It may be unoriginal to compare the first five years of a person’s life with the last five years, but that’s because there is some truth to the comparison. For ages, some basic parallels have been drawn by people who have cared both for their babies and for their aging parents. They know, twice over, what it means to be relied upon by another human being for some of the most basic elements of existence.
One of those elements is safety, and for little kids and aging seniors alike, the bathroom is one place where it’s heavily compromised—and where caregivers need to take extra precautions. As you might expect, many of those precautions overlap, whether you’re designing for the very young or the very old. Here are six you should make sure you have in place now when caring for individuals on either end of the age spectrum:
- Place a non-skid mat or mats on the standing area. These will help minimize the risk of slipping, and because they resist buckling and bulging, they won’t become a stumbling block.
- Install non-slip treads or a non-slip bath mat inside the tub, and keep the tub clean to avoid slippery soap scum or mold.
- Make sure any towel bars, shelves, or soap dishes in the shower are durable and firmly installed. Even when grab bars are available, these are the things that often get used by people who are unsteady or weak, to support their weight as they balance, raise, or lower their bodies.
- Make sure the light switch is located near the bathroom door and within easy reach, and then make sure the lighting itself is even and without glare. Add nightlights for after-dark hours.
- Dial down the temperature on your hot-water heater to 120 degrees to avoid the risk of scalding and serious burns.
There is a great deal of research out their showing that bathrooms are one of the most dangerous rooms in the home. More than 70 percent of home accidents occur there, primarily slips and falls. Young children and aging adults are the most vulnerable to such accidents, and that’s why a bathroom designed with the very young in mind should have a few things in common with one designed for older seniors. Don’t wait to make your bathroom safer for the people you love. A handful of easy changes could make a huge difference!
