Smart Ways for Designing Bathrooms for Elderly and Safety Tips

 

When deciding on the layout of your home, you have to ensure that it provides comfort to all family members, especially the elderly. Safety and function must harmoniously complement each other, especially in a bathroom. It is essential to design a bathroom that caters to the demands of the elders and improves their overall experience.

With several subtle accents, it is possible to achieve the necessary aesthetic and, at the same time, ideally equip the bathroom. However, transforming bathroom facilities to meet the needs of the elderly requires tremendous attention to detail.

Slip-resistant flooring

Slips and falls present an issue in bathing a8reas because they are designed in a way that retains moisture. Adhering to slip-resistant flooring is vital and an essential step to reduce the risk of falling and ensure the safety of family members. Installing textured tiles specifically made for bathrooms and using materials like rubber and vinyl can help in providing a grip that can help the elders.

Install handrails and grab bars

The handrails and grab bars are crucial for your bathroom to become safer and more accessible because they are specially designed to offer you stability where it is most needed.  The locations of these fixtures should be considered, and they should be installed at a particular height and angle to minimise chances of falls and provide extra assurance. One can install these handrails and grab bars next to the bathtub, shower, and toilet for maximum comfort.

Adequate lighting

Proper lighting is necessary in any home lavatory, but a well-lit bathroom plays a crucial role for people with older members at home. Proper lighting eliminates shadows or makes it easy to see dark areas, assisting in viewing obstacles. Comprehensive lighting is achieved by layered lighting that includes ambient, task and accent lighting. Other features such as motion-sensing and night lights can also improve the area’s convenience and clarity, enabling the user during night-time visits, boosting both security and reassurance.

 Consider a comfort-height toilet

Conventional toilets are not very comfortable for the elderly as they come in lower heights than the recommended ones. An ideal height for the commode to be fixed comfortably is between 17 and 19 inches, which can help ease strain on the knee and back. Replacing toilet seats with armrests gives additional support and features that are elderly-friendly and ensures the safety and comfort aspects of our bathroom. 

Incorporate easy-of-use fixtures

Convenience or simplicity is especially desirable from a safety standpoint in products used by elderly people. Turning-style faucets and door handles are a lot easier to turn than knobs which is a great advantage for people with arthritis or bone problems. Moreover, the use of anti-scald devices, especially on showers and faucets, should be made to prevent burn incidents and make the home safe for the beloved family members.

Utilise accessible storage solutions

Often, when we arrange bathroom layouts, the organisation of storage space is disregarded, but it is essential, especially when designing a bathroom for the elderly’s comfort. There should be adequate space for storing things so that they do not have to bend or stretch to reach for something that they need. Solutions such as built-in shelves, hi-rising cupboards, and sliding tables make the stored items easily accessible, including toiletries and towels, without compromising on safety.

Maintaining consistent design aesthetic

In addition to being safe and functional, a bathroom should be warm and inviting. Through the choice of the materials used in design, colour, and texture of elements incorporated, it is possible to establish a coherent design that will transform a bathroom unit from a conservative institutional form of a room to a welcoming part of a home. This balance stresses safety while maintaining aesthetics and does not allow degradation of the facilities’ worth or disrespect to those who have to be in the restricted areas.

With these elements integrated, and further additions taken into mind, it is possible to design a space that will fulfil the elderly’s wants and needs from a functional perspective while, at the same time, positively impacting their overall quality of life and subjective well-being.