When it comes to effective and safe invalid care for a loved one’s home, few places deserve as much attention as the bathroom. Unfortunately, it seldom gets the attention it deserves, when it comes to the prevention of injury, to the geriatric or the injured patient.

As a matter of fact, literally hundreds and thousands of people all over the globe get injured due to the fact that both they as well as the people who loved and cared for them were unable to understand how dangerous the washroom really is, for the already frail and elderly. The slippery floors, the hard tiles, the sharp edges, are all responsible for literally bone breaking injuries, to say the least.

Many, if not most of those injuries have almost always been caused by falling, and people above 65 tend to have some of the highest injury rates around, when it comes to bathroom related injuries. And often, this also includes fractures and subsequent hospitalization. And it is not just slipping while getting in and out of the bathtub or the shower but a host of otherwise innocuous activities that we do not even think about. For example while trying to stand up from, or sitting down on, the toilet. All of the above are common causative factors for different injuries in the bathroom.

Slipping on the floor while washing hands in the basin is also a fairly common accident. This leads to injuries even as the head hits the side of the washbasin.

There are several areas where bathroom safety can not only improve the care givers ability to take good care of an elderly family member, but also prevent potential injuries as well. Let us look at these ‘trouble areas’, in some detail.

• The installation of grab bars

Such grab bars and handles are an absolutely indispensable tool for the care of the elderly and the injured in the bathroom. Many such products are available at safetyandmobility.com.au

Not only do they provide them with support while they take care of their routine activities, but in case of an accident, they can be relied on to help minimize the severity of the fall.

• The installation of multiple non-slip surfaces in the washroom

Wet tiled floors are very slippery and the best solution for them would be the installation of several non-slip surfaces.The best places would be close by the commode as well as near the shower stall. All slippery scatter rugs, can increase the chances of an inadvertent accident, and should be removed as soon as possible

• Improving accessibility

Sometimes the elderly and the injured get injured because commonly used items are not within easy reach. All articles of day to day use should be conveniently located to ensure they do not cause injuries. These may include soap, conditioner, towels, shampoo, and any other sort of bathing items that are typically within easy reach as such.

In the light of the above, we can safely conclude that an ‘ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure’ and taking these small steps can go a long way in ensuring that the risk of such injuries is effectively minimized.