How to help to prevent bathroom falls?

One area of your home that is often overlooked is the bathroom. Because most falls take place in the bathroom, preventing falls in this more confined space should be a major priority when assessing your home for safety. 

When someone falls in the bathroom, many potential issues can occur that limit mobility and reduce one’s quality of life.

The following is a list of bathroom hazards that commonly lead to falls, injury and even surgery.

• Slipping on wet surfaces
• Trouble getting in and out of the tub
• Poor visibility due to inadequate lighting
• Dizziness when standing up after bathing
• Dizziness when getting up from the toilet

Maintaining both the freedom and ability to bathe in a safe environment is important because there are many therapeutic benefits associated with bathing. Some of these include pain relief, relaxation, stress relief, enhanced mobility, improved psychological and emotional well-being, reduced symptoms of skin disease and increased blood circulation. Warm water also opens up the pores in the skin, so applying topical creams or medications after a warm bath is best for absorption into the skin.

Walk-in bathtubs or a level shower area are always the preferred bathing solutions but due to the high costs, they are not always a feasible solution. But the good news is that there are many excellent bathroom safety products that will help to maintain independence while reducing the likelihood of a fall. 

Products that we recommend for people who are unable to adapt their existing bathroom into a “walk-in bathroom”, are items such as powered bath seats, bath stools, and support rails/grab rails placed in specific locations that can make a big difference to bathroom safety.