As people age, they may face physical challenges that make everyday tasks, such as showering, more difficult and potentially dangerous. This is why it is important to consider installing safe showers for seniors in their homes.
Safe showers for seniors are designed with safety features that help prevent falls and other accidents, making showering a less stressful and safer experience. Some common features of safe showers for seniors include non-slip flooring, grab bars, built-in seating, and hand-held showerheads.
Non-slip flooring is an essential feature of a safe shower for seniors, as it helps prevent slips and falls. This can be achieved through the use of textured tiles or by applying a non-slip coating to the shower floor. Grab bars are another important feature, as they provide seniors with something to hold onto while showering, helping to maintain balance and prevent falls.
Built-in seating can also be beneficial for seniors, as it allows them to sit down and rest while showering if necessary. Hand-held showerheads are another helpful feature, as they allow seniors to adjust the height and direction of the water flow, making it easier to reach all areas of the body while showering.
Did you know that statistics show every year approximately 235,000 people over the age of 15 visit emergency rooms because of bathroom-related injuries?
However, it would not be surprising if a significant majority of those people are seniors due to the bathroom being one of the most dangerous rooms in a home.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being extra careful when I step out of the shower so that I don’t slip or fall. All bathrooms are filled with hard, sharp-cornered, surfaces and soap & water making the whole area one that needs special attention when senior proofing a bathroom.
A safe shower for seniors should include:
- A shower organizer – to avoid bending to pick things up like shampoo.
- Non-slip shower tray – A non-slip mat can also be used.
- Easy to use levers – safety features like anti-scald should be in place too.
- Grab bars – So that seniors can steady themselves.
- Hand-held shower head – makes it safe for seniors to wash all over without moving.
- A shower chair – Coupling this with the hand-held shower head works really well.
- Remove doors – ideally, rebuild the shower as a walk-in with no door or step like a wet room.
As I mentioned, the bathroom is easily one of the most dangerous rooms in the home for slips and falls and creating a safe shower for seniors is very important.
Follow the below 12 recommendations will help towards giving you and your senior piece of mind and avoid injury in the shower
Mobility and balance are the two most important things for the tasks performed in the bathroom. Unfortunately, as we age these are the two skills that we tend to struggle with as seniors. Simple tasks that we have taken for granted, suddenly become much more difficult.
Nowadays there are many things that you can do to make a shower safe for the elderly and I have pulled together the top 12 things that you should consider.
Table of Contents:
- Remove Any Unnecessary Shower Clutter
- Make Shower Access Easy
- Non-slip Shower Floors
- Senior Friendly Shower Levers And Controls
- Non-slip Bathroom Rugs Or Mats
- Install Shower Grab Bars
- Install A Walk-in Tub And Shower Combo
- Hand-held Shower Heads For Seniors
- Install A Tub Transfer Bench Or Shower Chair
- Use Portable Showers Instead
- Shower Safety Tips For The Elderly
Remove Any Unnecessary Shower Clutter
Organizing the shower space can do wonders as a first step in creating a safe shower for seniors. Having loads of bottles sponges and cloths can cause difficulty when a senior is trying to search for what they want. The shower itself is a prime fall hazard if someone moves in a weird way.
I know myself that once water gets in my eyes I can’t really see so this must be even more difficult for a senior with impaired vision.
So if a senior’s shower has loads of shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, sponges etc then clear them out.
Only what is necessary should be kept in the shower:
- 1 x sponge
- 1 x shower gel or soap
- 1 x shampoo
- 1 x conditioner (if required)
Make sure that these items are easily reachable.
One idea would be to put the shower gel, shampoo and conditioner into shower dispensers. That way a senior can easily get the product they want and the products can be topped up whenever you or a carer visits.
Make Shower Access Easy
Most shower trays require you to step into them which again increases the likelihood of a senior losing balance. Some thresholds could be as much as 6 inches which on a slippery floor is quite a hazard.
The problem is compounded if a senior is less mobile and has to use a walker or if they are in a wheelchair. Even if a senior just has problems lifting their legs this small threshold can become quite an obstacle.
If a senior is aging in place then rebuilding their shower as a barrier-free one should be seriously considered.
Walk-in showers like a wet room are the best option when remodelling a safe shower for seniors.
It is a job you can do yourself if you have decent handyman skills but there may well be plumbing involved so you may need to get a contractor in on parts of it. There are multiple good tutorials online that can walk you through the process of replacing a shower for a senior.
A walk-in shower creates completely barrier-free access to the shower for a senior and I know my grandmother loved hers when it was installed. We did hers in such a way that the controls were by the entrance so that she could turn on the shower before getting in which allowed her to not get cold in the process.
