Creating a Falls-Proof Bathroom for Your Elderly Relative

Did you know that most falls occur in the bathroom?

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that bathrooms can present serious risks for the elderly, especially when living alone.

Falls account for approximately 60% of all injury related A&E visits, and if you slip and fall in the bathroom, there is a good chance that you will suffer an injury and will need assistance.

How can we reduce falls in the bathroom?

The elderly face an increased risk of falling due to intrinsic risk factors such as increased mobility issues, reduced balance and muscle weakness to name but a few. This can make navigating around a slippery bathroom difficult, and most falls occur while seniors are getting in or out of the bath or shower, or while using the toilet.

For those with balance or mobility issues, it’s important to make sure that any objects they may use to support themselves, such as shower bars or sink tops, are securely fitted to ensure stability.

Adding safety features to a bathroom

It’s important to properly examine your elderly loved ones' bathroom and ensure they have access to safety and mobility aids that will reduce their risk of falling.

You may want to consider:

• Installing grab bars
• Ensuring non-slip mats cover any potentially slippery surfaces
• A shower chair which can improve confidence
• Ensuring all items are stored within easy reaching distance
• Ensuring that the bathroom is appropriately lit at night time

Consider using a falls alarm for reassurance

Care technology can provide reassurance for both the device wearer and their family. Our Companion Watch helps to keep the elderly living independently for as long as possible and provides reassurance that help is on hand.

The Companion Watch comes complete with fall detection technology and automatically raises an alert if a fall is detected. This is important as the wearer may lose consciousness or not be able to raise the alarm themselves. Companion Watch alerts ensures that if a fall happens, the Watch wearers support contacts will receive the alert immediately, ensuring help is provided swiftly. This is especially important when a minor injury is present, or the Watch wearer is incapacitated on a cold hard floor for a prolonged period of time. Ageing people have a diminished ability to heal, and even minor injuries can soon develop into a serious long term issue if not dealt with.