How to design senior friendly bathroom?

A home bathroom is an extremely important room that is increasingly used not only for washing and maintaining hygiene, but also for relaxation and rest after a long day. That's why it's so important to be able to use the bathtub or shower comfortably, and for daily bathing to not be a unnecessary challenge and to be something enjoyable. It's worth keeping this in mind when planning a bathroom renovation for seniors, who, due to numerous health conditions, may have difficulty moving around and need special accommodations.

In Poland, as well as in many other European countries, we are dealing with a demographic decline, which results in an increasing percentage of the population being elderly people, struggling with many diseases or injuries that limit their mobility. Based on research conducted by the Central Statistical Office, it is estimated that this phenomenon will become more and more noticeable every year and in about 20 years, the number of people over 80 years old will be twice as high as it is today, while the number of Poles over 65 years old will increase by 43%. What does this mean? Above all, it means that retirees will constitute an increasingly large group of tenants and it is worth designing home bathrooms with them in mind.

The right bathtub is not just a trifle

The bathroom is a room where accidents can often occur. The small dimensions of most bathrooms mean that there is often not much space to move around and it is easy to accidentally hit a cabinet or sink, while the ubiquitous humidity increases the risk of slipping and falling. While these situations may not pose such a great threat to life and health for adults, they can be really dangerous for seniors and should be avoided at all costs.

Elderly people, due to their age, are not only more susceptible to bruises and bruises, but also above all to all kinds of fractures, which can be associated with a long and complicated recovery, making it difficult to perform daily activities. That is why a well-renovated and adapted bathroom for the needs of seniors is not only a matter of providing comfort for such a person, but also caring for their health and ensuring their ability to independently deal with the most important and intimate problems.

What is needed for washing in retirement?

Of course, the most important and central point of every bathroom is the place for washing and maintaining a high level of hygiene. Traditionally, when designing a bathroom, we are faced with a choice between a shower and a bathtub, but when looking for the best solution for seniors, we should not hesitate for a moment. Although a bathtub is associated with much greater comfort - after all, you can lie down in a comfortable half-lying position and relax while warming up your whole body in hot water - it is definitely a bad idea. In the case of older people, as well as people with limited mobility, the best solution will always be to install a shower cabin.

What makes a shower better than a bathtub? The biggest advantage of the former is the ease of getting in and out under the shower. When renovating a bathroom for retirees, it is important to remember that many of them are or may be affected by various joint problems or chronic diseases that make it difficult to move around. Although most will probably manage to walk in the park without a cane, lifting a leg high and swinging it over the edge of the bathtub can already be a big challenge, requiring additional balance on the slippery surface of its rounded interior. Adding to this the aforementioned increased risk of fractures and leg injuries, taking a bath on one's own becomes an extremely difficult and dangerous feat.

Recipe for a personalized shower

The complete opposite of a bathtub in this case is a well-designed shower. Thanks to numerous bathroom accessories, shower cabins can be easily and inexpensively adapted to the needs of both older and younger people, making them universal and safe devices for daily bathing. However, this does not mean that simply choosing the first model will suffice. When choosing the best shower for a senior, it is absolutely necessary to pay attention to the height of the threshold of the shower tray, which is stepped over when entering the stream of water. If it is too high, there is a risk of tripping when lifting the leg, which can end tragically.

For this reason, it is worth considering a cabin design completely devoid of a shower tray, with a drain incorporated directly into the floor. This increasingly popular solution is not only visually attractive and optically enlarges the bathroom interior, but also, when combined with non-slip tiles, minimizes the risk of falling during bathing. Of course, for the convenience of an elderly person who may not be able to bend down to wash the lower parts of their body, it is good to additionally install wall-mounted shower seats (for space-saving in small bathrooms, their folding versions work particularly well) or place specially designed sanitary chairs in the bathroom with a lightweight and durable construction.

Trustworthy bathroom handrails

It is commonly believed that wall-mounted handrails are a feature of bathrooms for people with disabilities, but metal handles installed near the shower and toilet are also a great convenience for elderly people. Whether the loss of balance is caused by a slippery surface of water-soaked tiles or temporary dizziness in a too steamy bathroom, bathroom accessories not only allow for avoiding falls, but also make it easier to get up from a sitting position and move from the toilet to the sink.

Properly chosen handrails, just like shower cabins, guarantee comfort and safety, which are the two most important features of a bathroom designed for seniors.

Ryszard Kurek