Living Independently at Home
Elder Care Accessories for Seniors
Elder Care Accessories for the Bathroom
Each year more seniors are choosing to stay in their homes as they grow older. Rather than moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home, maintaining independence in the home, when possible, is becoming more important than ever for many senior citizens. But, living independently definitely requires changes to daily routines and the living space.
That’s where elder care accessories can be a huge help. Plumbing fixtures such as grab bars, ADA handles, specialty toilets and showers can make all the difference in whether elderly loved ones are able to stay in the home with little or no assistance.
In planning how to make a home more comfortable and easy-to navigate for seniors, there are several changes to consider.
Tubs & Showers
A variety of accessories are available to make the bathroom safer for elders. New shower designs make it safe for elderly use. Something as simple as a shower seat or folding chair helps seniors take showers without assistance. Some homeowners choose to install walk-in tubs to allow for easy entry. These tubs offer a door so that elderly people don’t have to climb over a tub edge. They also offer built-in seating to protect against falls. Curbless showers involve removing the old tub portion of a combo tub/shower and replacing it with a shower pan to aid in rolling in a wheelchair for showering.
Grab Bars and Handles
Other vital fixtures to add to bathrooms and kitchens are grab bars. These handles allow for a steady hold when seniors are getting in and out of slippery tubs or showers. They help people avoid falls and come in many decorative styles to suit any décor.
Faucets
Stiff joints and arthritis can make turning handles quite difficult for elderly patients. Many new elder care faucets come with sensors so that homeowners no longer need to crank handles themselves. These faucets offer hands-free operation so seniors don’t need to worry about grasping or twisting conventional faucet handles.
Toilets
When people get older, it can also become difficult to bend at the knees. That can make sitting down on a toilet seat quite challenging! Elevated toilet seats may be all that’s needed to make getting up and down much easier. New taller toilet installations offer higher seats to ease bending and also come with low-flow to save on water consumption.
When it comes to your home plumbing needs, consider Pride Plumbing of Rochester. We’ll help you choose the right elder care accessories for you or your loved one’s safety and ease of operation. Call us today at (585) 271-7150.
