The most dangerous surface in the bathroom is the floor. The danger increases dramatically when there are physical limitations. This makes even a simple thing as using the toilet a hazard. So preparing your bathroom is essential. The biggest thing to think about is ensuring that you don’t slip.
The bathtub and the floor are the major hazards. These are the two surfaces that you need to think about making as secure as possible. This is especially true if you can’t physically widen the doorways to accommodate wheel chairs, or if you don’t have the money to do a complete bathroom overhaul.
Addressing the floor should be one of the first priorities. It needs to be covered in a non-stick surface. Regular tiles or basic linoleum won’t work for this. They are far too slick and can cause even bigger problems when wet. The key is you want texture in your flooring. This is so that you can get a grip on floors even when they are wet. You do need to research the product prior to using it. Some surfaces can go directly over your current floor.
The bathtub should be your next priority. There are plenty of bath mats to take care of this problem. If you have issues with cleaning under these types of mats then you should consider covering your bathtub floor with a spray non-stick material which creates a seal. This can make your tubs easier to clean. Check out the product and application processes before applying.
Installation of metal bars is important as well. It is necessary to have something that will support you in case you do begin to fall. The metal bars should be installed near the toilet and bathtub. They should be installed directly into the stud of the walls and not into the drywall for maximum support. They can also be bolted to the floor if there are no walls close. They should not be used as extra towel racks.
Make sure to tape down the edges between the flooring in the bathroom and the flooring in the other rooms to prevent tripping over the transition edges especially if you are going from carpet to tile. Don’t put any furry bath mats with edges in front of the toilet or the bath tub. Those have edges which can be tripped over, and they can move from under unstable feet causing a fall.
Making your bathroom accessible is not an easy task. It requires thought into making sure that the bathroom is a safe environment. While it is an ideal situation to completely redo the bathroom, there are minor things that you can do to make a trip to the bathroom safer.
