There are many ways to create a bathroom that will continue to work for you through life changes, and a great way to start spring is to update your bathroom to make it work for you. Making these changes not only makes your bathroom safer, but also more comfortable for your day to day life. Many of the ways to adapt your bathroom are small and can be made without having to complete a full renovation, making it the perfect way to start aging-in-place.

Around the Shower:

Grab Bars
Injuries from falls most often occur around or in the shower or tub. Stepping into a bathtub can make you momentarily lose your balance and this can be exacerbated after a bath or shower when the surrounding areas are wet. Adding few strategically placed grab bars can help you prevent falls and add mobility.

Non-Slip Shower Mat
Adding a non-slip mat to the bottom of your tub is a quick, inexpensive way to help prevent falls. Non-slip bathmats add texture to the bottom of your tub, making it less likely for you to slip.

Shower Seat
Another way of lowering your risk of slipping while in the shower is to sit while in the shower, however getting up after sitting in the bottom of a tub presents its own challenges. Adding a moveable shower seat to your shower gives you the option of sitting, and a chair that you can adjust let’s you set up the shower in a way that works best for you.

Hand Shower
Adding a hand shower to your existing shower is quick, easy, and offers you greater mobility. With a hand shower you can adjust where the water is directed and bring the stream to you. Paired with a shower seat, a handheld showerhead can make your shower safer and more comfortable.

Other Areas of the Bathroom:

Grab Bars
Just like grab bars around the shower, putting grab bars near the toilet can help you steady yourself and offer assistance when standing up or sitting down. And like the grab bars in your shower, they come in a variety or finishes, shapes, and features to suit your needs. Consider installing a swing away grab bar that folds up when not in use for easy wheelchair access and a seamless look.

Lever Faucet
A faucet with a single lever is easier to use. Whereas a faucet with knobs would require gripping the knobs and turning, using a faucet with a lever only requires pushing or pulling to start and stop the water.

Many of these changes are small and can be done easily. Aging in place doesn’t have to mean a major renovation for your home, it can be done with small upgrades that fit your needs.