Replacing your bathroom tiles

Bathroom-Remodelling Ideas for Senior Citizens That Contractors Should Know

21 March 2018 by Heather Howell

If you have been in the renovation industry for some time and have not had an opportunity to do bathroom-remodelling work for an elderly client, then you are missing an exciting challenge. Unlike other clients, bathroom renovation for the baby boomer generation requires careful planning because their safety and comfort needs are entirely different.

While it is true that some elderly individuals are physically fit, it is a natural occurrence for persons to lose their mobility as they age, which makes them susceptible to injuries. Therefore, you need to treat such a project with care. If you have never worked on a bathroom-remodelling project for an elderly client, then ideas presented in this post offer an excellent starting point.

One-Level Showers  

When working with senior citizens, the chances are that you will encounter some customers who have lost the ability to lift their legs over obstacles comfortably. Coupled with the fact that most senior citizens suffer from joint problems, then you realise that the clientele needs bathrooms that do not require them to raise their legs. When renovating, therefore, you can consider one-level showers. Also referred to as curbless showers, the facilities allow older people to walk straight into a shower without the need to lift their limbs. If a client uses a wheelchair to navigate the house, then single-level showers ease the transition into the shower for both the client and caregiver.  

Lever or Foot Operated Faucets  

As a remodelling contractor, you must have installed different kinds of faucets for your clients. In most cases, it is the client that proposes the type of faucet they want to be fixed. However, senior citizens are not your ordinary clients; therefore, it would not make sense to ask them the faucet type they want for their bathrooms. Notably, you cannot go wrong with a lever or the foot-operated faucets when remodelling for the elderly. A lever faucet eliminates the twisting action, which is characteristic with the knob-type tap, that can be a nightmare for senior citizens to operate because of the twisting force required to do so.

Non-Slip Tiles

When referring to a safe bathroom environment, most people will suggest the addition of non-slip rags to the floor to prevent slips. However, unless the rags are glued or held by suction to the tiles, there is no guarantee that they will ultimately prevent falls. To non-disabled clients, non-slip cloths or mats should work just fine. However, if you are doing bathroom remodelling for senior citizens, then you need to go with non-slip tiles. The tiles will eliminate the possibility of slips or trips, thereby increasing safety.

Share