Fall Prevention in the Bathroom
Don’t take chances in the bathroom
Have a baby monitor, “granny cam” or signaling/alerting device for use in case of emergency. Make sure someone else knows you are in there or someone to help with bathing. I once met a woman who was stuck inside her bathtub for three days before help arrived. She couldn’t get out!
She lived in the third-floor apartment of a Boston triple-decker. Fortunately, it was summertime and she could stay hydrated and there were towels nearby for warmth and cover. She ended up getting every possible safety feature for the bathroom after living through that traumatic experience.
We all use the toilet
Toilets, like chairs, are generally a one-size-fits-all scenario. For uses who are unusually short, unusually tall, or unusually wide the standard toilet size may not be appropriate. The standard toilet height is 13 inches. A comfort height toilet is 18 inches high. Toilets and commodes come in sizes to accommodate different users. In general, men prefer an elongated bowl over a round bowl.
Toilet Height
Toilet height can be temporarily added to a toilet for someone with back, hip, or knee injury, pain, or surgery creating medical and mobility challenges. Toilet height can be raised with an add-on seat insert. Just like that, raise the lid and plop it in place. It can also be easily removed for use by others. Raised toilet seats that come with arms may restrict the movement and comfort of a larger user.
A commode over the toilet is a simple, no tools way of adding height and handles to a toilet. The legs adjust easily, the same way a walker height adjusts. They fit in most any space that offers just a few inches on either side. Men often find the average size commode restrictive or uncomfortable.
Commodes
Commodes come in bariatric styles which have a higher weight capacity. A drop arm commode is an option for someone who cannot stand up, such as an amputee. The handles on a drop arm commode, drop down on each side so the user can scoot across the top surface. The flat top of a bariatric drop arm commode also enables the uses to lift one hip at a time, while seated, for improved reach with hygiene, without standing.
A portable commode, placed at the bedside, is useful for nighttime fall prevention. Be sure there is a night light nearby as well as toilet paper and hand sanitizer or wipes.Be aware that there are commode liner bags that make cleanup and odor containment easy.
Bidets
For those with “short arm syndrome” look into a bidet attachment. The Tushy bidet is a low-cost add-on bidet. If you want features in addition to room temperature water spray, such as warm water, an air dryer, or remote control you will need to spend more money for those features.. There is also a portable bidet bottle that is discreet and handy for many users.
Bathtubs
Lots of folks have trouble getting into or out of a traditional bathtub and think that it must be torn out and replaced with one of those walk-in tubs advertised in magazines. It seems obvious to me that that’s a bad idea!
Sitting there wet and naked waiting for the water to drain out before opening the little door seems ludicrous. A simpler, cheaper alternative is a tub seat and other tub adaptations.
Tubseats
Instead, use a tub seat or a tub bench. The bench-style is good for someone who’s heavy, weak or mobility impaired. Two of the legs remain outside the tub. Sit down on the outside edge of the bench, undress, then slide over to the inside. That way you never have to stand up in the wet area.
Remember to make a couple of slits in the plastic shower curtain liner so it can be tucked in around the bench, keeping the water inside the tub.
There are hundreds of varieties of tub seats. I favor the type with a flat (not concave) seat, usually rectangular and made of white plastic, without handles. Look for adjustable legs with rubber-tipped feet. Get creative if you need to find a way to level the seat in a tub with a curved bottom.
Caution
Be careful getting out of the tub. Statistically, most home falls occur in the bathroom. The humiliation is intense if you get lifted by young EMTs off the floor while wet and naked. Use extra caution when getting out of the tub or shower. Don’t rush because you’re cold. Wrap up quickly in a soft and absorbent robe so you can sit and relax while you dry off. In my bathroom, I have a space heater which is essential for taking the chill out of the air to make the bathing experience easier and more relaxing.
Grab bars
Get grab bars installed in the tub area~ but not the suction cup ones. Only use ones that are secured into the wall. Your handyman will know to chip a bit of the shiny surface of a tile before drilling a hole in it. A grab bar can be installed in a fiberglass tub unit, too, as long as expansion bolts are used to keep it from ever being pulled out. Choose a height that feels easy to reach for the user.
In a standard bathtub, you can also use a clamp-on tub rail for no-tools installation onto the outer tub wall. The clamp on rail is useful while stepping in or out of the tub or standing up and sitting down on a tub bench. There’s also a conversion kit to cut away a piece of the outer tub wall. That’s useful for someone with very heavy, short, or weak legs with difficulty getting them inside the tub while sitting on a tub seat.
A hand held shower
A hand held shower is a nice touch for the accessible bathroom. I favor the type with a magnetized storage feature, allowing one handed use.
Don’t forget the non skid tub mat for the inside bottom of the tub. A mat is preferable to decals which are hard to clean and cover less area. A contrasting color tub mat is useful for those with vision issues.
