Useful tips when designing a bathroom for the elderly

Unlike functional spaces in the home, the toilets for the elderly need to comply with certain standards to ensure safety.
In fact, the elderly, when using the toilet, often have a high rate of falls. These undesirable incidents can lead to serious injury, affecting health.

On the other hand, personal hygiene that requires the help of others is considered the suffering of many elderly people. Their general mentality is that they do not want to depend much on the people around them, especially on personal hygiene. Toilets for the elderly need to meet certain standards. (Illustration) In order to minimize unnecessary incidents as well as help proactively in personal hygiene, the toilets for the elderly need to meet certain standards. Location The most important factor when designing a bathroom for the elderly is location. Usually the toilet is located in or right next to the bedroom, making it convenient for the elderly to move. The entrance to the bathroom is unobstructed, well ventilated, well-lit, and the light switch system is easy to find and reach. The bathroom door must be wide enough to fit a wheelchair through. Floor The restroom is a wet, slippery place often. Therefore, when choosing floor tiles, you should choose bricks with high anti-slip and high roughness. It is necessary to keep the bathroom floor clean and dry. Should use toilet tiles for the elderly with high roughness. (Illustration) Wall tiles should be selected with light colors, avoiding the colors that are too flashy. In order for the elderly to avoid confusion, it is recommended to choose a combination of brick and wall colors in contrast to the color of the sanitary ware. Washstand The sink in the toilet for the elderly should not be set too high. The distance from the floor to the sink in the range of 80cm to 90cm is reasonable. Shower chair For the elderly, bathing is the safest and most comfortable position. The market has a wide variety of shower chairs to choose from. The seat is made of plastic, the legs and seats are made of aluminum. The seat height can be adjusted to suit the user. Bathing is the most comfortable and safest position for the elderly. Therefore, there should be a shower chair in the bathroom. (Illustration) Shower head Lock and shower should be installed in a position just within reach, convenient to turn off and on. Sink faucets should also use products that are easy to handle. Handrails Unlike normal restrooms, the toilets for the elderly should have handrails. Because handrails are essential support for the elderly to easily move in this space. Plan to install handrails in the bathroom for the elderly. (Illustration) Homeowners should add handrails on the wall at a height of about 1.3m in locations such as toilets, bathtubs, shower areas … to support. Handrails should choose products with good quality, high bearing capacity, stainless materials. Potty chair For elderly people with limited personal hygiene, homeowners should use a wheelchair and legroom. Suggestions about the rate of sanitary equipment in the restroom for the elderly. (Illustration) If a potty chair is not used, the toilet can be raised in height. Because with normal toilets, the elderly are quite difficult to lower the body when cleaning. Soap shelf Soap dispenser in the bathroom for the elderly should be installed in a position just within reach. It is best to use the type with the lower box to avoid the soap running down the floor causing slippery. Alarm system In order to promptly detect the unnecessary numbers, in the restrooms for the elderly, homeowners should install alarm systems or alarms. The alarm switch should be located near the floor so that the elderly can easily use it in case something goes wrong. Phuong Anh (synthetic)