Negosentro | FAQs About Bathroom Equipment For The Elderly Answered | Do you currently live with an elderly relative and notice they are struggling with using the bathroom? Do you have concerns that the bathroom may no longer be safe for them to use if you aren’t home?
If the answer to either of these is yes, then you will need to make some adaptations to ensure your loved one’s safety; and here, common questions about making such adaptations are answered.
What Are The Most Commonly Used Pieces Of Bathroom Equipment For Elderly People?
The most commonly used and purchased pieces of bathroom equipment that are used by the elderly include grabbing rails, height-adjustable toilet seats, anti-slip mats, and shower seats. More expensive options include walk-in showers and even the installation of wet rooms. If you want to learn a bit more about accessible bathroom equipment, search for bathroom installation specialists who will be able to adapt your bathroom and ensure that all of the installed equipment is safe.
Can I Install Grab Rails Myself?
You can, and there are many grab rails that are suitable for placement on bathroom tiles, using suction cups to secure them. However, if you have a relative that requires a sturdier grab rail, then you may need to have them installed by a company that is trained in making over bathrooms for those who have limited mobility—just to be on the safe side!
Why Are Shower Chairs Important?
When it comes to conditions such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, and general mobility issues in the elderly, it may be hard for them to be able to stand upright in a shower in order to wash. And the limited mobility may also impact their ability to get into or out of a standard bath.
Shower chairs are a useful addition to any bathroom if you are looking to adapt this room for elderly loved ones. They allow a person to sit in the shower and wash without putting stress on their joints or their limbs. This reduces discomfort and makes the process of showering safer.
Should I Have My Bathroom Assessed First?
In most cases, it is better to have a physical therapist visit your home and assess the needs of your elderly relative before you make any changes to your bathroom. This will be ideal, as they will know exactly what bits of equipment are needed and will be able to guide you on the cheapest ways to have them installed.
However, having a physical therapist assess your bathroom for accessibility may only be a good idea if your relative or loved one has complex needs. In less severe instances, you and your loved one can devise a plan on how best to adapt the bathroom with the use of grab rails, bidets, and slip-proof mats.
Are These Upgrades Going to Be Expensive?
Some of them will be, and some of them won’t, and you should only make upgrades or adaptations to your bathroom that you know are going to be useful for your elderly relative.
For example, having a bath turned into a walk-in bath with a height-adjustable shower seat is likely to be expensive. But, if your loved one simply needs help with crouching to get down onto the toilet, and to stand up again, then installing grab rails is likely to be a better option for them, as well as being more affordable.
