Most slip and fall accidents that occur in the home, happen in the bathroom. With so many slicks, hard surfaces combined with moisture can make for some dangerous conditions.
However, with a few preventative measures, you can drastically lower your and your family’s risk of slipping and falling in the bathroom.
1. Ditch The Throw Rug
Believe it or not, these slippery floor coverings are the most common cause of a household slip and fall. If you cannot bare to part with your bathroom rug, try to secure them using double faced tape, tacks, or slip resistant backings.
2. Prevent Tub Slippage
It should come as no surprise that the tub is the most ‘slippery’ part of the bathroom, especially when you are taking a bath or shower. Put in some nonslip strips, tiles or mats in your tub or shower to give yourself the extra grip you need to prevent falls. Additionally, you will want to secure any loose corners on mats.
3. Keep It Clean
Make sure to keep your tub or shower clean to counteract slippery soap residue or mold. Additionally, keeping your bathtub or shower well maintained can prevent them from getting damaged or weakening which can increase your chances of an accident.
4. Keep It Dry
While you can’t always keep the actual tub or shower dry, you can ensure that the floor is. Always use a weighted shower curtain to ensure that no water leaks onto the floor. In addition, you should try to clean up any excess water that may have dripped onto your floor after bathing with a towel to keep things dry.
5. Install Grab Bars Or Rails
Keeping your balance can get a lot harder as you get older, especially in places where you need to lift yourself or that are often wet and slippery. Place grab bars or rails in or around the shower, bathtub, and the toilet in order to give you and others something sturdy to hold onto. You will find that grab bars and rails come in a large variety of lengths, textures, and styles so you should have no trouble finding one that fits your bathroom. However, it is important to note that a towel bar or soap dish is not a suitable substitute and will not be able to hold your weight.
6. Light It Up
While your bathroom is most likely well-lit during the day, the same cannot be said at night. Make sure that your bathroom lighting is adequately bright enough for your daily needs. Additionally, you may want to use a nightlight or install an illuminated switch in order to make the bathroom easier to find in the middle of the night. Some even use glow in the dark stickers or markings to create an easy to see path from the bedroom to the bathroom.
7. Raise Up Your Toilet Seat
Is your toilet seat low? You should consider purchasing a toilet seat extender or a toilet with a higher seat. A low toilet seat can make it challenging to get up safely and takes a lot more effort to do so. If you are someone with mobility issues, the last thing you need is to have trouble getting up and down from the toilet.
8. Grab A Bath Or Shower Seat
As you get older, moving around or standing for long periods of time can become challenging including when you bathe or shower. If you have mobility issues, you should consider getting a bath or shower seat. This will allow you a place to sit rather than lay or stand and thus prevent slipping.
9. Install A Handheld Or Adjustable Shower Head
Again, mobility issues can make showering a challenge. With a handheld or adjustable shower head, you can minimize your movements in the shower or use it safely with your bath seat.
10. Never Rush
Don’t ever rush to take a bath or shower. The bathtub and shower is very slippery and the water everywhere only makes it worse. This combined with ‘being in a rush’ almost guaranteed that you will end up slipping and falling.