People slip and fall every day, and often with little more to show for it than a bruised ego.

But that’s not the case when someone slips and falls in the bathroom. Did you know that about 235,000 senior citizens head to the emergency room every year due to injuries sustained in the bathroom, and that about 14% of them require hospitalization?

Many such injuries are to the head; these, in turn, can lead to traumatic brain injury. The most likely victims? Seniors and small children.

Here are some practical and effective ways to stem the tide of bathroom injuries in your home:

Replace your toilet with a comfort-height model which rise 19” above the floor vs. 13” for most other toilets. The makes sitting down and standing back up a lot easier.

Place grab bars in and around your shower stall or tub.

Replace your showerhead with a handheld model to eliminate the need to turn around while washing.

Place a non-slip mat inside and outside the tub or shower.

Install an anti-scaled valve in your shower to eliminate sudden and extreme increases in water temperature. Such a burst of hot water can cause someone to lose their balance and fall.

Replace your tub with a walk-in tub with just one small step needed to enter and exit, plus a bench seat for added safety.

Replace your bathroom floor with a non-slip surface like textured linoleum, carpet, vinyl, cork, bamboo, and rubber. Or, you can treat your current floor with a non-slip application.

To learn more about how to create a safer environment in your bathroom, contact Connor Plumbing today.