Bathroom is one of the most important rooms in your living space. Every member of the family uses it several times a day. Current bathroom plans lack a universal design and only suitable for young homeowners.
When it comes to individuals with mobility issues – here comes the problem. That’s why you need to consider aging-in-place bathroom design ideas.
Creating maximum safety and comfort
Convenience is the most crucial part for aging in place bathroom design. Therefore, it’s a must to install a lever handle for easier opening of the door, so that an elderly person is able to get inside the room without any unnecessary discomfort or pain.
Organizing an aging in place bathroom
Proper layout and multifunctional design will certainly help seniors to fulfill their basic needs without any inconvenience. This is why your restroom should be located on the first floor of the house near a bedroom or kitchen.
Think about dividing this place into two separate rooms – one for the shower and one for the toilet.
It’s also necessary to consider installing a chair lift if you’re living in a house – it provides easy access to the upper floors for the people with mobility problems.
Pay attention to the details
It’s very important to make easier access to the small things inside the bathroom: simple bath accessories, such as towel rack and toilet paper holder. Towels and other bathroom products are mostly stored on the open shelving.
This type of shelving helps with organizing the space in the room. They are often located behind the bathroom door or quite high on the walls. It’s a great fixture for strong and taller seniors, but what about those who have mobility issues?
Nowadays, there are many assistive devices that can do double duty. For instance, installing grab bars not only will help with ensuring stability inside the shower or near the toilet, but it’s also possible to use each grab bar differently – as a toilet paper holder or towel rack. Such aging in place bathroom design tools aren’t only convenient, but stylish as well.
A good idea would be to purchase the wall-mounted drawers with glass front doors and d-shaped pulls instead of knobs (for easy opening and closing).
Besides, they will surely help you save some space inside your aging in place bathroom.
Perfect lighting fixture
It’s great to properly think about the task lighting. No doubt, natural light isn’t enough in an aging in place bathroom design.
The best way to enhance the quality of lighting in the room is to buy a motion sensor light switch. This is a good senior-friendly device that can turn the light on automatically.
In addition, you can think of buying a night light to place it somewhere near the toilet and putting the sconces on each side of the mirror to create more localized illumination.
Shower, standard tub or walk-in tub – which one is better?
Statistics show that seniors are more likely to fall and get injured during bath time or simply showering. This situation can become fatal one day especially if no one is around. It’s vital to improve your current bathroom situation with some aging in place bathroom design features.
Aging in place bathroom design shower tools
Curbless showers are probably one of the most comfortable and senior-friendly appliances to install in an average bathroom. They are great for anyone in a wheelchair or using a walker.
It’s possible to make your shower even more secure by purchasing a shower seat. Frequently made of waterproof wood or granite, it’s slip-resistant and very enduring.
One of the advantages of this equipment is that you won’t have to go through the pressure of standing for so long. Having a shower seat is a great way to cope with weakness and ease the pain for elders during showering.
Another useful aging in place bathroom design device would be shower heads. They always come with sliding bar and can adjust to any suitable height.
Ensuring mobility and support
Shower heads are excellent for those old people who’d like to combine sitting and standing. Plus, they are quite easy to install in just a few minutes.
Speaking of protection and support, while a shower curtain can save some space inside your bathroom and protect from insignificant splashes, a glass shower door will help to increase stability and to keep the bathroom floor dry and neat.
Aging in place tub
Senior people or individuals with mobility problems find it very difficult to get in and out of the bathtub. Therefore, there are walk-in tubs which are one of the safest options and easily accessible.
The solution is that you don’t have to step over an edge to enter the tub. Instead, there’s a small door at the side of the tub that opens up to give you easy and safe access. These tubs are usually equipped with non-slip floors.
Bathroom floor space
Aging in place bathroom design implies having no slippery floors. Having marble flooring or even vinyl flooring in the bathroom can lead to dangerous accidents. On the other hand, rubber flooring is a great example of a non-slip surface. This types of bathroom floor prevent falls and unexpected slipping.
