How To Prevent Falls in Your Bathroom: 9 Fixes That Work
In this blog:
- Focus on the biggest fall risks. Make everyday movements safer with a comfort-height toilet, properly installed grab bars and a walk-in tub or shower that eliminates the need to step over a high tub wall.
- Create a safer bathing environment. Add shower seating, slip-resistant surfaces, water temperature controls, better lighting and easy-to-reach toiletries to reduce slipping, reaching, bending and balancing.
- Plan for safety from start to finish. Sit while drying off, keep a sturdy seat nearby and consider precautions like a medical alert button. Safe Step walk-in tubs and showers combine many of these safety and accessibility features to support independence at home.
Your bathroom should be a place to recharge, not a place where one wrong step can cause a fall. Slippery surfaces, tight spaces and hard-to-reach fixtures can make everyday bathroom routines more difficult with age. From grab bars to extra lighting, Safe Step has nine ways to help you stay safe and independent.
Where Bathroom Falls Happen, and What Fixes Them
One in four seniors report falling every year, and the bathroom is a high-risk area. Take a look at the places in the bathroom where most accidents happen and how to make them safer.
| Where Bathroom Falls Happen | Highest-Impact Fix |
|---|---|
| Sitting down or standing up from the toilet | Add a 17- to 19-inch comfort-height toilet and a nearby grab bar. |
| Reaching out for support | Install grab bars anchored into wall studs, 33 to 36 inches above the floor. |
| Stepping over the tub wall | Eliminate the step-over with a transfer bench, walk-in tub or walk-in shower. |
| Standing when bathing | Add shower seating in a walk-in shower. Use a transfer bench in a tub-shower combo or consider a walk-in tub with a heated seat. |
| Walking on a wet floor | Add adhesive strips inside the tub and slip-resistant mats on the bathroom floor. |
| Using water that runs too hot | Set the water heater to 120°F. |
| Walking from the bed to the bathroom at night | Install motion-sensor night lights along the route. |
| Reaching, twisting and leaning while wet | Place toiletries between shoulder and hip height and add a handheld shower wand with a 60-inch or longer hose. |
| Losing balance when drying off | Place a sturdy bench or seat just outside the tub or shower so you can sit to dry off. |
Tip 1: Give Yourself a Boost at the Toilet
While a trip to the toilet is one of the most ordinary parts of the day, it can become more difficult as people age. Arthritis and other concerns can make sitting down and standing back up harder without proper support.
Installing a convenient grab bar and a comfort-height toilet can make it easier. A comfort-height toilet measures 17 to 19 inches from the floor to the top of the seat, making it slightly taller than an average toilet. A raised toilet seat can provide additional height without replacing the fixture, and a toilet grab bar can provide added safety when sitting down or standing up.
Tip 2: Install Grab Bars
Falls can happen when someone reaches for a towel rack or other bathroom fixture for support. Unlike these fixtures, a properly installed grab bar supports a person’s weight, providing a secure handhold when extra stability is needed.
A grab bar needs to be fastened into the wall studs or solid blocking behind the tile. Standard drywall anchors do not provide enough support for a grab bar. The ideal grab bar height depends on the user. You should be able to grip the bar with the elbow slightly bent when seated or standing.
For many Safe Step walk-in tubs and showers, grab bars are mounted directly to the unit in locations designed to provide added stability.
Tip 3: Eliminate the Step-Over
Nearly one-third of injuries happen when bathing or stepping out of the tub. Stepping over a standard 14- to 16-inch tub wall and balancing on one leg can be difficult for seniors or people with mobility limitations.
A transfer bench that spans the wall so you can sit down first and slide over the step can help, but it can take up valuable bathroom space. A Safe Step Walk-In Tub offers a streamlined solution. It has a low-threshold entry and a built-in door. For hassle-free installation, it fits in the footprint of your existing tub.
