11 Essential Inclusions for a Senior-Friendly Bathroom
Three experts reveal how to design a bathroom for elderly users that's safe and accessible while ticking the style box
Georgia Madden
11 April 2020
According to a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, about 125,000 Australians aged 65 and over were seriously injured in falls from 2016 to 2017, and a large number of these took place in the bathroom. If you’re planning an age-in-place bathroom or looking to design one for an elderly relative, here are 11 must-have inclusions to make the space as safe as possible, according to the experts.
1. Avoid sharp edges
When it comes to fittings for a senior’s bathroom, avoid anything with sharp corners or edges, says Ari Zorlu, managing director of Paco Jaanson. “Seek out basins and vanities with smooth or rounded edges in strong, durable materials. They should also be made from low-maintenance, easy-to-clean materials.”
Need a hand with your bathroom renovation? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz
When it comes to fittings for a senior’s bathroom, avoid anything with sharp corners or edges, says Ari Zorlu, managing director of Paco Jaanson. “Seek out basins and vanities with smooth or rounded edges in strong, durable materials. They should also be made from low-maintenance, easy-to-clean materials.”
Need a hand with your bathroom renovation? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz
2. Make it easy-access
Ease of access into the bathroom and shower is crucial for elderly users, says Phillip Occhiuto, head designer at Caracalla Design and Renovation. “You may need to make provisions for items such as wheelchairs and walking frames. It’s also important to eliminate steps,” he says.
According to Occhiuto, sensor lighting and taps are a smart addition. “Pressing a button to run your shower with a pre-set temperature can make life much easier for seniors,” he says.
“Consideration must also be given to emergency access. Sliding doors are a great option as they can easily be removed when locked. Alternatively, fit swinging doors with special hinges that allow the door to be detached easily.
“Door locks should provide for privacy, but be easy to break if necessary so they can be detached from the outside,” he says.
Ease of access into the bathroom and shower is crucial for elderly users, says Phillip Occhiuto, head designer at Caracalla Design and Renovation. “You may need to make provisions for items such as wheelchairs and walking frames. It’s also important to eliminate steps,” he says.
According to Occhiuto, sensor lighting and taps are a smart addition. “Pressing a button to run your shower with a pre-set temperature can make life much easier for seniors,” he says.
“Consideration must also be given to emergency access. Sliding doors are a great option as they can easily be removed when locked. Alternatively, fit swinging doors with special hinges that allow the door to be detached easily.
“Door locks should provide for privacy, but be easy to break if necessary so they can be detached from the outside,” he says.
3. Raise the toilet
“Install toilets higher than usual to make it easy to sit down and stand up,” says Occhiuto. “Normal toilet pan heights are between 420 and 460 millimetres, but a height of 500 to 550 millimetres works best for seniors.”
“Some specially designed toilet suites even come with an increased pan projection and/or backrest to provide extra support,” says Zorlu.
“If you’re not in a position to replace the toilet, try fitting a thicker toilet seat to raise the seating height – these are easy to install,” says Ellen Thomas, a designer for Batch Collection, which is a division of smarterBATHROOMS+.
“Install toilets higher than usual to make it easy to sit down and stand up,” says Occhiuto. “Normal toilet pan heights are between 420 and 460 millimetres, but a height of 500 to 550 millimetres works best for seniors.”
“Some specially designed toilet suites even come with an increased pan projection and/or backrest to provide extra support,” says Zorlu.
“If you’re not in a position to replace the toilet, try fitting a thicker toilet seat to raise the seating height – these are easy to install,” says Ellen Thomas, a designer for Batch Collection, which is a division of smarterBATHROOMS+.
4. Opt for a walk-in shower and hand-held shower head
“Showers are the best and safest option for a senior’s bathroom,” says Occhiuto. “Baths can work if you have the space for a sitting area to the side or end of the tub. You need to avoid having to stand up and step directly out of the bath.
“It should be a three-motion process – first you need to be able to lift yourself out of the bath and sit directly onto a platform that’s level with the top of the bath surround, then you can turn around, place your feet firmly on the floor and safely stand up,” he says.
“A removable shower head on a rail makes showering so much easier, especially if someone is assisting with the bathing,” says Thomas.
“Showers are the best and safest option for a senior’s bathroom,” says Occhiuto. “Baths can work if you have the space for a sitting area to the side or end of the tub. You need to avoid having to stand up and step directly out of the bath.
“It should be a three-motion process – first you need to be able to lift yourself out of the bath and sit directly onto a platform that’s level with the top of the bath surround, then you can turn around, place your feet firmly on the floor and safely stand up,” he says.
“A removable shower head on a rail makes showering so much easier, especially if someone is assisting with the bathing,” says Thomas.
5. Add a shower seat
“Standing in a shower for a long time or getting in and out of a bathtub could be challenging to those who have lost mobility and strength. Allow your senior to feel more independent by installing a quality shower seat with a hand shower so they can enjoy a nice shower instead of seeing it as a chore,” says Zorlu.
How to Put a Bench Seat Into Your Shower
“Standing in a shower for a long time or getting in and out of a bathtub could be challenging to those who have lost mobility and strength. Allow your senior to feel more independent by installing a quality shower seat with a hand shower so they can enjoy a nice shower instead of seeing it as a chore,” says Zorlu.
How to Put a Bench Seat Into Your Shower
6. Switch to lever mixers
“Lever mixer taps are best for seniors’ bathrooms because you can turn on and adjust the hot and cold water with one hand,” says Occhiuto.
“It doesn’t cost much to install a lever mixer, and there are lots of styles available to suit different bathroom aesthetics,” says Zorlu.
“Look for chunkier styles that are easy to hold, but without any sharp corners that can scratch or cut seniors’ delicate skin,” says Thomas.
