Is the bathroom safe for your parents or special needs child?

A lot of safety issues for one group of individuals can carry over into another. Sometimes taking care of a special needs child or young adult is like taking care of your elderly parents or visa versa. I read a post regarding the bathroom being safe. My in-laws just had the same contractor that took care of cutting out mom's tub, to make it easier to get in and out of, do their tub.

The post was from Caring.com . It made some good points that we don't always think of so I thought I would share them.

*Be careful of water on the floor. They mention that having a shatterproof door is better than a curtain to help prevent a fall. Also use some type of tiles that feet can grip or decals that make the tub/shower floor not so slippery.


Since a lot of use a variety of soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, etc, the tub/shower floor can get slippery. So make sure someone wipes down the shower or tub with a wash cloth when the person is done. Of course, grab bars are a great addition to the bath.


Try to reduce glare. White seems to be a popular color for the bath but with all the lightening, including natural sunlight, there may be too much light making it hard for elderly or disabled people to see properly and lose their balance. Caring.com suggests using frosted lights, use a row of contrasting tiles or wallpaper borders. Of course, someone can always paint the walls a different color. Get a seat for the shower so the person can sit. This goes along with a hand shower nozzle that can be used at any level to help wash up.


During the colder months, people may be tempted to use space heaters and take one into the bathroom. Dangerous - someone may lose their balance and fall into one causing burns; or papers or towels may land on it possibly causing a fire. So of course you can call a professional to check the heating system in the bathroom; you can run the shower for a few minutes before the person gets in to steam up the bath; put the towels in the dryer so they are warm when the person gets out.


Back to the shower door again, try not to use it for balance. Install grab bars in the shower and don't place towel racks near the door either. People tend to use those for balance too and it can stress the shower door. Every so often check the shower door for cracks, chips, or glass rubbing against metal.

If a door or window does break, place a towel over the glass on the floor so it makes it safer to get out.