Taking the Risk out of Personal Hygiene

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Taking the Risk out of Personal Hygiene
A bathroom is a more risky place for the elderly
than younger people. Pensioners usually have a
less sturdy body than younger people and age
also brings with it other conditions and
disabilities which make everyday tasks a little
more challenging. Health changes which can affect
safety in the bathroom include balance,
mobility, dexterity, strength, grip, arthritis
(e.g. joint pain), vision, mental health (e.g.
Alzheimers, dementia and memory loss) and
general weakness which may accompany
illness. Risk factors in play in a bathroom can
include hot water, spilt water, poor lighting
and obstacles.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com A little
thought needs to go into the current
working of a bathroom and the changes which
need to be made to make it more elderly
friendly. A more elderly friendly bathroom
helps the individual retain their self-esteem
and confidence. Such peace of mind promotes calm
and can therefore reduce accidents. Balance A
weakened balance system can be as a result of
illness or disability and can make
straightforward tasks need more thought and
planning. An aid to balance can be no more than a
walking stick, giving the individual something
to rest on when moving. A walking frame allows
the user to place some weight on the frame,
whilst taking small steps forward. The user lifts
the frame into a forward position and then steps
towards the frame, before moving the frame
forward again. A walking frame with wheels allows
the user to push the walker forward and may also
have brakes to accommodate stopping and parking
up e.g. when used outside and standing to chat
for a while, or waiting in a queue at a checkout.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Walkers are
height adjustable and it is important to
get the height perfect for the user, so as to
avoid hunching, or avoid the walker with wheels
running away from the user and causing a
fall. Taking steps forward can feel rather
nerve-wracking and so grab rails at appropriate
points around the bathroom (e.g. entering the
bathroom, moving towards the wash hand basin,
toilet, or bath / shower) can empower the user
to move, stand and function more safely. Grab
rails within a bath or shower give confidence to
the person, when entering and leaving the
bathroom, as well as supporting standing whilst
bathing. Non-slip bath mats in the bath / shower
are a must for us all. Whilst water can cause us
to slip, spilt bath gel and shampoo can
exacerbate the problem. Having a non-slip mat
outside the bathing area is also a must, as it
allows the person with balance difficulties to
establish a safe footing when stepping out of
the bathing area.
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Mobility A walking frame is equally as useful to
a person with mobility issues but other
individuals who have more serious difficulties
may need to make use of a wheelchair to enter and
leave a bathroom. To allow a wheelchair to
access a bathroom, the doorframe may prove too
narrow to accommodate entry. For moving around
the bathroom, a shower chair with wheels could
prove the answer.
- Bath To safely enter a bath, the individual
with mobility issues can make use of a bath
board. Fixed to the depth of the bath itself,
the user sits on the bath board and then shuffles
along with upper arm body strength until he /
she is able to lower oneself down into the
water. Grab rails fitted to the bath board and to
the wall will help with getting in and out of
the bath. A bathroom chair allows the user to
feel well supported and removes the need to
lower oneself into the bath. The comfort of the
bath chair can also be enjoyed for those who use
a shower over a bath.
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• A bath chair comes as a seat but other models can
  include a seat back for more support and also
  seat arms to make the user feel safer and more
  comfortable.
• For the user who may have difficulty stepping
  into the bath, a swivel bath chair will take the
  worry out of injuring oneself.
• Shower v Wet Room
• A shower comes with a shower tray, a small lip
  (around four inches (4 cm) which needs to be
  stepped over to get into the shower.
• For a wheelchair user, or for the person who will
  feel more confident and independent in a shower
  chair (with or without wheels), a wet room is on
  ground level and so allows the user to either
  walk in, or ride into, the shower area, without
  having to address the small lip hazard.
• Bath Mats and Shower Mats
• To stand in a bath or shower, or to stand up from
  a sitting bathing position, anti-slip bath mats
  are a priority. Without a bath mat, water and,
  more so, water mixed with bathing gel or
  shampoo, can cause one to lose ones balance and
  to fall and maybe injure oneself on the way down.

