Companion Care at Home: How Seniors Can Reduce Clutter In The Bathroom
January is Bath Safety Month and one of the best things that seniors can do to stay safe in the bath is to reduce clutter. Having toiletry bottles, wash cloths, sponges, and other clutter around the tub area can increase the chances that your senior loved one will fall in the tub. Having companion care at home services available when your senior bathes can help reduce this risk also.
A few things that you or a companion care at home provider can do to make the bath safer for your senior loved one are:
Safely Store Towels
Companion Care at Home Wyoming OH – Companion Care at Home: How Seniors Can Reduce Clutter In The Bathroom
Many seniors and companion care at home providers like to have towels handy during a senior’s bath so that they can grab them quickly, but towels lying on the floor are a major tripping hazard. A better way to keep towels handy, according to home care providers who regularly help seniors bathe, is to install a row of simple hooks around the tub that are within arm’s reach but high enough that the towels are safely up off the floor. That way dry towels are still accessible at all times without creating a trip and fall hazard.
Put Toiletries In A Hanging Rack
Installing a mesh rack, like a magazine rack, in the shower to hold bottles of soap, shampoo, and other toiletries can make it much easier and safe for seniors to bathe. Corralling slippery bottles in a sturdy rack will prevent them from falling into the tub or onto the floor and creating a very slippery surface. They will also be easier for seniors or companion care at home provider to pull out and use. To make the bath even safer you can attach hooks with suction cups to the outside of the rack to hold washcloths or sponges. That way those are also easy to reach and use but not in the way.
Use Anti-Slip Mats
Anti-slip mats should be in use all over the bathroom because bathroom floors can get wet and slippery pretty quickly. Put an anti-slip mat in the bathtub, next to the bathtub, in front of the sink, and anywhere else where your senior loved one might have a hard time walking if the floor is wet. If there are items that your senior loved one needs that create a tripping hazard and they can’t be raised off the floor or moved because of the way the bathroom is designed then install anti-slip mats near them so that your senior loved one will have a lower risk of falling when they go to use those items.
Install A Shower Chair With Storage
Another great way to keep your senior loved one safe in the bath is to install a sturdy shower chair with storage or a shower bench with storage. The hooks and bins that are part of the chair or bench can hold soap, shampoo, a wash cloth, a dry towel, and anything else that your senior loved one needs safely while they are cleaning up. Whenever you are moving items around in the bathroom trying to reduce clutter remember that all items in the bathroom need to be accessible but not likely to fall or cause your senior loved one to fall.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Companion Care at Home Services in Wyoming OH, please contact the caring staff at Queen City Elder Care today. Serving Cincinnati and Surrounding Communities. Call Us Today (513) 510-4410.
Michele Vollmer is a visionary leader who is perpetually searching for ways to improve, so to remain at the leading edge of the home care industry.She has served in the healthcare industry since 1989, including pharmaceutical and home health sales, as well as hospice sales and sales management.
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