Non-slip Shower Floors
I remember as a child my parents used to have this suction mat in the bathtub and I used to love sitting there and peeling it up to make the popping sound.
These days there are many options for non-slip shower mats for seniors. If you are not completely remodelling then adding in a non-slip shower may is a great idea to make a really safe shower for seniors.
Elderly non-slip shower mats are a great and inexpensive way of keeping the shower safe.
There are other options too depending on the shower set up. for instance, if your senior has a walk-in shower instead of the traditional tray or bathtub then you can install either non-slip floor tiles or even coat the floor in non-slip paint.
Senior Friendly Shower Levers And Controls
As I mentioned before, when we installed a walk-in shower for my grandmother we put the controls near the entrance so she could easily get the water to heat up before undressing and getting in the shower.
We also kept them simple as my grandmother was arthritic. Seniors tend to lose strength in the twisting motion of the wrist so to make shower controls senior-friendly it is best to go for levers rather than knobs
Independence is vital when aging in place so even simple things like a senior not having to ask for help to turn on the shower is really important.
Shower levers and controls come in many different styles so it should be really easy to find some that suit the decor.
When buying though also look for things like anti-scald so that your loved one can’t accidentally turn the water up too hot and burn themselves.
Non-slip Bathroom Rugs Or Mats
Getting out of the shower is probably more likely to cause a fall than getting in the shower, even if you have built a walk-in one. It is vitally important that you have a safe way to help seniors exit the shower too
Make sure that the first step they take out of the shower is onto a non-slip bathroom rug or mat.
Don’t go for hard rubber grill ones as they can be painful on the feet but a nice warm non-slip rug to keep their feet warm.
Also, make sure that from that rug a senior can easily dry themselves without moving. Having a heated towel rail within easy reach can have a nice warm towel waiting for them too.
Install Shower Grab Bars
An important recommendation in all areas when elder proofing a home is to install grab bars. It goes without saying that no safe shower for seniors is complete without plenty of opportunities for them to use grab rails as needed while in the shower stall.
Before going crazy though walk yourself through a shower routine and identify the best places to install grab rails. Also, as the shower grab rails are going to spend most of their lives wet and soapy make sure that the ones that are installed are easy to grip and non-slip as seniors will put a lot of weight on them.
They are generally quite an easy DIY installation but if you want an extra piece of mind then call in a handyman to do the work.
Here’s a quick video from Basic Plumbing Repair that explains the process of installing a grab bar
Install A Walk-in Tub And Shower Combo
Not everyone prefers a shower. Some people love a good old long soak in the tub. But this can pose a problem for seniors as tubs are 100 times more difficult to get in and out of than showers when your mobility is restricted.
If a senior doesn’t have a lot of strength in their arms or core then getting out of a bathtub may be an impossible task for them.
Luckily these days you can get a walk-in-tub and shower combo that can provide an excellent bathroom idea for seniors.
However, this new style comes with positives and negatives that should be understood before proceeding with this innovation
Pro’s of walk-in-bathtubs:
Low threshold – Normally, walk-in tubs have a threshold of 3″ to 7″ which for most seniors is ok compared to a normal bathtub and allows much easier access. If necessary you could investigate during the installation process whether it is possible to sink the walk-in tub into the floor at all to minimise the threshold.
Access to grab bars – If you are going to have a walk-in bathtub installed then make sure that it is ADA compliant as this means it will have at least one grab bar inside the tub. This is not only important for entering and exiting but if a senior begins to slide off the seat they have something to grab to make themselves more comfortable. Also if they do accidentally slip and go underwater there is something to grab to help them back out.
Built-in seat – Walk-in tubs come with a seat that are chair height. Because of this, a senior doesn’t have to worry about slipping when lowering themselves to the floor like in a traditional bathtub. Most walk-in tub seats have an anti-slip texturing so they can be comfortable but also safe while bathing. It also gives an elderly person more confidence to move around a bit while bathing and also get up and down without risking a fall.
Con’s of walk-in-bathtubs:
High sides – The style of walk-in bathtubs means that the water has to drain away before someone can exit them. If the tub doesn’t have a quick drain facility then an elderly person could get quite cold waiting for the water to go down which could take up to 15 minutes.
If there is a medical emergency then the high walls of a walk-in tub make it much more difficult to get someone out of the tub from the outside.
They tend to leak – There have been reports that the seals in walk-in tubs are not reliable. Because of the high walls, people tend to fill them more and the water pressure is too great for the seals which can result in water leaking out in front of the tub.
