Simple Modifications To Make Your Bathroom Safer The bathroom has the potential to be a very hazardous room but just a few simple changes can give you back your independence and your privacy. If your bathroom is tiled, it might be easier to keep clean but water on a hard surface can become a trip hazard. If you notice one of your taps has started to drip or one of the pipes has started to leak you need to get it fixed as soon as possible. Keep a towel rail next to your basin and shower/bath so you’re not dripping water across the floor. Water isn’t the only thing that can cause you to fall in the bathroom; mats can be serious tripping hazards too. If you do have a tiled floor, rubber matting is cheap and sits just under the mat to stop it slipping and some tape especially for mats can be applied to help prevent tripping if they curl up. These are both very cheap and easy solutions that can have a dramatic impact on your safety. Grab rails, although a little more expensive than rubber matting, are still relatively cheap. They can install next to the toilet, bath, shower, basin or anywhere where you feel you might need a little extra support. Strong plastic ones are often easier to install as they don’t need to be earth bound, if you need a grab rail installed in a stud wall and you’re worried it won’t be strong enough, a floor to ceiling pole would perform the same job. If turning the taps has become too hard, consider fitting taps with leavers which don’t need as much pressure as regular taps. If these are also too difficult, taps with sensors can be fitted, although they are a bit more expensive, they can make your life much simpler. Although you may be reluctant to relinquish any more freedom and privacy than you’re already had to, you may want to consider removing the lock from the bathroom door. If the worst were to happen, and you did fall or hurt yourself, quick access would be needed. A simple policy of always leaving the bathroom door open if it’s empty (and therefore only closed when it’s in use) could quickly be established. These are all fairly simple changes which can be easily implemented and they can have a huge difference and make your life a lot easier, however you may need to make more dramatic changes to your bathroom for it to be truly safe. If you’d like to talk to one of our trained specialists, please don’t hesitate to give us a call: 0800 328 5905 |
Living with a disability can make tasks that most people take for granted seem so much more challenging, whether you’ve recently found yourself learning to live with a disability or whether it’s something that you’ve been living with for a while, there are so many simple amends that can be made through out your home which can make day to day tasks not only easier but safer too – giving you back control.