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• Choose a bath / shower mat which
• has a textured surface and so allows the user to
  be able to steady ones feet
• is easily cleanable a toothbrush may come in
  handy for deep cleaning
• has anti-bacterial qualities, to reduce the build
  up of mould and mildew.
• has drain holes built into it, to allow it to dry
  quickly.

Also make sure that the floor mat to step out of
the bathing area onto also has an anti-slip
underside. - Floor tiles Floor tiles come in
many finishes. Avoid shiny tiles which will
promote slipping. Stone tiles actually absorb
small spillages and are therefore much safer to
stand on than the shiny versions. Dexterity,
Strength and Grip Joint pain, arthritis, certain
illnesses and even old age itself can cause a
lack of strength and a weakness of grip.
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- Turning Taps On and Off Whilst a traditional
tap needs strength and good grip to turn the tap
itself, lever taps prove better for people with
reduced dexterity. Many other designs of tap are
available, including push button taps and
infrared / sensor designs.

• Opening and Squeezing Toiletry bottles
• Bath gel and shampoo bottles can sometimes need
  two hands to release the liquids inside and so,
  for the person who needs to hold onto a grab
  rail to secure ones safety, wall-mounted
  toiletry bottles which need only one hand to
  release the contents will prove a better option.
• Using the Toilet
• A standard toilet tends to be 17 inches (42.5
  cms.) in height but, for elderly people who find
  sitting down and standing back up a little
  difficult, a toilet of 20 inches (50 cms.) and 21
  inches (52.5 cms.) makes using the toilet more
  comfortable and safer.
• Added height can be given to a standard toilet by
  simply purchasing an extra thick toilet seat,
  which gives enough extra height to make sitting
  and standing prove more comfortable tasks.

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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Some designs
of shower seat fit comfortably around a
toilet bowl and come with a hole cut out of the
centre of the seat, allowing for toileting to be
done from there. Reduced Vision For a person
with changing sight, a bathroom needs to be
ergonomically friendly. Avoid clutter, avoid
sharp edges on bathroom units and use colour
coding to make items easily recognisable e.g.
cream walls, orange towels and brown
cupboards. Make use of directional lighting (e.g.
spotlights), to highlight the most important
areas in the bathroom e.g. the toilet, wash hand
basin and bathing area. Poor lighting casts
shadows and can cause unnecessary accidents. Use
warm lighting, rather than bright lighting, in a
bathroom, as bright lights and the accompanying
glare can add to vision difficulty. Mental
Health Forgetfulness (Alzheimers and dementia)
and short-term memory loss can make simple tasks
become dangerous e.g. forgetting to switch a tap
off, allowing water temperature to become too
hot or too cold.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Depending on
your needs, consider purchasing sensor
taps which can switch off automatically when not
in use. For safety against burning and scalding,
fit a thermostatic mixer valve, which can supply
the free flow of water at the desired
temperature. General Weakness Illnesses such as
flu and other fevers can weaken the body and
blur vision. Having grab rails to hold onto and
good lighting can reduce the likelihood of
slipping or falling. Summary Where theres
water, theres an element of danger. A wet floor
in a bathroom can create problems for all but
maybe more so for elderly people. When
purchasing a bath chair, be sure to take the
measurements of your bath first, so as to allow
you to choose a bath chair model which will fit
your personal bath size and design. Directional
spotlights in the bathroom can prevent
accidents. Bright lights and the accompanying
glare can irritate eyesight and so reduce vision
clarity.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Bath mats, both
inside the bathing area and out, are so
important to us all, as they prevent slipping and
can reduce accidents and injuries. Keep a tidy
bathroom and avoid sharp edges on bathroom
units, both of which will add to the positive
bathing experience. Blog an Originally Posted
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sk-out-personal -hygiene.html
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