Fall Prevention Tips - Make Your Bathroom Safe For Your Elderly Parents

Now that your parents are seniors, they need ashower. Replace these with soaps that can easily be
special bathroom that can accommodate their needsrinsed off and doesn't leave oil residue.
and this is in answer to the fall prevention tips that• The next item in this list of fall prevention tips is
are outlined below in order for your elderly parentsvery important. Bathroom appliances such as hair
to have a safe usage of the bathroom. To be abledryers, electric razors, and electric toothbrushes
to follow the fall prevention tips below you should beshould be removed or kept far away from the water
open to the idea that your bathroom might needand the path of your elderly parents as these carry
some remodeling so that your parents have lots ofthe risk of electrocution or tripping on the wires
room to maneuver themselves in the bathroom andwhich leads to a bad fall.
this is important if they are already using mobility aids• Remove clutter from your bathroom floor such
such as walkers with wheels, canes, or wheelchairs.as tissue papers, used towels, laundry baskets, even
• As part of growing old, the vision is more likelyvanity cases or tables should be removed again to
affected therefore replace those low wattage lightsmake a wider space for maneuvering.
inside bathrooms and opt for those brighter lights.• If you have smooth tiled floors or marble floors
Many seniors also wake up in the middle of the nightcover which are practically hard to replace without
to use the bathroom, see to it that it's going to be aspending much, you can opt for no slip rubber mats
safe journey into the bathroom by installing nightor wall to wall carpeting.
lights on the path to the bathroom to help them see• A simple fall safety tip is convincing your senior
where they're going.parents to use aqua shoes when taking a bath.
• You might want to replace those tubs with aThese are shoes that are safe to wear in water as
walk-in shower that has no steps to prevent falls andthey have high traction to prevent accidental falls.
trips as your elderly parents try to walk over the• Towels and robes should be within reach but far
shower steps. If that cannot be done, you mustenough from the shower or tub so that there is less
install handrails that will adequately support the weightmovement on their part to reach those items.
of each of your elderly parents because if these• The last item in this list of fall prevention tips is
handrails don't, then the purpose is defeated. Anotheraimed at the frequently ignored area which is the
idea is to use a non-slip rubber mat that is largetoilet seat which has a height that is often too low
enough in the tub itself for traction. The mats thatand less comfortable for seniors with arthritic joints,
you choose should be of a contrasting color thansitting might be easy but it's the getting up where
that of your tub so that even thought they maytrouble usually lies. The solution to this is to install
have bad eyesight, they can still see the rubber mat.booster seats with handrails for support.
• It's possible that while taking a bath, they getThis list of fall prevention tips is a great guide to help
dizzy and have a slip and fall accident, hand rails whichyou or a caregiver you hire do the best job possible
are vertical bars are a great help as they offerin caring for your elderly parents because they
something to hold on to keep themselves steady.shouldn't be denied the chance to live longer lives just
• Bath oils, moisturizers, and oil-based soaps arebecause they already belong to the young once
also the factors that cause seniors to slip when theygeneration.
try to get up from the tub or as they use the