According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common places for bathroom injuries are showers and bathtubs. Outdated showers are one of the biggest culprits for slips and falls, as they can be slippery when wet.
Even worse, one out of five falls results in a serious injury, such as a head injury or broken bones. That’s concerning enough to make you take a look at your bathroom and make sure it’s up-to-date and safe.
Bathrooms are often wet, slippery surfaces. In outdated showers and bathtubs, the grout between tiles can become worn out or cracked, which creates an additional hazard.
Poor lighting can make it difficult to see the floor and bathtub surfaces, increasing the chances of slipping. Loose rugs or mats near the tub or shower can pose a serious tripping hazard.
Finally, it’s important to make sure your bathroom has adequate ventilation. Water can linger on the floors without proper ventilation and create a slippery surface.
Often times, the best way to avoid a bathroom slip and fall is to ensure the room is up-to-date. This means replacing worn or outdated showers, bathtubs, and tile grout. It also means installing adequate lighting and good ventilation.
If you’re an able-bodied adult with good balance, you’re less likely to suffer serious injury in a bathroom fall. But if you’re elderly or have limited mobility or balance issues due to a medical condition, you’re at greater risk for serious injury. Likewise, children are more susceptible to slips and falls in the bathroom due to their small size and lack of experience. Even if they don’t suffer serious injury, they can easily become traumatized by a fall.
People with disabilities may also be more susceptible to bathroom falls due to limited mobility. For this reason, it’s important for people with disabilities to take extra precautions.
There are many steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from bathroom falls. Here are some of them:
Outdated showers can increase the risk of falls and slips in your bathroom. Here are some signs of an outdated shower:
Outdated showers can be hazardous, as they often do not have any type of effective anti-slip coating. It can increase the risk of falls and slips, as there is no traction when walking on a wet surface.
In addition, showers with narrow entrances and exits can also increase the risk of slips, as they can be difficult to navigate. If your shower is narrow, you should always take extra caution when entering and exiting the shower.
Finally, water overflow can cause standing water to remain on the surface of your shower floor if not properly drained. It can cause a slipping hazard and should be addressed immediately, as it can increase the risk of falls and slips.
The best way to deal with an outdated shower is to give it a facelift. Replacing the fixtures, tiles, and hardware can make all the difference in enhancing the safety and aesthetics of your shower.
It’s best if you hire a professional to update your shower. Here are the benefits of hiring a professional:
In conclusion, bathroom falls and slips can be prevented by taking a few simple steps to make your bathroom safer. Make sure the floor is clean and dry, install non-slip mats and grab bars, replace worn-out bath mats, and check the lighting. If your shower is outdated, hire a professional to update it.