This water leak presents a significant slip hazard for any senior exiting the tub.
Some owners have reported that the locking mechanism on the door has failed which resulted in the entire bathroom flooding.
Scalding is a risk – You have to sit in the tub while it fills which could be an issue for a mobility-impaired person as they might get scalded if the water is too hot and they can’t adjust it fast enough. If you are installing a walk-in tub make sure it has anti-scald technology as part of it.
Hand-held Shower Heads For Seniors
Combining a handheld shower head with a shower bench or chair creates one of the best safe showers for seniors. It allows complete independence which is so important to senior citizens.
There are many different styles available but something like the AGAM Universal Handheld Shower Head is perfect as it has 3 different power settings, a rotating head and also an on/off switch on the head so a senior citizen doesn’t have to keep messing around with the shower controls while they are showering.
Whichever one you decide on, remember that this is a new shower head for a senior citizen, not you. Make sure any controls are big, easy to use and require only a little strength to operate.
Install A Tub Transfer Bench Or Shower Chair
Installing a tub transfer bench or shower chair is an excellent way to create a safe shower for seniors. It allows a much more stable environment for a senior to shower in rather than being worried about their footing on the slippery floor.
There are two types of shower seating for seniors recommended:
- Shower Benches For Seniors – Normally these are stand-alone items but it is possible to build in a shower bench to ensure ultimate stability. Senior shower benches are generally made out of Teak wood as this resists expanding and warping in the moist environment. There are many styles to choose from and can be designed to fit any space. One of the more common senior shower benches can be found in medical equipment supply stores and is more than fit for purpose. In fact, that is the style my grandmother used and was perfectly happy with it.
- Tub Transfer Benches For Seniors – A tub transfer bench is mostly needed when the shower is inside the bathtub but can also be used for seniors who have trouble walking into a shower. This could be because the threshold is still too high in the shower tray or may just be because they are unstable on a wet shower floor. The only thing about Senior Tub Transfer Benches is that they tend to be longer as they have to get over the lip of a bathtub so are not quite as stylish as a shower bench.
- Additional options – Some shower benches for seniors also have a toilet seat incorporated into them and others have a rotating disc which is supposed to help people with restricted mobility access more of the shower space. It is down to your personal choice but I know we opted against the movable disc as we had concerns that trying to stand up and it moving might increase the chance of a fall.
Use Portable Showers Instead
When senior citizens are aging in place, a lot of caregivers opt for sponge baths rather than portable showers but the latter can be a much better option.
We take showering for granted and it is important for seniors to retain their independence as much as possible and being able to take a shower forms a big part of that.
Who needs a portable shower at home?
There are many types of seniors aging in place that may require the use of a portable shower.
- A senior who is wheelchair-bound or cannot easily access a shower as it is upstairs.
- A senior show has a bathtub but can no longer safely and confidently use it.
- A senior who requires their carer to shower them and the carer is outside the shower.
- A family who suddenly need to care for a senior citizen in their own home but are not equipped to enable them to shower
Portable showers come in two styles ones that you assemble and dismantle each time it is used and also a ‘semi-portable’ version. As Aging in place introduces a lot of variables it is important to assess which route you want to go. If there is only limited space then the assemble every use version will probably be a better option than the semi-portable one which may get in the way when not in use.
A great video about semi-portable showers is from showerbay.com
In addition to the above features, it is also important to consider the overall design of the shower when choosing a safe shower for seniors. A curbless shower, for example, can be a good option as it eliminates the need to step over a threshold, reducing the risk of falls. A walk-in shower is another option, as it allows seniors to easily enter and exit the shower without having to lift their legs over a threshold.
Shower Safety Tips For The Elderly
Installing grab bars is the normal approach when aging in place but there are other things that can be considered when creating a safe shower for seniors.
It is important that you assess your specific needs and address the needs of the senior person in question.
- If the concern is around slipping and falling then things like shower chairs or benches and non-slip flooring should be prioritised.
- If vision is an issue then make sure that the lights surrounding the shower are bright and also keeping the shower screen clear is important. Install a good ventilation fan to minimise steam build up blocking sight.
- If wrist and hand strength is a concern then install levers instead of knobs but if that is not possible then buying something like a knob gripper could help.
- For mobility issues then having access to long-handled brushes and sponges along with a hand-held showerhead can help a lot.
Overall, safe showers for seniors are an important consideration for anyone looking to make their home safer and more accessible for an aging loved one. By choosing a shower with safety features such as non-slip flooring, grab bars, built-in seating, and a hand-held showerhead, you can help ensure that your loved one can enjoy a safe and comfortable showering experience.
