Making a Bhopal Home Safe: Bathroom, Bedroom and Stairs

Begin at the gate

Walk from the road to the door as your parent does, in the footwear they actually wear, on a wet day if you can. Count the steps, feel for loose or slick surfaces and note where there is nothing to hold. In sloping streets, a path that is fine in the dry becomes a hazard in the monsoon.

• Handrails along the path and steps, firmly fixed, on both sides if possible; see handrails and stair lifts.
• Non-slip surfaces on steps and sloping paths, with anti-slip tape or coating; see anti-slip tape and coatings.
• Step edges marked with contrast, and consistent step heights where possible; see stairs, steps and thresholds.
• Light: a motion-sensor light at the gate, path and door.
• Resting places: a seat or ledge partway for a long climb.
• A portable ramp at a single step or threshold for a rollator or wheelchair; for longer rises, a professionally built ramp; see portable ramps for thresholds.
• A dry zone at the door: a rack for shoes, a towel for aids and a place to sit.
• Avoid, where possible, living in homes with long outdoor flights of steps if your parent has trouble with stairs; see ground floor vs upper floor living.
• A key safe or spare key with a neighbour; see key safe guide.

Inside: floors and living areas

• Fix or remove rugs; tidy cables; keep paths wide enough for a walker; see flooring, rugs and trip hazards.
• Internal level changes, common in homes built on slopes, should be marked with contrast and lit.
• Choose firm chairs with arms and a suitable height; see choosing a chair for an older person.
• Keep daily items between waist and shoulder height; use a reacher rather than a stool; see reacher grabber guide and kitchen safety for older adults.
• Summer heat: cross-ventilation and cooling, with water within reach; see temperature and ventilation at home.
• Dust in the old city: damp-dust, mats at the door and closed windows at the dustiest hours; see indoor air quality for older lungs.

The bathroom

Floor. A non-slip mat with drainage holes in the wet area, a dry mat outside and anti-slip tape or coating on smooth tiles; see non-slip bath mats guide and bathroom flooring for older people. Use a wiper after every bath, especially in the monsoon.

Grab bars. Fixed into the wall with proper plugs, beside the toilet, in the shower and at the entry; not suction bars; see grab bar buying guide, where to fit grab bars and suction grab bars are not safe. For rented homes, see installing grab bars in rented homes.

Seating and showering. A shower chair or bench with rubber feet and a handheld shower; see shower chair buying guide, handheld shower guide and bathing safely with a shower chair. Knee and hip problems, common on hilly terrain, make standing in the shower tiring.

The toilet. A raised seat or frame helps with standing; for a squat toilet, see indian style toilet to western conversion, raised toilet seat guide and toilet frame guide.

Water heaters. Keep geysers in good order and take care with temperature; see safe use of heaters and geysers.

Help and light. A door that opens from outside, bright light and a way to call; see bathroom emergency alerts.

See bathroom safety checklist for seniors and bathroom safety products for seniors.

The bedroom

• Bed height and edge: feet flat, knees at right angles, a firm edge; see bed height and getting out of bed.
• Night route: a motion-sensor night light, a clear floor and, if the toilet is far, a commode; see motion night lights for seniors, bedroom setup for night safety and night-time toilet trips and falls.
• Mosquito protection: a net or screens, particularly in the monsoon; ask the doctor before using coils or sprays near someone with breathing problems.
• Summer nights: cotton bedding, a safely placed fan, water within reach and a plan for power cuts.
• Winter: layers and a light quilt; keep any heater away from bedding, ventilated and switched off for sleep unless designed otherwise; no charcoal or open flames in a closed room.
• Within reach: water, phone or pendant, spectacles, torch and the pill box.
• For someone mostly in bed: a hospital bed, a pressure-relieving mattress and repositioning; see hospital bed at home guide, air mattress for pressure sores and preventing bedsores at home.
• Bed rails only on advice; see bed rails guide.

Internal stairs and upper floors

• Handrails on both sides, continuous and firm.
• Step edges in contrast with non-slip tape; light switches at the top and bottom.
• Clear steps: no storage or loose mats.
• A stair lift may be an option for some staircases, but it needs a professional assessment; see handrails and stair lifts.
• Daily life on one level: a bedroom, toilet and sitting area downstairs if possible.
• Apartments: check that the lift works during power cuts and fits a wheelchair or stretcher; see lifts and apartment living for seniors and care equipment for a first-floor flat.

Lighting, contrast and power cuts

Monsoon evenings are dark and storms can cut power. Use bright, even light and contrast on edges; see lighting and contrast at home. Keep a charged emergency light and torch at the bed, hall and bathroom, and a power bank for the phone and pendant; see power cuts and older adults.

Adjusting for particular needs

• Walkers and rollators: wide doors, ramps over thresholds; see rollator buying guide.
• Wheelchair users: space to turn, an accessible bathroom and a ramp at the entrance; see bathroom layout for wheelchair users.
• