Your bathroom may be the place you go to relax and unwind, but statistically it’s also one of the most dangerous rooms in the home.
Sleek surfaces may make cleaning that much easier, but they also act as potential slip hazard. Throw water into the equation and the risks are further increased, particularly for those with mobility issues.
As suppliers of walk-in showers, walk-in baths and wet rooms, here at Mobility Plus we’ve put together some ideas about how you can make your bathroom safer for you and your guests.
Grab rails
Easy to install and offering vital support in potential danger-zones, grab rails are something no bathroom should be without. We recommend that they are correctly fixed to the wall with screws, as they are far less likely to come away at the wrong moment. It’s also worth checking that the rails you buy are appropriate for the weight of the person using them.
Grab rails are most-often installed in showers. We recommend those with textured grips for extra purchase in a wet environment such as level access walk-in showers. However, if you don’t have a shower, we also supply a range of grab rails for baths, giving those with mobility issues extra security when getting in and out.
Bathroom furniture
High-pan toilets can make life much easier for those with mobility issues. The extra height makes it much easier to get on and off the toilet and is particularly helpful to wheelchair users.
However, if you do install a high-pan toilet, be sure to move your loo-roll holder to an accessible place that doesn’t require the user to twist or stretch. In the event that there’s no wall space available, a freestanding holder is easier to reach than one that’s fixed in an inconvenient location.
Shower seats are another indispensable piece of bathroom furniture. These can be fixed in place, or you can choose from pull-down options to maximise space.
Non-slip surfaces
Many bathrooms have smooth, tiled floors, which become dangerously slippery when wet. We offer a range of bathroom flooring that offers all the aesthetics of standard bathroom flooring, but with subtle texturing to provide extra traction.
Non-slip mats are a good alternative, offering islands of safety. However, for floor-to-wall safety, non-slip bathroom flooring is the better option.
Showers
While many people are aware of the benefits of walk-in showers, the shower units themselves are often overlooked. At Mobility Plus, we offer a comprehensive range of showers, designed especially for those with disabilities or mobility problems such as showers with bi-fold doors and affordable walk-in showers. Thermostatic mixing showers are a superb way to prevent scalding. Mixing cold water with hot, they can be set to a specific temperature, ensuring that it is the same every time the shower is used. The temperature will remain constant, even when other appliances are used or the water pressure changes.
Our range of electric care showers are designed to make showering that much easier, sporting features such as raised, tactile symbols, audible flow and temperature indicators, and even rounded edges and surfaces for maximum safety. It’s even possible to buy electric care showers that can be operated through a smart device before you even get to your bathroom!
While the idea of making your bathroom more accessible might seem daunting, these are just a few of the solutions available. For more information and friendly advice, visit our website or give us a call. Your bathroom doesn’t have to be an accident waiting to happen; it can be a safe and secure environment in which you can relax.