biggest concern. Perhaps revamping the bathroom isn’t in your budget right now and that’s understandable. What might be a better option is hiring senior care providers who can help your elderly family member to be safer when she’s in the bathroom. They can ensure that she’s got a shoulder to lean on and discreet help for necessary tasks.

Bathroom safety is crucial for your aging adult. This is likely also a topic that you’ll revisit periodically as your elderly family member’s needs change. She may need different features a few years from now that wouldn’t be as helpful right now. Always keep her needs in mind and look for ways to accommodate those needs in the best way possible.

Are you or a loved-one considering hiring Senior Care in Vienna, VA?  Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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