The older we get, the more vulnerable we are, and bathrooms can be especially hazardous for seniors.
Fortunately, there are many bathroom accessories for seniors on the market designed to help older people maintain their dignity and independence by making bathrooms safer and more convenient.
Here’s everything you need to know about senior citizen bathroom accessories to help keep the seniors in your charge safer, happier, and healthier.
1. Grab Bars and Railings
Strategically placed grab bars might be the most useful safety feature you can install in bathrooms designed for use by older adults. There are many types of bars available, including:
- Permanently mounted grab bars and safety rails: Stainless steel bars, like these from Vive or Gotega, come in various lengths and finishes and are bolted to the wall. When installed properly, they can support pulling force up to 500 lbs. This wall-mounted bar from Delta Faucet discreetly supports up to 300 lbs and replaces the toilet paper roll holder.
- Suction grab bars: for no-tool installation, suction bars like these from Safe-er-Grip are widely available and inexpensive. It’s important to note that suction bars are intended to help with balance only and cannot support pulling weight.
- Tub rails: Vaunn Medical and Drive Medical each offer handicap bars that fit securely over the edge of tubs to help seniors get in and out.
- Toilet grab bars for seniors: Most toilets are lower than average chairs, and sitting and standing can be tricky for people with mobility issues. In addition to the standard types of railings and grab bars listed above, several types of supports fit over or around the toilet, some of which raise the seat to a more comfortable height.
- Simple toilet safety rails like these from Medline or Drive Medical require no tools to install and fit around the toilet to allow seniors to grip and lower or push up to stand.
- Raised toilet seats come with rails or without rails.
- Gentle Boost offers a padded raised toilet seat with rails and a spring assist feature to help seniors get back on their feet. It can be used as a bedside toilet (with a bucket attached) or as a shower chair.
2. Bath Chairs & Benches
- Shower stool: The most basic and affordable option is a plastic shower stool, like this stool from Drive Medical. Other models have more features. This Health Line stool has a padded seat and supports up to 550 lbs, and this model from OasisSpace rotates 360°.
- Shower chair: For a higher price, you can get a more comfortable shower chair with arms and a backrest, like this Medline chair or this heavy-duty padded shower chair from KingPavonini that supports up to 550 lbs.
- Folding shower chairs: If space is at a premium, foldable shower chairs like this model from GreenChief or this one from EasyComforts are good options.
- Bath lift chairs: Battery-operated lift chairs, like those from MaideSite, Tranquilo, and Drive Medical are fully waterproof and capable of lifting 300 pounds to about chair height.
- Transfer bench: The least expensive options in this category, like this model from MedMobile, are bench-style seats where two support legs sit outside the tub and two sit inside. The user sits on the outside edge of the bench, swings their legs over the tub’s edge, and manually slides their body into position. More expensive models, such as those from Elenker and Hydroglide, offer more features, like a swivel or cut-out seat.
3. Handheld Shower Wand
Overhead showers may not deliver water to places that need to be washed, especially if the user is sitting. Handheld shower wands are a great solution, especially if you get a model you can mount in a place that’s easy to reach. Here’s a Tomler rainfall showerhead with a detachable you can mount in easy reach or a shower wand from YUESIMATE that uses a slider bar to adjust to different heights. The AquaCare Spa Station is a traditional round shower head and handheld combo with an extra mount you can locate for convenient use.
4. Incontinence Supplies and Disposal
Making it to the bathroom before a minor disaster can be challenging for slow-moving seniors. Fortunately, there are many kinds of incontinence products and bathroom accessories for seniors available today. Pads, disposable underwear, and adult diaper brands include:
Consider a hands-free disposal system designed to control odor for discreet disposal of used incontinence products, like the Collections ETC Akord or the TrioCare Odor Locking Blocking Control Diaper Pail.
5. Bath Wipes and Dry Shampoo
Seniors may not take a full bath or shower as often as they should. No-rinse body wipes are perfect for cleaning up without a fuss. Stock your senior’s bathrooms with products from Nurture, Medline, or Cleanlife.
Dry shampoo is an excellent solution between showers for fluffy, clean-smelling hair. Popular brands include Living Proof Perfect Hair Day, Not Your Mother’s, Batiste, and budget-friendly L’ange Hair Déjà Vu Dry Shampoo.
6. Nonslip Mats
According to the CDC, 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for slip and fall injuries each year at a cost of $50 billion. Medicare pays about 75% of the bills. Grab bars and nonslip mats are useful bathroom accessories for seniors that can help prevent seniors in your charge from being part of the statistic. Good examples include ENKOSI Large Bath Mat or the Gorilla Grip Patented Shower and Bath Mat.
7. Panic Button
A subscription service can be pretty pricey for a senior who needs a little help getting off the toilet or out of the shower. However, an in-home panic button is an easy and inexpensive solution for calling family members from other areas of the house. While they are not strictly bathroom equipment, call buttons can be mounted in the bathroom or carried on a lanyard, and the corresponding alarm unit can be placed where it is most likely to be heard. Check out systems from CallToU or Full House.
8. Body Scrubbers
Loss of mobility can result in poor hygiene, and stretching and bending can be hazardous for older people. Body scrubber shower accessories for the elderly can help. Ensure the brush or sponge you choose is long enough and angled for easy reach. This long-handled brush from UHIAGREE measures 20.5 inches, is conveniently angled, and has different heads for scrubbing and sponging. This 19-inch brush from LFJ has a sponge, a brush, and a pumice stone.
Scrubbing the feet can be challenging for anyone with mobility issues, but many seniors are particularly vulnerable. To help your seniors keep their feet clean and healthy with bath safety products, consider Tbestmax Shower Foot Scrubbers or the DalkomLife Foot Scrubber.
9. Automatic Soap Dispenser
Soap and shampoo containers can be a challenge for seniors with limited mobility issues or arthritis. Bathroom aids for the elderly, like automatic dispensers mounted at eye level (or seated eye level), make cleaning agents accessible and safe. Pick dispensers clearly marked for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, like these sets from AUMIO or Insdawn.
10. Motion Sensor Night Lights
Making your way down a dark hallway or fumbling for the bathroom light when you need to go can be frustrating and potentially dangerous for older folks. Bright motion sensor nightlights like this set from AUVON or these MAZ-TEK plug-ins light the path to the bathroom and the bathroom itself to make bathroom trips safer.
You may not need a long list of bathroom accessories for seniors. Your home or facility may already have senior bathroom equipment like a walk-in tub, eliminating the need for many of these accessories. However, this list will help you make the bathroom safer and more convenient for elderly residents or relatives when the time comes – and they need additional help.
