What are Some Important Bathroom Renovation Tips for the Elderly?

The aging population of society has thrown up profound challenges for everyone around us with the comfort and well-being of the elderly gaining the prime attention of everyone. This has led to a situation where changes have to be made in our home where the comfort & well-being of the seniors should be of concern.

Renovation of your home to accompany elders requires attention to some specific rooms where the risk of getting injured is pretty high in comparison to other rooms. One such room is the bathroom where there have been countless instances of senior citizens getting injured due to a bad fall resulting from slippery tiles.

Bathroom remodeling is certainly a cumbersome task & when it is being redesigned for elders then you have to pay attention to details. Here are some tips to help you out.

Increase the Bathroom Space

Most often it is seen that senior people find it very difficult to operate in confined spaces and the bathroom is one such room in the entire house that can be considered the smallest room. Moreover, when you have enough space in your bathroom, then only you can think about adding amenities that help senior citizens to use the bathroom safely.

In addition to this, some seniors also require the assistance of walking aids like walkers, canes and wheelchairs & these materials require proper space for their unhindered movement inside a room. This is why you must first prioritize increasing the available space in your bathroom.

Remodeling the Shower

Now, the majority of senior people face problems accessing the shower in the bathroom. This is because most homes have the shower attached to the bathtub which creates a problem for the senior people in your home to use the shower because they cannot into the bathtub.

Moreover, climbing into and out of the bathtub is considered very risky for aged people because there are high chances for them to slip and get injured. Sometimes people install a walk-in shower for the elderly in their homes which many senior people don’t have any issue to accessing.

However, if a senior citizen is using walking assistance, then he or she is going to have a problem accessing the walk-in shower. You can always install a shower seat for your family members where one can seat easily and have access to the shower which needs to be installed pretty lower than where a normal shower is installed.

Grab Bars

One of the best things that you can add to your bathroom during the renovation process is a grab bar. Grab bars are considered best for elderly people because they provide steady support for people who are at risk of slipping on the bathroom floor and falling.

Moreover, senior people with very poor balance will always look for something to grab to steady them when they are using the bathroom. There are numerous instances where aged people grab onto a towel rack, shower curtain rod, or wall-mounted sink and, in turn, have a bad fall because none of these can handle the weight of a person.

This is why you must go for installing grab bars in your bathroom on the shower wall & around the toilet area which are available in both permanent and temporary forms. In addition to this, you must go for grip-resistant bars because they are very sturdy and ensure that they are bolted to the wall so that they don’t come off.

Non-Slip Floors

One of the most important aspects of a bathroom renovation is making it safe and easier for senior people to access without the risk of getting injured due to a bad fall. Now, without giving attention to the flooring of your bathroom this aspect of bathroom remodeling will remain incomplete.

Slippery floors are one of the riskiest areas in the bathroom where the elderly often have bad falls. Now, there are a variety of tiles and marbles that are non-slippery and you can go for remaking the floor of your bathroom with these items.

However, if you are having budgetary constraints for your bathroom renovation, then you can opt for non-slip mats for both the inside and the outside of your bathroom.

Finally

The above-discussed factors are some of the leading things that you should follow when you are going for a bathroom renovation for making it safe for the elderly in your house to use. Have a word with your bathroom renovation contractor who can help you in designing a safe bathroom for senior people.

Kitchen Emporium is the leading provider of high quality kitchen and bathroom remodeling & renovation services in Southern California at a more economical price since many years. We are conveniently located in San Diego, Chatsworth & San Marcos areas