There are a lot of reasons why you might want to remodel your bathroom. Maybe your home was built in the ’70s and you can’t take another day of avocado-green countertops. Perhaps you want to expand your shower, so you don’t feel like you’re showering on a submarine. Maybe you want to add some storage so you can end all your family’s arguments about whose toothbrush goes where. Remodeling your bathroom for any and all of these reasons can enhance your quality of life significantly. Though perhaps the most important reason to remodel your bathroom is to make it safer. You may have a relative who’s beginning to slow down in his or her older age, or you may have someone in your home with disabilities for whom everyday tasks are a little more difficult. Even if you don’t, the average bathroom has a number of areas where a few adjustments can reduce the risk of injuries. If you’re considering a bathroom makeover, here are some suggestions for changes you can make to help ensure your remodeled bathroom will be safer.
Handrails
Some of the most obvious items you can add to your bathroom remodel project to make your bathroom safer are handrails. By installing handrails in the shower, in the bathtub and around toilets, you can make it easier for your family to get in and out and reduce the risk of falling. Handrails also provide elderly people with added stability when showering.
Slip-Free Surfaces
Water plus smooth surfaces can be a recipe for disaster — and one that’s found in many bathrooms. Adding slip-free mats or resurfacing bathtubs or showers to create slip-resistant textures can make it much safer for people of all abilities to use the bathroom. These surfaces can range from bath mats and rugs used outside of the tub; to mats that use suction cups to stick to the tub; to tubs specifically manufactured with slip-free surfaces.
Accessible Fixtures and Furniture
Most bathroom fixtures and furniture are designed with the average person in mind, which may make them difficult for people with disabilities or elderly people to use safely. If you’re remodeling your bathroom with the safety of your loved ones in mind, there are plenty of options for accessible fixtures and furniture. For example, accessible toilets are available that offer raised seating to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get on and off them. Sinks and vanities that are built lower to the floor also are safer for many people with disabilities to use because they don’t require them to stand or reach up to use them. Faucets and spigots that feature easy-to-use handles reduce the risk of injuries. Additionally, valves with simple-to-read controls reduce the risk that someone will scald himself or herself.
Wider Doorways
If you’re remodeling your bathroom with safety in mind, consider widening the doorway. In addition to making a bathroom much more accessible to someone who uses a wheelchair, it reduces the chances that someone could stumble and fall when going to the bathroom at night.
Night Lights
Getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night can create a dangerous situation for many people — especially for those with disabilities. Adding night lights to your bathroom or the hallway outside can make it easier for people to find their way in the dark. Lighted light switches are another worthwhile idea for making the bathroom more accessible.
There are so many reasons to remodel your bathroom, and improving the safety for your loved ones should be right up there with them. Follow these ideas for adding some safety features to your bathroom. Your remodeling project will make your bathroom a safer — as well as nicer — place for everyone in your home.