Bathroom Safety
When making needed improvements for the safety of seniors wanting to age in place, the bathroom is the place to start. A few key additions can greatly reduce the number of falls and other accidents. Among the most important items are grab bars that make getting in and out of the tub or the shower more secure. A specially-designed grab bar can also make it easier to get on and off the toilet. A raised toilet seat or a commode with a self-powered lifting mechanism, which can be used over a regular toilet, can be a great help for people who have trouble bending as well as getting up. Other smart bathroom products designed for the shower or tub are water-safe chairs and benches. A transfer bench that goes over and inside the tub makes it possible to sit on one edge and swivel legs into the tub for bathing. A great advantage to many of these bathroom safety products is that they often can fold up and be moved to the side when other family members need to use the facilities.
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Bariatric bathroom aids, designed to support the weight of larger people, include grab bars, transfer benches and shower chairs to prevent falls, ease movement, and maximize comfort in the bathroom. Read our Bath Safety Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $17.97
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A bathtub transfer bench is essential for getting an adult or senior with limited mobility safely in and out of the bathtub. Bariatric and molded bath transfer bench are available. Read our Bathtub Transfer Benches Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $42.65
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A commode is a chair with a built-in toilet chamber. Choose from commodes for the bedside or shower, drop-arm commodes, and folding and rolling commode chairs. Read our Commode Chair Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $9.99
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Hand-held showers help people in a sitting position to wash more safely and comfortably - and rinse those hard-to-reach spots. Read our Handheld Shower Heads Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $18.88
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Raised toilet seats (aka risers or lifters) make it easier for seniors to sit down on and get up from the toilet. The lifter attaches right to to the toilet. Can be purchased with or without arms. Read our Raised Toilet Seats Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $19.99
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A shower chair is essential for the comfort and safety of seniors with limited mobility. Available also in a shower bench style, these allow people to sit while showering to reduce falls. Read our Shower Chairs and Benches Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $20.10
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Bathroom grab bars are essential for preventing falls in the shower or bathtub, and include shower grab bars, bathtub rails and toilet rails. Read our Shower Grab Bars Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $18.59
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Toilet safety frames usually attach to the toilet and provide secure hand rails for more easily raising and lowering yourself. Toilet rails either attach to the wall or are integrated with a floor-to-ceiling tension mount pole. Read our Toilet Safety Frames Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $26.32
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Other bath safety products include splash shields, sitz baths, showerboards, portable commodes, shower bandage, cast protectors and more. Read our Bathroom Safety Buyers Guide for help finding the right product.
Items : Starting at $9.99
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Choosing The Best Bathroom Safety
Foldable Toilet Safety Rail by Medline
This toilet safety rails bolts directly to the toilet and accommodates users up to 250 pounds. When not being used, the frame easily folds for storage or travel.
Buckingham Atlantis Showerboard
A transfer board that functions as a bath safety seat, this bath bench goes at the end of the tub to maximize tub space and leg room with a three-sided design reduces the risk of tipping forward no matter far to the front you sit. The cutout allows for personal hygiene and easy water drainage. User-friendly rounded edges add to its comfort features.
Because 70 percent of home accidents occur in the bathroom, bath safety is at the top of the list of home modifications that may become necessary as we age. In many homes, a few key products, like a bathroom safety seat for the tub, strategically placed grab bars, non-slip mats and a raised toilet seat, will do the job without a costly remodel. For people who are still mobile, these often add a sense of security and make it easier to attend to activities of daily living. Here’s what you need to increase bath safety.
Grab Bars
For many people, balance and strength become issues as we age. Installing metal grab bars on the inside wall above the bathtub and/or on the wall adjacent to the tub or shower helps address these problems. Permanent grab bars that attach securely are best for bath safety, and a grab bar with a textured or brushed finish provides you with a better grip, especially when you’re wet. An alternative for getting in and out of the tub is a bathtub rail that clamps onto the outside of the tub itself.
Bathroom Safety Seat
When standing up in the shower or getting up and down from the tub is difficult, a bathroom safety seat, such as a shower chair or bench, allows you to sit in the tub or a stall shower. With the chair or bench for shower safety, you can position yourself under the shower spray or, if you prefer, you can use a handheld showerhead that attaches to the tub faucet—this is also an excellent method when you need assistance from a caregiver. Another item, called a bath transfer bench, seat or chair, straddles the exterior side of the tub. You sit down on the outside part of the bench, then swing your legs over into the tub to make getting in (and out) much easier.
Raised Toilet Seat
If sitting down or standing up from a low seat position is painful or just difficult, a raised toilet seat is an easy adjustment to minimize stress. There are many types to choose from, depending on whether you want the adjustment to be permanent. You can install a toilet riser under your existing toilet seat to lift it up or you can place a raised toilet seat over the existing one or over the porcelain base. If you need more stability but a grab bar can’t be placed near the toilet, choose a model that has arm rails or handles or place a toilet safety frame around the toilet itself.
One important point to remember is to check for the weight limit of a product before you buy it, especially those designed to increase shower safety. Some offer support for people up to 250 pounds; products labeled bariatric can often support a bodyweight of up to 400 pounds or more. Another consideration is the material of the product. Metal often lasts longer than plastic, but any item that is to be used in the moist environment of the bathroom will have a longer life if it is rustproof or waterproof. Also, always compare the size of an item you’re considering to the space it will be used in; measure carefully to avoid having to make a return.
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