More and more people are choosing to age in their homes, or are looking to accommodate family members as they enter their next stage in life. When approaching these new phases, it’s important to consider changes you may need to make in your home to be sure the safety and comfort of your loved ones, including in your bathroom spaces. Here are our suggestions of things you should be thinking about:
- Bathing, including shower and tub accessibility: A Curb-less shower or walk-in tub are easy changes to make to allow ease of use. A seat within your tub or shower allows for comfort while the space is in use, and grab bars are great accessories for safety when entering and exiting. One other thing that often goes unnoticed is flooring – A non-slip floor is one of the most important things to address in the shower to prevent falls. A textured tile or a slatted wood tray over a concrete floor can provide a nonslip floor.
- Sink and vanity accessibility: Consider a mounted sink to allow for knee and sitting space beneath, and single-handle faucets, which can be easily turned on and adjusted without having to grab or twist. Other simple adjustments include mounting a lower placed mirror, extra long mirror, or tilt mirror that everyone can use, and a vanity with electrically adjustable height counters offer accessibility to all users.
- Bathroom toilet: Toilet height is a major consideration – A wall-hung model toilet can be mounted at a height that is customized for the user. Install toilet paper dispenser at a comfortable height that is forward of the bowl, and installing a bidet may allow for more privacy and good hygiene for folks who find using toilet paper difficult to use for cleaning.
- Lighting: Good lighting in the bathroom is important in safety. Lower light switches so someone in a wheelchair can access them and consider installing switches with a large toggle or push button that doesn’t require one to use a pinching motion to turn off or on. Dimmers can also provide the ability to provide brightness and softness based on users needs, and motion detector lights can be used for individuals who have trouble accessing light switches.
- Odds and Ends: Doorways should be widened to allow for easy access – A door that swings outward instead of inward will allow more space inside the bathroom, or a pocket door in small spaces is another good option for constructing optimal space. Providing easily accessible storage compartments with pull-out shelves to get clutter out of the way and allow access is important, and consider where the best access is for all accessories such as robe hooks, towel bars, paper dispensers, soap dishes, toothbrush holders, shower shelves.
No matter where you are in life journey, contact us today to see how we can help you in your transition.
