Barefoot and Company Blog

Preventing Falls: Bathroom Safety Part 1

  

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by Laura Barefoot

Have you taken a moment to consider all the potential hazards that could take place in your bathroom? Drowning, burns, falls, poisoning, electrical shock, and the list goes on. The bathroom, a room in our home we visit multiple times daily, need not be a risky place. One of the most obvious safety measures you can do is be proactive to prevent falls. 

Preventing Falls

Falls often occur as people get in or out of the tub/shower or slip on standing water. Begin reducing your risk of frightening falls by being proactive with the simple things like keeping your bathroom floor clean and dry. Placing a non-skid latex-coated bath mat on the floor beside the tub/shower will provide firm footing. Additionally, non-slip suction cups or rubber silicon appliqués in the tub will help prevent falls.

One of the most important safety measures to have in place is professionally-installed bath accessory items such as grab bars and hand rails near the tub/shower and toilet. These should be institutional-grade and stainless steel; proper installation will ensure a 300 pound weight capacity. 

Worry not, however, as there is no need to sacrifice your sense of style. Many brands offer a variety of products in attractive designs and trendy finishes. In fact, we have installed grab bars with integrated shelves, towel bars, and toilet paper holders. These professional-grade decorative bars can be installed anywhere on the wall using SecureMount Anchors (no stud needed), so they can be placed in ideal and aesthetically pleasing locations.

Tips: 

1. Under no circumstances should you install or use towel rods in place of dedicated grab bars. In the case of a fall, towel rods will not support the weight and momentum.

2. Never clutch or grab hold of your shower curtain or glass sliding door for stability or balance. This is extremely unsafe as neither of these items are designed for human weight. 

For more information or to see photographs of our professional-grade secure AND decorative grab bars and hand rails, visit our Bath Accessories - Bath Safety Page.