Since january 1st of this year, people over 65 years old had a fall in Europe, sometimes with serious consequences.
Since january 1st of this year, people over 65 years old had a fall in Europe, sometimes with serious consequences.
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The bathroom is a place where you risk slipping because the floor, which is often tiling, regularly gets wet.
>> Consider having anti-skid tiling installed.
Make sure that you have stable support points available at all times to counter instability.Unbalance when entering your bathtub is a reality. However, getting into a high shower box is also risky.
>> Refer to the section 'the equipment you can install in your bathroom'.
Everyone knows someone who found themselves 'stuck' in their bath! Indeed, standing back up when you are sitting in your bath can sometimes prove to be a perilous exercise.
>> The best advice to be given is not to sit down at the bottom of the bathtub; if you really wish to continue taking baths, a few little adjustments could be a great help.
>> When you have a choice, use the shower instead of the bath. If you only have a bath, avoid taking baths and rather take showers in our bathtub.
>> If having work done is a possibility, removing the bath and installing an adapted shower is advised. Showers are highly practical and more satisfactory for people with reduced mobility. In that case, choose a shower with an extra-flat box (level with the floor) with a floor drain and fit it out with support bars and a seat.
>> For plumbing fixtures, prefer a mixing faucet (can be manipulated with one hand) with an included thermostat; it is more practical, comfortable and greatly reduces burn risks.
>> Lastly, when bathroom renovations are impossible or when a fall risk remains despite these renovations, making the choice to wash at the sink is less risky. Place your chair in front of the sink; it makes washing at the sink safer.
You can install the following equipment in your bathroom:
1- To wash at the sink:
- A chair: you can set up a plastic garden chair with arm rests, but be careful not to take an overly low model so as not to find it difficult to stand up. Alternatively, ergonomic chairs intended for this purpose exist.
- An anti-skid mat (or stickers): to avoid slipping, all anti-skid systems are very effective. They are placed at the bottom of the bathtub or shower box. Also choose a thin anti-skid mat to put next to your bath.
- Support bars: as their name indicates, they provide support points in order to make walking and/or transfers safer. They exist in different sizes, shapes, colours and materials. The choice and fixation of the bars depends on the person's size, the other technical aids already in place, the type of transfer performed, etc.
In general, prefer those made of plastic instead of metallic ones (cold at touch). If you are visually impaired, choose bars whose colour contrasts with the wall.
2- To wash in the bathtub:
It is possible to fit out the bath to make washing safer.
- A bath board (with or without an included handle): this very simple equipment makes it possible to get into the bath with no risk of losing your balance, as you are sitting down when you put your legs in. The person can then sit at the bottom of the bathtub (however, it is not recommended) or on a bath stool, or else remain seated on the board while taking a shower (recommended).
If the board does not have a handle, we recommend that a vertical support bar be installed on the wall (about 30cm from the edge of the bathtub).
- A bath swivel seat: the main idea of the bath swivel seat is similar to that of the bath board. The swivel seat is more highly recommended for people who risk falling backwards when sitting down; however, this equipment requires the assistance of a third person.
- A bath stool: this plastic stool is equipped with anti-skid suction cups; it does not make getting into the bathtub safer but makes it possible to avoid sitting at its bottom, from where getting back up is difficult.
- An elevating bath seat: it is a plane system which lifts from the bottom of the bathtub up to the edge (powered by battery or by water pressure); the elevating bath seat makes it possible to safely take baths.
- Access steps: this equipment is to be used exclusively in combination with a support bar. The height of the step (10 or 15cm) makes going over the edge of the bathtub easier as you need not lift your legs as high. Be careful though, as there is still a risk of losing your balance!
- Some support bars are specifically designed for bathtubs:
- Faucet support bar: this bar is designed to hold onto and pull yourself up when seated at the bottom of the bathtub.
- Lateral support bar or bath handle: these bars are attached to the floor or edge of the bathtub to make stepping over the edge easier.
- Vertical support bar on the wall: this bar can be fixed high on the wall (bended elbow position) if the person wishes to stand in the bathtub (to make washing their private parts easier, for instance).
3- To wash in the shower:
- A shower seat: this seat makes shower time safer and frees your hands to wash. Wall seats can be adjustable (folding seats) or stationary. There are also stools with legs equipped with suction cups.
- A wall support bar: a horizontal wall bar makes getting into the shower easier. A vertical bar can be fixed high on the wall if the person wishes to stand (to make washing their private parts easier, for instance).
