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If you are choosing to age-in-place, opting to upgrade your bathroom allows you to make one of the most used rooms in your home truly safe for everyone in your household. Keep reading to learn four of the best ways to make your bathroom safer as you age in place!

1. Install Grab Bars 

Strategically installed, weight-bearing grab bars in the bathroom provide much-needed stability in places that are most often the site of slips or falls. These places include the area around a toilet, on the edge of a bathtub, and both at the entrance and in a shower stall.

With many material and style options to choose from, grab bars can be seamlessly matched to the look and feel of your bathroom. Whether you need a standard straight grab bar or a movable grab bar that can flip up or swing shut when not in use, grab bars are one of the top ways to make your bathroom safer.

2. Upgrade to Non-Slip Flooring

Because they tend to be moist environments, bathrooms are often the site of hazardous slips and falls. One of the most prevalent causes of these accidents is slippery flooring that can become dangerously slick from the moisture produced by a hot bath or shower.

With current non-slip technology, you do not have to compromise on looks to get safe, non-slip flooring. While vinyl flooring is the most obvious choice, natural stone, ceramic tiles, and even cork flooring can be finished with nearly invisible non-slip finishes.

3. Brighten Up Your Space

Without proper lighting, bathrooms may contain areas of dim lighting that can compromise safety. Installing brighter fixtures over the sink and adding lighting to less obvious areas of the bathroom, like over the toilet, can increase both visibility and safety.

Other lighting options that can increase safety in the bathroom are choosing lighting fixtures that take higher-lumen lightbulbs and replacing regular light switches with illuminated ones. A brightly lit bathroom not only makes the room more inviting; it also reduces unnecessary safety risks.

4. Making Bathing Easier with a Walk-in Tub

If you or a loved one has mobility issues, getting over the sides of a slippery bathtub can be perilous. You can eliminate the risks presented by a traditional bathtub by replacing it with a walk-in tub.

Walk-in tubs offer all the comforts of a regular bathtub with none of the accessibility issues. Entry is simple, and the door to the tub seals tight, so you never have to worry about leaks. With options like hydro-therapy jets and heated seats, a walk-in tub can mean a soak that’s not just safe but luxurious as well!

Statistics show that the bathroom is often the most dangerous room in the house, the leading site for preventable accidents. This can be especially true if you or a loved one have mobility issues as you age-in-place. With smart, safety-conscious upgrades to your bathroom, you can enjoy your bathroom worry-free for years to come!

Ready to make your bathroom fully accessible as you age-in-place? Contact Portland Accessibility Remodelers today to schedule a consultation!