Shower Safety ..(Elderly)

[NoBozo]

Since I'm over 71 AND ..let's say a Thinker. I have been thinking about WHAT IF I fall in the shower...and break something..when no one is in the house with me. ALL the doors in the house are Locked.

I have a solution:

!. Before you take your shower..(When no one is in the house with you..) UnLock A door..just for an hour...during your shower.

2. Establish a plastic box..like a "TupperWare" box..OR any similar small box that can contain your Cell Phone...In the DRY. Put a folded paper towel IN the box with the cell phone. Add an adhesive Velcro strip to the outside bottom of the box. Also add the other half of the adhesive Velro strip to the the Middle of the bathtub RIM....Ie..(permanent) Half way between the "head' end of the tub and the "foot" end of the tub.

This way..no matter which way you "Land"..you will have the best chance of REACHING the phone. NB

[HellRaZoR004]

or there's the add "i've fallen and can't get up"

[fatlazyless]

....maybe install a couple of grab bars which look like heavy duty towel bars....as well as gripper strips on the slippery porcelain bathtub floor.....hey....how about that!

[Heaven]

Take baths.

[Happy Gourmand]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

Since I'm over 71 AND ..let's say a Thinker. I have been thinking about WHAT IF I fall in the shower...and break something..when no one is in the house with me. ALL the doors in the house are Locked.

I have a solution:

!. Before you take your shower..(When no one is in the house with you..) UnLock A door..just for an hour...during your shower.

2. Establish a plastic box..like a "TupperWare" box..OR any similar small box that can contain your Cell Phone...In the DRY. Put a folded paper towel IN the box with the cell phone. Add an adhesive Velcro strip to the outside bottom of the box. Also add the other half of the adhesive Velro strip to the the Middle of the bathtub RIM....Ie..(permanent) Half way between the "head' end of the tub and the "foot" end of the tub.

This way..no matter which way you "Land"..you will have the best chance of REACHING the phone. NB

"What If I fall in the shower". I say, what if you don't?
You can "what if" yourself to total paranoia. Unless you are having difficulty getting in and out of the tub...now that's a different story. Have you considered one of those medical alert type of devices that you wear around your neck? I believe they have some that are waterproof and can be worn in the shower. It would be close by for any WHAT IF situation.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

....maybe install a couple of grab bars which look like heavy duty towel bars....as well as gripper strips on the slippery porcelain bathtub floor.....hey....how about that!

I don't say this often, but...Excellent advice FLL.

[Winnisquamguy]

You could always get a shower chair as well as add safety grab bars.

[Chaselady]

NoBozo, I would be afraid to leave my door unlocked while I took a shower....remember the movie "Psycho"?
On a more serious note, I like the idea for anti-slip stickies for the shower floor.
You don't have to be elderly to fall in the shower. My 50 something sister-in-law did it last year and broke her leg. I have slipped a couple of times myself.

[bclaker]

I had a chair that fits in the tub, so I could sit and shower. One day it tipped over and my arms were caught between the legs. Luckily my wife was home and called 911 and the fire department came and pulled me out. After that I got a chair that overlapped the edge of the tub and purchased a 911 button. It only calls 911, no friends or neighbors and there is no monthly fee. When I shower, I tie it to a string attached to the chair leg and leave it on the mat on the bathroom floor. It is moisture resistant, but not water proof.

[NoBozo]

The reason for leaving the door unlocked is so the EMTs can get in without smashing the front door in. (Steel door & frame)

I already did the No Slip strips on the bottom of the tub.

My wife suggested the "Grab Bars" too, but That's a little Paranoid... NB

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

My wife suggested the "Grab Bars" too, but That's a little Paranoid... NB

...no they're not....grab bars made some good sense...plus they double as towel bars.....so why not....what the heck?

[fpartri497]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

...no they're not....grab bars made some good sense...plus they double as towel bars.....so why not....what the heck?

reluctantly I agree with FLL

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by The Phantom Gourmand

"What If I fall in the shower". I say, what if you don't?
You can "what if" yourself to total paranoia. Unless you are having difficulty getting in and out of the tub...now that's a different story. Have you considered one of those medical alert type of devices that you wear around your neck? I believe they have some that are waterproof and can be worn in the shower. It would be close by for any WHAT IF situation.

Having been in the Durable Medical Equiptment business for more than 35 years, I can tell you the concern is real. Just a few numbers

How big is the problem?
•One out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year,(1) but less than half talk to their healthcare providers about it.
•Among older adults (those 65 or older), falls are the leading cause of injury and death. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.(2)
•In 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 662,000 of these patients were hospitalized.(2)
•In 2010, the direct medical costs of falls, adjusted for inflation, was $30.0 billion.(4)


More info here:

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreation...dultfalls.html

I will tell you, the best way to make your bathroom safe is to have any one of a number of very good local comanies come to your home and do an evaluation. (Many insurance plans will cover "some" of the cost, (if you have pre-existing medical conditions).

Keene Medical In Concord is very good.

That cost number is real $30 Billion!

[VitaBene]

Consider a panic button in the shower area that is tied to your intrusion detection (alarm) system. Make sure it is programmed as a 24 hour zone (always armed even when system is not).