If your budget is pretty low, try using slip resistant mats with rubber backing in areas where water may splash or flow down. It’s really important to attach them to the floor with rug tape for safety.
Nice & handy: new trends
What are the new bathroom trends for 2024? Well, as we’ve already established, universal design is the only one appropriate for everybody. So if you want to create a safe and at the same time stylish room for your elderly relatives, you’ll have to take into consideration some modern restroom trends.
Equipment for individuals with health problems
Think about installing a wall-mounted sink – for someone in a wheelchair, it would be definitely better and easier to reach.
Choose your countertops wisely – individuals with vision problems may not pay enough attention to the sharp edges and easily get injured. There are plenty of senior-friendly counters with round edges in the middle price segment.
Speaking of hygiene, spacious steel walk-in tubs are a great example of aging-in-place modern design. Typically, there’s an anti-slip stool inside for those who have trouble standing for a long period of time.
Don’t forget about the need for grab bars. Grab bars are the significant safety feature which usually simplifies the task of getting in and out of the bathtub or toilet.
Add more natural lighting. Wide open windows and beautiful transparent curtains will allow you to let more daylight into your aging in place restroom. Certainly, it’s not only for the sake of aesthetics but also to ensure safety improvement for seniors.
Bathroom for ages
Modern trends can be unusual and outstanding, but sometimes it’s better to stick to the time-tested classics. Then you’ll be sure that your restroom will serve you for years.
How do you make a timeless bathroom?
- select a neutral color scheme;
- purchase a wooden vanity;
- choose a marble countertop.
Updating a bathroom
At some point in your life, a new remodeling project has to begin. Updating a bathroom to a universal design can definitely be one of the trickiest and most important projects for the whole family. Especially if you take aging in place bathroom design into account. Here comes the great question – In what order do you update a bathroom?
The best variant is to start with new flooring. Old floors with cracked covering can be unsafe for not only senior people who struggle with health issues but also for every young member of the family. Take into account that changing the covering will cost you money and time, so it’s better to think about durable and slip resistant materials.
Setting new bathroom devices
You may consider buying a new toilet, shower, and other essential appliances if your budget is not limited. By the way, upgrading a standard 15-inch tall toilet to 17-19 inches offers more comfort and stability. A proper height will make it easier for taller seniors and someone with disability.
If you’re looking for a new water tap, think about hands-free faucet that use a sensor to detect hand motion. There are also some faucets that work by simply touching them with any part of your hand. Keep in mind, they will require batteries that need to be replaced once in a while.
Speaking of security measures, it’s vital to check your water heater on the subject of overheating. If you install an anti-scald device in your restroom, it will protect you from reaching a scalding temperature.
Finally, purchasing a full-length mirror would be a very good idea. Some seniors, especially those who have to use a wheelchair, may find it difficult to use the mirror above the sink.
Improving the outdated look
When all the necessary upgrading is complete, you have to think about what to do next. Bathroom design is an important component, so it needs to be updated.
One of the most frequently asked questions is how can I make my outdated bathroom look better? The short answer is – get creative with the details.
Pick the right accessories
Such small thing as shower curtain can absolutely change the exterior. While the dark colors visually reduce the space, the light ones expand it.
To create a cozy atmosphere, change the massive metal shelves for wooden ones. They’re perfectly suitable for medicine cabinets, brushes, shampoo bottles, soap, and other bath stuff.
Revive the decor
If it’s possible, add some decorations: artificial flowers and plants, murals and paintings. To keep the smell fresh, install the aroma diffuser or air freshener.
Final words
All the aging in place bathroom design ideas presented here will help you create a more functional and secure restroom for all the members of your family, including those who have some major health issues.
It’s important to remember that with the necessary equipment and proper care, many senior individuals are able to live to the fullest in the comfort of their own houses for as long as they can.
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