By Rami Moorosi, sponsored picture – Italtile
When most people reach a certain age, mobility becomes harder and getting around the home, especially the bathroom, becomes challenging. Safety and maneuverability are the number one priorities when designing a bathroom suitable for the elderly.
Grab Rails
To help mobility around the bathroom, grab rails are essential. Becky Rossouw of Life-style Bathrooms goes on to add that “these help the elderly to keep their balance irrespective of where they might find themselves in the bathroom.”
Taps
Elderly people often suffer from arthritis, and it is for this reason that experts from Grohe Taps, suggest products such as touch-free fittings. If you are unable to install touch-free fittings, single lever mixers are easy to maneuver and are fitted with temperature limiters to prevent accidental burning.
Baths and showers
Bath seats with suction cups make getting in and out of a bath easier, swivel chairs or bath lifts are other useful alternatives. For the shower, a shower seat is highly recommended. Shower channels or the wet-room concept offer a barrier-free shower that removes the restrictions imposed by conventional products.
Floor plan
Larger spaces between the areas are advisable as this allows wheelchair access or walker frame turning circle. Also consider a shower large enough to accommodate a wheelchair in it. Geberit’s wall-hung toilet system is a great example of an ideal solution when designing a barrier-free bathroom.
Hydrotherapy
The inclusion of hydrotherapy with spas and hot tubs can soothe a number of physical and psychological ills. Patients with a history of heart disease should contact their physician before use. In some cases the spa could be beneficial to a patient with a heart condition as a medium for performing passive body exercises.
Vanities
Vanities should be open under the sink to accommodate wheelchairs and benches. These and countertops should also be accessible and reachable, so that you don’t have to bend or try to reach across anything to access what is inside.
