The bathroom is a very important room in the home. It is not however a place without dangers. Taking some simple precautions can alleviate these dangers. Bathroom safety is important, particularly for older people.
Wetness and Bathroom Safety
A bathroom is a wet area. Water and electricity make a lethal combination. Under no circumstances should mains appliances ever be taken into the bathroom as this can result in death by electrocution. This must be an absolute bathroom safety rule, never to be broken.
A wet floor means a slippery floor. Slipping and falling in a bathroom can cause serious injury. This is because there are so many things in the bathroom on which to fall: the edge of the basin, bath or toilet and also taps and other hard, protruding appliances including glass shelves.
If there is a shower with glass doors, falling onto or through the glass doors is a danger to be avoided. The possibility of slipping on the wet floor can be greatly reduced by putting down good quality bath mats. These mats must not slip and must be designed to grip the floor even if the floor is wet.
A grab rail or grab bar is a good feature to have in any bathroom. It is particularly important to have a strong and secure grab rail to assist an older person to get in and out of the bath. There are ADA approved grab bars (site accessed 14th March 2010). If there is no grab rail or bar then there is always the temptation to get hold of something else like a towel rail which is not designed to take the weight of a person. The towel rail may collapse with disastrous consequences.
The Shower and Bathroom Safety - Additional Considerations
Some systems that deliver water to the shower are such that when the shower is operating at a comfortable temperature and a tap is switched on or a toilet flushed, the shower suddenly gets very hot because some of the cold water has been diverted. If this happens the person having the shower can get scalded. The solution is to ask a plumber to install a device to stop this happening. This may be a mixing valve and regulator. It is best to ask an expert.
The floor in the shower may be slippery. A good quality bath mat may help. It is important that this bath mat itself does not slip. If the shower is over a bath it is essential to have a good quality bath mat to stand on in the bath. The problem is that a bath is not designed for standing in and showering - the surface is smooth and curved.
It is necessary to step in and out of the shower. As an added precaution against slipping, a good quality, strong grab rail is a good investment. It is essential to have a grab rail if an older person is using the shower. This is especially important if the shower is over the bath as getting in and out over the edge of the bath is a big step. Sometimes a senior citizen may like to sit on a seat in the shower. In this case a second grab rail, installed in a position to help getting on and off the seat, will be an added safety feature..
The implementation of the above precautions will improve the safety of any bathroom. It is especially important to use good quality bath mats and to install strong and sturdy grab rails. They will help lessen the danger of slipping. It is also wise to make sure the temperature in the shower remains constant. It is especially important to take these precautions if elderly people are using the bathroom and shower.
Wetness and Bathroom Safety
A bathroom is a wet area. Water and electricity make a lethal combination. Under no circumstances should mains appliances ever be taken into the bathroom as this can result in death by electrocution. This must be an absolute bathroom safety rule, never to be broken.
A wet floor means a slippery floor. Slipping and falling in a bathroom can cause serious injury. This is because there are so many things in the bathroom on which to fall: the edge of the basin, bath or toilet and also taps and other hard, protruding appliances including glass shelves.
If there is a shower with glass doors, falling onto or through the glass doors is a danger to be avoided. The possibility of slipping on the wet floor can be greatly reduced by putting down good quality bath mats. These mats must not slip and must be designed to grip the floor even if the floor is wet.
A grab rail or grab bar is a good feature to have in any bathroom. It is particularly important to have a strong and secure grab rail to assist an older person to get in and out of the bath. There are ADA approved grab bars (site accessed 14th March 2010). If there is no grab rail or bar then there is always the temptation to get hold of something else like a towel rail which is not designed to take the weight of a person. The towel rail may collapse with disastrous consequences.
The Shower and Bathroom Safety - Additional Considerations
Some systems that deliver water to the shower are such that when the shower is operating at a comfortable temperature and a tap is switched on or a toilet flushed, the shower suddenly gets very hot because some of the cold water has been diverted. If this happens the person having the shower can get scalded. The solution is to ask a plumber to install a device to stop this happening. This may be a mixing valve and regulator. It is best to ask an expert.
The floor in the shower may be slippery. A good quality bath mat may help. It is important that this bath mat itself does not slip. If the shower is over a bath it is essential to have a good quality bath mat to stand on in the bath. The problem is that a bath is not designed for standing in and showering - the surface is smooth and curved.
It is necessary to step in and out of the shower. As an added precaution against slipping, a good quality, strong grab rail is a good investment. It is essential to have a grab rail if an older person is using the shower. This is especially important if the shower is over the bath as getting in and out over the edge of the bath is a big step. Sometimes a senior citizen may like to sit on a seat in the shower. In this case a second grab rail, installed in a position to help getting on and off the seat, will be an added safety feature..
The implementation of the above precautions will improve the safety of any bathroom. It is especially important to use good quality bath mats and to install strong and sturdy grab rails. They will help lessen the danger of slipping. It is also wise to make sure the temperature in the shower remains constant. It is especially important to take these precautions if elderly people are using the bathroom and shower.
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