How safe is your bathroom especially for the elderly? What can you do to make the bath a safer and easier place as a rest room? Consider the tips below that can dramatically affect the ease-of-use and safety for your loved ones.

Consider a color other than white

Some older folks might have trouble locating a white toilet seat if the flooring is also light or white. Men might have trouble voiding into a toilet while standing if they have difficulty identifying where the toilet stops and the flooring begins.

Provide something to hold onto

Toilets should have plenty of space around them, so that an aide could stand on either side and assist an older person. Angled grab bars are preferable to standard horizontal grab bars, which are typically shorter and require the user to have more upper body strength. With angled grab bars, seniors can grasp the bar at a lower position and then move up the bar, which can also increase transfer independence.

Create traction where it might get wet

The National Institute on Aging suggests placing non-skid mats, strips or carpet on all bathroom surfaces that could possibly get wet. Don’t skimp in this area — environmental hazards, such as wet floors, account for 16 to 27 percent of falls in nursing homes, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Raise the seat

Use toilet seat risers for independent seniors as well as partially weight-bearing residents who are cooperative, can sit up unaided, have upper body strength and are able to bend their hips, knees and ankles.

Bath boards and benches

Placing clothing or material between the user’s skin and the board can help reduce friction and skin tears, OSHA suggests. For added comfort, choose models with padded seats or back support.

Universally accessible sinks

Making bathroom sinks accessible to all helps older people remain independent in their grooming. Wheelchair users can easily access sinks that have space under the bowl or that are accessible from the side. While you’re at it, you might want to take a look at the faucets on your sinks.

Doors

“Barn-style” doors with exterior tracks or “pocket doors” that slide into wall pockets are becoming increasingly popular in long-term care facilities. If it’s in the budget, you can incorporate them into your home bath to make the room easier to access. These types of doors frequently have hardware that is easier to use for people with poor grasping ability. Another reason to consider these styles of doors is that having two or more traditional doors swinging into a single space has been shown to increase falls.