Bath Products for the Elderly

The bathroom is filled with hazards: slippery floors, steamy environments, and slick surfaces. Seniors have legitimate reasons to fear stepping into the tub or shower. Several bath products for the elderly, however, are available to help the elderly bathe and use the bathroom with confidence.

Many older people suffer from poor balance, which makes using the bathroom a fearful experience. These individuals are wary of falling on the hard, slippery tiles and risking injury or even hospitalization. The thought of a broken hip or ankle can cause a senior to avoid the bathroom environment.

For others, bathing is an exhausting task. Stepping into or out of the shower is also difficult for the elderly who are physically weaker. Chronic pain can exacerbate while standing, bending, or sitting in the bathroom. Exceedingly warm or cool water temperatures also cause discomfort in seniors.

It’s no wonder seniors shy away from using the shower, tub or toilet. Personal hygiene, however, is a requisite in daily life. A range of bath products designed especially for seniors enhances their safety. Families and caregivers are encouraged to install or provide these elderly bathing solutions at home.

1. Getting to the Bathroom

Daily nighttime bathroom trips are common for the elderly. Environmental awareness is a struggle in the darkened corridors that lead to the bathroom. Combined with seniors’ poor vision and the lack of adequate lighting, walking to the bathroom is a clear danger.

Motion night lights set up in the hallways illuminate the passageway for seniors. These lights automatically switch on upon sensing motion. Touch night lights are also easy to use, as these devices require only a touch of the lamp to turn on.

2. Accessing and Using the Sink

Seniors who have difficulty bending will resist using the bathroom sink. A faucet extender is the solution to this common predicament. The attachment may be slipped onto almost any faucet. The stream of tap water extends further, enabling the senior to wash his hands without stooping.

While at the sink, pumping hand soap out of the dispenser is a struggle for seniors with arthritis, limited mobility, or Parkinson’s disease. A touchless automatic soap dispenser dispenses the right amount of soap into the seniors’ hands and encourages handwashing and cleanliness.

3. Accessing and Using the Toilet

A toilet seat raiser is ideal for seniors, since the product allows older individuals to lower themselves with the least effort. A toilet safety frame built with arms on either side gives seniors the support they need when seating themselves and rising from a toilet of any height and width.

Health conditions, like dementia and arthritis, can make cleaning up after a toilet run a hassle. Facilitating independence in the bathroom while improving personal hygiene can be readily accomplished with a non-electric bidet toilet attachment that may be used with any standard toilet.

4. Accessing and Using the Shower or Tub

A tub grip allows seniors to confidently step into and out of the tub. A larger alternative is a transfer bench with feet placed inside and outside of the tub. A transfer bench offers seniors the security and comfort to safely enter or exit the tub.

Eliminate the perceived threat of a slick tub floor by adding a slip-resistant bathmat. Ensure the bathmat features anti-bacterial properties and is manufactured out of allergen-free vinyl. Launder the machine washable bathmat regularly to maintain a hygienic environment.

Similar in design to the transfer bench, a bath and shower chair allows seniors to sit and prevents exhaustion during bathing. Innovate leg designs promote stability, while support handles add ease when seated. The added safety and comfort are beneficial for not only the senior but also the caregiver.

5. Ensuring Safe Mobility in the Bathroom

A reliable grip is made possible by a flip-up bathroom grab bar. These sturdy handles may be installed on the wall near the toilet, clamped along the side of the tub or placed inside the shower. Many grab bars are able to support up to 500 pounds.  

Place non-skid floor mats on the bathroom floor. Ultra-thin mats are designed to securely stick to the floor. Being extremely thin, the edges will not flip up and cause the senior to trip and stumble. Seniors who utilize walkers can glide over the mat with ease.

Are you worried about the safety of your senior loved one? Check-out our Safety Checklist For Seniors Who Live Alone

6. Hiring Professional Bath Aides

Aside from the bathroom accessories for the elderly, professional bath aides facilitate a safe and comfortable bathing experience. Caregivers might apply the senior’s favorite after-bath lotion for a spa-like experience. A professional caregiver’s experience and compassionate approach can decrease the angst associated with bathing.

Professional caregivers have more success in convincing seniors to bathe than do family caregivers. Older people feel more comfortable when a professional helps them bathe. This may in part be due to the fact that the elderly feel less embarrassment when bathed by a stranger than by a family member.

Bathing is an important part of daily living. When your elderly loved one needs help with bathing and other activities of daily living, consult a reputable home care agency for in-home support. Assisting Hands Home Care provides dependable support to elderly individuals in the comfort of their homes.

Our elder care services are nonmedical yet comprehensive. Caregivers from our team help seniors with all aspects of personal hygiene, prepare nutritious meals, grocery shop, provide transportation and serve as pleasant companions. We also give medication reminders to ensure medication compliance.

Assisting Hands Home Care services are flexible. We can accommodate needs for respite care, after hospital care, 24-hour care and hospice care at home, among others. Our dementia caregivers are trained to support Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Fall prevention is also integral to our care services.

When your elderly loved one would benefit from additional in-home support, choose Assisting Hands Home Care in Naperville, Illinois. Our caregivers pride themselves on offering the most compassionate and dedicated home care services in the area. Call us at (630) 634-9316 for a complimentary in-home consultation to begin quality elder care.

Sources:https://dailycaring.com/10-helpful-products-improve-bathroom-safety-for-seniors/,https://thecaregiverspace.org/how-to-help-a-parent-who-refuses-to-bathe-or-shower/,https://medical-alert-systems.bestreviews.net/best-night-lights-for-seniors/,https://www.seniorsmatter.com/the-best-grab-bars/2492503,https://www.agingcare.com/products/1144/bathroom-bathing,https://dailycaring.com/8-useful-bathroom-aids-for-seniors-make-everyday-tasks-easier/