Part of palliative care includes providing the elderly with facilities that would help them adapt to their condition. One of the best things you could give them is to adjust the bathroom to suit their needed care.
Walk-in showers will help them in their grooming and personal care, and with a few adjustments, they’ll use them regularly, even without supervision from their caregiver. You need to adapt the facility to ensure that they can use it safely. Decrease the risk factors involved, and you’ll have an excellent facility for them.
Here are a few things you would have to remember if you want to create a safe walk-in shower space for the elderly in your homes.
Measure the entry threshold and make it as visible as possible
Remember that the shower needs a threshold to keep the water from sloshing all over the bathroom floor. If you’ve got an elderly person to take care of, remember that they may have mobility issues, so you need to ensure that the threshold isn’t that high for them to step over.
It would also help to make it visible by painting it with vivid color, so they’ll always notice it.
Place non-slip flooring for added support: Another thing that you need to remember is to place non-slip flooring all over the room. Don’t place soft materials as they tend to become slippery over time.
Instead, you can select a material that would go over the regular tile to provide stability and support underfoot. This would also help keep the floor dry as these flooring aides would direct water underneath towards the drain.
Provide handy grab bars: You can also increase their mobility and safety by installing grab bars. Don’t place a large bar, though, as they might have a difficult time gripping it.
Instead, you should install the grab bars in a manner that will allow them guided mobility. Use stainless steel bars because they’ll resist weathering much better.
Use anti-scald faucets and fittings: One thing you have to consider when you’re renovating the shower is to use anti-scald faucets and fittings. This will prevent hot water from burning the elderly’s skin.
Several models are available, but these faucets and fittings will prevent scalding water from exiting the valve, decreasing the risk of burning and mobility accidents in the process.
Provide a shower seat: For the elderly who struggle with their basic mobility, you need to use a shower seat so they can take a bath. This feature will also come in handy for those who suddenly feel unstable or unsure about their footing. You’ll prevent fatal accidents from happening.
Remove the clutter: Another thing you have to remember is to keep the space as uncluttered as possible. With seniors at times unstable on their feet, anything that falls on the floor may risk fatal accidents. Remove non-essential bottles of shampoos and conditioners and keep only a minimal number of sponges.
Final thoughts
Adapting the shower to suit the needs of the elderly isn’t difficult. All a homemaker needs to remember is that the elderly’s welfare comes first. Of course, there will be a few expenses, but it will always be worth it in the long run.