How to Help Granny Survive a Fall

I write a lot about how to modify bathrooms, the most dangerous room in the home, to prevent seniors from falling.  But seniors will still fall because with age comes a natural decline in health.

Seniors may have cognitive, balance or mobility issues.  Perhaps they have neurological problems associated with a stroke or Parkinson’s disease.  Pain from arthritis could affect how they move. Even a dangerous cocktail of medications could compromise their balance.

So here’s the scenario. Granny steps out of a warm, relaxing bath and onto the wet, slippery tiles. Her feet take on a life of their own, escaping from underneath her as she plunges to the ground, landing smack on her posterior and narrowly avoiding a broken hip.   Now what?

Grab Bars: The Unsung Heroes

Grab bars. Do the words conjure up and image of cold, stainless steel bars braced on the walls of public bathrooms with a large handicapped sign adorning the door?

Is this what gives them a bad image?  Is this why seniors who just need a little help to remain safely in their bathrooms fail to install them?

Probably.  Who wants something ugly in their bathroom that shouts ‘handicapped’?  Vanity triumphs over safety.  Here’s why and where seniors need grab bars, and how you can make them fit into the bathroom decor.