If there is one thing I love it’s relaxing at the end of the day in a hot bath, surrounded by bubbles (both the ones in the water and in a glass!), preferably without the children wanting to invade my time too. Warm fluffy towels fresh off the heated towel rail ready for when I get out and my biggest worry being which pj’s should I wear.
I know however this isn’t the case for everyone and even just taking a look at the latest report from Bathing Solutions regarding household injury and falling in later life, makes me take stock of some things we simply take advantage of. With hubby having spent the best part of last week in hospital with pneumonia and being told that he is nearing 50 so no longer a spring chicken, he needs to start to take things a little easier. With heart complications and now pneumonia affecting his breathing and mobility we really do need to take notice of our surroundings and how we can possibly make small changes to help in the long run.
With falls accounting for 75% of injuries around the home and 6% of those being on wet surfaces it gives cause for concern about the flooring in our bathroom, with little ones who firmly believe the water should be spread as far as they can, slipping over is always a possibility! Non slip bath mats are an ideal solution and also a hand rail could help stepping out from the bath or shower too, gone are the days of these looking like something from a nursing home. I was delighted to find they can be quite decorative and modern as well as practical now too.
As we are going to be updating our bathroom completely I love the idea of a roll top bath but understand how impractical this can be with regards to safety and having something to hold on to to get out. Hubby is wanting a wet room, which, practical in the sense of not having to climb in and out of a bath, has the added discussion of falling or slipping on a wet surface. Both options have both pros and cons so is something we are going to have to discuss further before making any decisions. This is a bathroom we will have for the rest of our lives so it needs to be ‘future proof’ and work for us, both now and when we get older.
What saddened me within the report was the fact that one in ten people surveyed said that an elderly relative had stopped bathing daily, although daily bathing is not a requirement by any means I just can’t imagine not having the luxury of wanting to step into the bath or shower at the end of the day. Being so worried about falling or having an accident that even washing is something you need to contemplate not carrying out. Preparing now will hopefully set us in good stead for the future and I will be able to have my hot baths when ever I wish!
XOXO
Debbie
This is a collaborative post
