The holiday season is fast approaching. We’re just a little over a week away from Christmas! On behalf of the entire Advantage Home Health Solutions team, we’d like to wish you all a very joyous holiday season! We’d like to wish you a very safe one as well. That means adhering to COVID-19 safety regulations to ensure the well-being of your loved ones. This is especially important for the older adults in your family.
Of course, the pandemic shouldn’t be necessary to remind you about the importance of senior safety. Making sure your elderly loved ones are kept safe is a year-round requirement. This is especially true when they’re using the bathroom. Are the bathrooms in your home injury-proof? What can you do to make them safer than ever this holiday season?
Keep the floor dry.
It goes without saying that the bathroom is prone to getting its fair share of moisture. Between all of the running water and steam from hot showers creating condensation on the various surfaces, bathrooms are known for getting wet! Make drying the floors a constant habit. Ensuring that no wetness will cause any slips and falls is an important way to keep seniors safe in the bathroom.
According to Anneliese Peterson on WalkerMethodist.org, “keeping the floor dry in the bathroom is one of the simplest and most important things that you can do to maintain bathroom safety for older adults. If the floors are wet or damp, this becomes a hazard that could create a very dangerous situation.”
Install bright lights.
People often underestimate the importance of good lighting. We focus so hard on creating slip-free environments in our bathrooms we neglect the fact that poor lighting can cause accidents. This is true no matter how clean and dry the floors are. Needless to say, many seniors battle with impaired vision. Keeping the elderly loved one in your home safe, when in the bathroom, requires that the room’s lighting is nice and bright. You generally can’t trip over an obstacle you see well in advance!
“Install bright lights and put switches in easily accessible places,” advises HolidayRetirement.com, “Also consider night lights in the hallway. Many accidents occur when seniors are navigating their way to the washroom at night.”
Raise the toilet seat.
Chances are that the senior in your home may struggle with balance from time to time. If this is so, it is likely difficult for him/her to get up off the toilet without a little assistance. With a raised toilet seat, you lessen how far your elderly loved one has to crouch down to take a seat. This enables him/her to get up easier, minimizing his risk of taking a tumble.
“Toilet seat risers are great for toilets with low seating,” Peterson points out, “By raising the seat with a toilet seat riser, you may prevent falling when using the restroom. These make wonderful additions to grab bars near the toilet area.”
At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we offer a wide variety of bath safety products to help keep bathrooms injury-free. For more information, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page.
