Years ago, I was helping an elderly woman take a shower when something happened that I have never forgotten. She fell in the shower and ended up breaking her leg.
It was a terrible experience, and it taught me just how quickly an accident can happen in a bathroom. You can be standing right there helping someone, doing everything you can, and a slip or loss of balance can happen in a matter of seconds.
Because of that experience, I look at shower assistance much differently today.
If I am going to help a senior take a shower, there are several safety measures that I require to be in place first. I would rather say no to helping with a shower than put someone in a situation that I don’t believe is reasonably safe.
CDC – Older Adult Fall Prevention
Grab Bars Are a Must
The first thing I want to see is good, properly installed grab bars.
A senior needs something sturdy to hold onto when getting into the shower, sitting down, standing up, or getting back out. A towel rack is not a grab bar and should never be treated like one.
Grab bars need to be securely installed and positioned where the person can actually reach and use them.
A Good Shower Chair or Stool
I also require a sturdy shower chair or stool.
Standing throughout an entire shower can be difficult for someone who has problems with balance, strength, or endurance. Sitting down can make bathing much easier and reduce the amount of time the person needs to spend standing on a wet surface.
The chair or stool needs to be stable and appropriate for use in a shower. I don’t want to rely on a regular household chair or something that can easily slide or tip.
A Handheld Shower Wand
A handheld shower wand makes an enormous difference when helping someone bathe.
When a senior can remain seated, the handheld shower wand allows us to bring the water to them instead of requiring them to continually stand, turn, bend, or move around under a fixed showerhead.
It’s a fairly simple addition to a shower, but it can make shower time much easier for both the senior and the person assisting them.
Don’t Forget About Getting Out
Getting out of the shower can be just as important as getting into it.
Someone may be wet, the floor may be damp, and their feet may be slippery. This is why I also want a good nonslip mat where the senior will be stepping when getting out of the shower.
Towels, loose rugs, and mats that slide easily aren’t something I want someone depending on for secure footing.
Why I Have These Requirements
Some people might think these precautions are unnecessary if another person is there to help. My experience taught me otherwise.
I was there when that elderly woman fell.
That is something you don’t forget.
Helping someone does not mean you can guarantee that they won’t fall. A caregiver or companion cannot always catch an adult who suddenly loses their balance, and trying to do so can sometimes result in both people being injured.
That is why I believe the bathroom itself needs to be set up to make showering as safe as reasonably possible.
For me, that means having:
- Properly installed grab bars
- A sturdy shower chair or stool
- A handheld shower wand
- A good nonslip mat for stepping out of the shower
If those basic safety measures aren’t in place, I am not comfortable assisting someone with a shower.
Safety Comes First
One of the goals of senior companion care is helping people remain comfortable and as independent as possible in their own homes. But there are times when helping also means recognizing when something isn’t safe.
The accident I witnessed years ago changed the way I approach shower assistance. I can’t guarantee that an accident will never happen, but I can insist on taking sensible precautions before agreeing to help.
Sometimes a few relatively simple changes to a bathroom can make a big difference.
And when it comes to helping a senior take a shower, I would much rather take the extra precautions than ever see someone go through an accident like that again.
More information about Carol’s Senior Care.
Leave a Reply