Caregiving

Elder Care: Is Your Home Safe Enough?

The bathroom is probably one of the most dangerous rooms because of the combination of water and slippery surfaces.
CHRISTINA BALDASARI, LPT: Right. A lot of bathrooms are narrow, and it is very difficult to get a wheelchair or a walker through. We determine if there is amply room to turn with a walker-are they going to be able to sit on the toilet or get into the tub?

The tub is a big predicament, because a lot of older people can't climb over the rim, sit down, or get back up again. A lot of times we recommend a tub bench or a shower chair. A tub bench is just a bench that you put inside the tub. Sometimes it has a railing with it that they can sit down on and then swing their legs over the edge. They can shower or bath this way. A shower chair usually has a back to it, so they won't fall over or fall backwards.

WILLIAM BULMAN, MD: A shower stall is preferable, but you need to work with what you have in your home.

What are the difficulties involved in using the toilet?
WILLIAM BULMAN, MD: The strength required to stand from the sitting position from a low toilet is significant-it takes a great deal of strength in your legs to do that. If you have arthritis in your hips or your knees, going from a sitting to a standing position is painful. If you have muscular weakness in either one or both legs, it can be very difficult to stand using your legs alone. There are modifications that you can make to the toilet that make that easier.

What modifications?
CHRISTINA BALDASARI, LPT: There are different kinds of raised toilet seats that you can buy, or toilet chairs with rails that help the person to push up from a sitting position. And grab bars can be useful too.

WILLIAM BULMAN, MD: Very often with older persons with significant disabilities, getting from the bedroom to the bathroom is very important, especially since older persons often go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Sometimes we recommend a bedside commode so that they can get out of bed, use the commode next to their bed, and then use the bathroom for toileting during the day.

What are some safety considerations in the kitchen?
CHRISTINA BALDASARI, LPT: It is important to assess how they move about in the kitchen, especially if they have a walker or a wheelchair and they need to carry a plate of food from the counter to the kitchen table. We have to assess their mobility carrying, maneuvering the walker, and moving around. Sometimes, we recommend putting food on a tray if they are in a wheelchair or sliding the tray along a counter closer to the kitchen table.

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