“I’ve had one of these Safe Step tubs for close to 10 years now. I love it,” said Karen D. “We got it for me because of a long-term problem. But a year ago in March, my husband had a stroke, one of two, and it’s been so great for him. He can get into a bathtub, and the jets make him feel so good.”
Tip 4: Bathe Sitting Down
Muscle loss, stiff or painful joints and reduced blood circulation can make standing in the shower difficult and increase the risk of falls. Sitting down to bathe can make all the difference.
A bench or shower chair can be used in a walk-in shower. Safe Step’s adjustable-height, built-in fold-away seat adds stability to your walk-in shower, enhancing comfort and peace of mind.
Tip 5: Make Wet Surfaces Less Slippery
Pooling water can be slippery and increases the chances of a fall. Adding adhesive, slip-resistant strips to the tub floor can provide extra traction. If you’re upgrading your bathroom, choose slip-resistant flooring to enhance safety.
To help prevent falls, Safe Step’s walk-in tubs and showers feature textured flooring and fast-drain technology.
Tip 6: Cap the Water Temperature at 120°F
A sudden blast of hot water can lead to a burn. It can also make people flinch and pull away while standing on a wet surface, leading to a fall. Start by setting your water heater to 120°F, a temperature commonly recommended to help reduce the risk of scalding.
Ensure your tub or shower has a thermostatic mixing valve to keep the water temperature steady even when another fixture is turned on, or a toilet is flushed.
Safe Step tubs come with anti-scald technology that helps prevent the water from reaching dangerous temperatures.
Tip 7: Light Your Way
Nearly 13.4 million seniors have vision challenges, which can make nighttime trips to the bathroom especially difficult. Low lighting makes it harder to see obstacles, changes in flooring or objects along the path from the bedroom to the bathroom.
The National Institute on Aging recommends leaving a bathroom light on overnight or using nightlights. Consider placing motion-sensor nightlights in the bedroom, hallway and bathroom to illuminate the entire route and reduce the need to search for a light switch in the dark.
Tip 8: Put Everything Within Reach
Wet surfaces make reaching, twisting and leaning especially risky, so keep everyday essentials like soap and shampoo between shoulder and hip height where they’re easy to access. A handheld showerhead with a 60-inch or longer hose can make bathing easier when seated. Long-handled sponges and brushes make it easier to wash feet and other hard-to-reach areas without bending or leaning forward.
Tip 9: Sit To Dry Off
Maintaining your balance drying off after bathing isn’t always easy, especially as you age. Drying your legs and feet often requires bending, reaching or briefly balancing on one foot. Adding a sturdy seat or stool in the bathroom can provide another layer of security.
Be Prepared in Case a Fall Happens
Making bathroom updates can help reduce the risk of a fall, but it’s just as important to be prepared if one happens. Take these steps to make getting help easier:
- Wear a medical alert button so you can quickly call for assistance.
- Leave the bathroom door unlocked or use a privacy lock that can be opened from the outside so someone can reach you if needed.
- If you fall, get up slowly and use a stable object for support rather than a towel rack.
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Explore the Safe Step Difference
When you’re ready to make your bathroom safer and more accessible so you can stay in the home you love longer, a Safe Step consultant can provide an in-home consultation. Our walk-in tubs and showers transform your daily routine into a stress-free experience.
Safe Step Walk-In Tubs received the Ease of Use Certification from the Arthritis Foundation, which recognizes products proven to make life easier for people with arthritis and other physical limitations. Our tubs and showers are made in Tennessee and can be installed in as little as one day.
With a lowest-price guarantee and comprehensive warranty, you can count on Safe Step to deliver the service and support you need. Request a free consultation to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common causes of bathroom falls include slipping on wet surfaces, losing balance when getting in or out of the tub or shower and reaching for unstable objects for support.
At least 80 percent of falls at home occur in the bathroom.
You can help reduce an older adult’s risk of falling by installing grab bars, improving lighting, adding slip-resistant surfaces and making bathing and toileting easier to access.
