3 Hazards Your Parent's Bathroom Time Poses To Them

18 March 2019
 Categories: , Blog


Many senior citizens want to stay in their own homes, but it can pose potential risks to your loved one. In fact, your parent could be in trouble whenever they go to their own bathroom. Here's what you need to know about the risks of your parent's bathroom and what you can do to make senior care easier for them.

1. Shower Dangers

Showering or bathing can be extremely dangerous for senior citizens. The shower is one of the more dangerous places in the bathroom to begin with, especially for falls. As a person grows older, the risk of falling doesn't just become a matter of potential minor injuries or head injuries, but instead increases the risk of broken bones and hips.

Unfortunately, even tubs that have security bars still pose a high risk of danger for senior citizens. Simply losing one's footing for a moment is sometimes all it takes for a senior citizen to fall inside or just outside the tub. This is why it's best to have someone help your parent take a shower every time.

2. Toilet Dangers

Another common problem in the bathroom is using the toilet. Yes, senior citizens can have difficulty getting up from the toilet or even risk the chance of falling off of it. This risk goes up if your parent has bath mats on the floor or around the toilet.

Other potential dangers come from senior citizens sometimes losing their mobility and ability to stretch and reach. If your parent isn't able to clean themselves up adequately after using the toilet, they may be at risk for developing a rash, which could become a major skin condition if it's left untreated or ignored. Considering that cleaning up after using the bathroom can be a sore spot with senior citizens, it's something that they may not feel comfortable talking to you about or asking for help with from one of their children.

3. Cleaning

Lastly, if your parent is still cleaning their own bathroom, this could open them up to a world of dangers.

Even senior citizens that seem as though they're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and their home can be at risk when it comes to cleaning. Since taking care of a bathroom typically involves stooping, crouching, leaning, and reaching, any one of these maneuvers could potentially lead to a fall or trip. With so many ceramic and hard surfaces around in bathrooms, your parent could be at risk of hurting themselves badly, and potentially when there is no one around.

Sometimes taking care of your parents means getting help from outside the home. These topics can be difficult to take care of or even broach with parents, but with help from a senior citizen aide, you'll make it easier on both of you and ensure your parent's safety.


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