“Lever mixer taps are best for seniors’ bathrooms because you can turn on and adjust the hot and cold water with one hand,” says Occhiuto.
“It doesn’t cost much to install a lever mixer, and there are lots of styles available to suit different bathroom aesthetics,” says Zorlu.
“Look for chunkier styles that are easy to hold, but without any sharp corners that can scratch or cut seniors’ delicate skin,” says Thomas.
7. Install rails
“Safety rails are often an important and essential requirement for a senior’s bathroom, although they may not always be required at the time of bathroom construction. So this is a case where provisions can be made for installation at a later date,” says Occhiuto. “There’s still not a huge selection of styles, so it’s a good idea to select your proposed safety rail first, then match your tapware and fittings.”
“There are different options available, including 90-degree wraparound grab rails the user can hold with their right or left hand or a T-rail for the shower,” says Zorlu.
“You’ll want at least one rail beside the toilet, one in the shower and, if you have a bath, one there too,” says Thomas.
“Safety rails are often an important and essential requirement for a senior’s bathroom, although they may not always be required at the time of bathroom construction. So this is a case where provisions can be made for installation at a later date,” says Occhiuto. “There’s still not a huge selection of styles, so it’s a good idea to select your proposed safety rail first, then match your tapware and fittings.”
“There are different options available, including 90-degree wraparound grab rails the user can hold with their right or left hand or a T-rail for the shower,” says Zorlu.
“You’ll want at least one rail beside the toilet, one in the shower and, if you have a bath, one there too,” says Thomas.
8. Specify decent-sized cabinetry handles
“Ensure that handles on cabinets or drawers are big enough and easy to grab hold of for someone who may have arthritis or limited use of their fingers. No knobs or finger pulls,” says Thomas.
“Ensure that handles on cabinets or drawers are big enough and easy to grab hold of for someone who may have arthritis or limited use of their fingers. No knobs or finger pulls,” says Thomas.
9. Supersize switches
“Oversized switches for power points and lights are a small detail that can make a huge difference to elderly users,” says Thomas.
A Bathroom Design Expert Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
“Oversized switches for power points and lights are a small detail that can make a huge difference to elderly users,” says Thomas.
A Bathroom Design Expert Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
10. Include easy-to-use storage
“Avoid low storage – bending down is annoying for most of us, but can become impossible without help as you get older,” says Thomas.
“When designing bathroom cabinetry for the elderly, aim to eliminate doors below the vanity benchtop. Any cabinetry below 900 millimetres high should either have open shelves or drawers,” says Occhiuto.
“Avoid low storage – bending down is annoying for most of us, but can become impossible without help as you get older,” says Thomas.
“When designing bathroom cabinetry for the elderly, aim to eliminate doors below the vanity benchtop. Any cabinetry below 900 millimetres high should either have open shelves or drawers,” says Occhiuto.
11. Choose matte-finish floors
Glossy or highly polished floors present a slip hazard in bathrooms, whatever your age, says Occhiuto. “Natural stone floors with a honed finish can be a great option for senior users. Natural stone provides a safe, non-slip surface and will actually absorb water so there’s less risk of slipping. The honed finish feels great under bare feet too.”
Your turn
Did you find this story useful? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Want more practical bathroom design ideas? See 7 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Fit for a King, Queen or Village
Glossy or highly polished floors present a slip hazard in bathrooms, whatever your age, says Occhiuto. “Natural stone floors with a honed finish can be a great option for senior users. Natural stone provides a safe, non-slip surface and will actually absorb water so there’s less risk of slipping. The honed finish feels great under bare feet too.”
Your turn
Did you find this story useful? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Want more practical bathroom design ideas? See 7 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Fit for a King, Queen or Village
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We have just gone through the process of designing an ensuite bathroom to meet Australian disability standards while building our retirement home. This is part of an aging-in-place strategy, and not needed now. It's been an eye-opener to discover how little most builders and bathroom suppliers know, and how hard you have to search for stylish grab rail options! According to your article we've managed to do a pretty good job, just by researching and thinking about it would be like to want easy access to a bathroom if in a wheelchair or using a walking frame. We have also increased the space around the toilet to allow for those who need to transfer from a wheelchair to the toilet, installed a vanity that a wheelchair can fit under and ensured we have room for a person using a wheelchair to do a 360-degree turn. We've also had all the walls 'blocked' so that grab rails can be placed anywhere they are needed, when the time comes. It took a while to get there, but we have. Our only remaining problem is we have little storage in the bathroom now, with the lower part of the room needing to be kept clear of furniture and the upper part potentially providing storage that won't be accessible to a disabled user. Any ideas for that one?
with the extra space in our designed for elderly änd disabled use"" bathroom i've found that a simple low cane shelving unit is ideal for a few towels and the drawers in the vanity for easy access toiletries but we need to understand that all our supplies don't have to be reachable at the same time so wall storage still keeps extra supplies handy and accessible to carers.. and, we recently had our bathroom thorougly tested by a very frail elderly invalid and her carers and learned that a shower curtain instead of glass doors was an excellent decision for easy access with some modesty, the location of taps was correctly placed for a seated person and/or carer standing outside the shower and fixed shower seats are no use for a disabled person who needs seats with arms for safety and reassurance but we're very happy with our choices and would not now want a shower without grab rails for any age..even if they're only used for hanging wet cloths and floor mats and to lean on while washing your feet etc but's they're missed any time we have to use a shower without them
Try to avoid glass shower screens. Go for a walk-in shower if possible. Several elderly friends have fallen against glass screens. Happily, glass screens are now quite strong and hard to break, but walk-in showers are so much friendlier and also much easier to keep clean.