[fatlazyless]

...u know not all grab bars look like they belong in a rehab-care facility....some look a lot more like towel bars.

[Winnilifer]

I assumed at the beginning of thread you may have grab bars....

I also agree with FLL --I put them in my apartment (My dad a youthful 84 stays in) at my Lake house. He liked them so much he asked for them to be installed at his home as well. He certainly feels safer with them.

I believe these are a must have, inside as well as exiting on wall. Hey I'll get a shot at using them if I'm lucky

[mbhoward]

I installed grab bars, non-skid and new tiles on the bathroom floor that were rough cut stone. Not TOO rough cut but enough to insure good, solid footing when feet are wet. I urge you to make sure the bars are screwed into wood, or if not, go to the trouble of getting them blocked out. They come in all sizes and shapes and are well worth the expense.

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by mbhoward

I installed grab bars, non-skid and new tiles on the bathroom floor that were rough cut stone. Not TOO rough cut but enough to insure good, solid footing when feet are wet. I urge you to make sure the bars are screwed into wood, or if not, go to the trouble of getting them blocked out. They come in all sizes and shapes and are well worth the expense.

Great post, and right on the money. If you can't "do it yourself", hire a good carpenter.

The real 'scam" in this entire issue of bath safety is that Medicare will not pay for anything "inside the bathroom" not grab bars, raised toilet seats or toilet safety arms. They will however pay for a new hip when a Medicare patient slips and falls. Hip Replacement will cost up to $100K (some higher).

Why, simple, the Home Health Industry has been fighting this foolishness for 20+ years and losing to the Doctor and Hospital Associations. They don't want a reduced paycheck by having Medicare pay for common sense safety.
Every time the issue comes up for discussion to change the "inside the bathroom" rule the hospital and doctor lobby spends enough money on paying off politicians (of both parties) to kill the idea. So they get that $300 Billion spent on Slips and falls.

So, Medicare could pay a couple hundred bucks to make an elders bathroom safer, and reduce falls or spend 300 Billion when they do fall.

[NoBozo]

Lots of Good Info here.

Grab Bars: I havn't done any searching yet on Shower Grab Bars yet because ..Frankly I hadn't considered myself to be in THAT "Catagory".....YET. I suspect that Grab Bars are NOT JUST screwed into the wall.

What is Behind the wall (Facade) will be important. My house was built in 1973. Was it Sheet Rock behind the ceramic tiles..OR was it Greenwall..? (If that is the correct term). I would think..."Through Bolting"....to something Substantial behind the tiles and Dry/Greenwall would be required. NB

EDIT: My engineering background quite often gets in the way of "Consensus".

[upthesaukee]

Grab bars need to be anchored into a stud. They need the strength to hold when some one is falling, and just using a molly screw or dry wall insert will pull right out. Also the anchoring screws are much heavier duty than the standard towel holder.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

"...2. Establish a plastic box..like a "TupperWare" box..OR any similar small box that can contain your Cell Phone..."

Any-old discarded cellphone can still dial 9-1-1.

[SIKSUKR]

Huh? Who said anything about discarding the cell phone?

NB, The grab bars would not be through bolted but attached with lag bolts into framing material. I would think a lot of bars would be made to attach at 16" on center to match typical house framing.

[HellRaZoR004]

I think the point was that you don't need to use your nice smartphone near the shower and risk getting it wet when you can use one that is old and no longer has a service plan instead (b/c you can still call 911 even without a service plan).

You then run into issues with making sure it has a charge.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Not a bad idea ApS. A 911 call will go through. NoBozo, I happen to have a retired cell phone that has a 911 button. I even think that I might have a waterproof bag thingy for it.

I'm with Chaselady. Keep the doors locked! A combination type deadbolt might be a good idea. You could give rescue the combo, so they don't have to break down the door.

BTW, I am only 48 and often wish that I had a grab bar. Yes, I already have the no slip strips. Maybe it's time to upgrade them though.

[Kamper]

When you reach the age that falling is a higher probability you might want to consider a shower chair.

You might also want to resume some hygiene activities more commonly associated with the young. To wit: Shower with a friend.

[evergreenenvious]

Originally Posted by The Phantom Gourmand

"What If I fall in the shower". I say, what if you don't?
You can "what if" yourself to total paranoia. Unless you are having difficulty getting in and out of the tub...now that's a different story. Have you considered one of those medical alert type of devices that you wear around your neck? I believe they have some that are waterproof and can be worn in the shower. It would be close by for any WHAT IF situation.

Better safe than sorry, anyone can get hurt in the shower or tub, its slippery, hard surface usually a tight space, Im fairly young but do have some physical impairments and I am always extra careful. Im careful with my son too, the normal dont jump wait for me to get out ect, so he doesnt fall or hit his head or drown. I like those walk in shower things personally, I want my nana to get one. right now she uses a shower seat, so its not to bad. she also have a life alert button. its waterproof so she can wear it in or hang it up near by. never hurts to have be cautious the world could use more of it actually

[NoBozo]

Thanks guys for all the input. I still think MY idea is the best...BUT..You know what...I havn't followed my own advice yet. I Have the Plastic Box, I have the Velcro...I have the Phone..and I'm still taking showers without it....

Not to worry: I'm COOL: It's NOT going to happen to me.................. NB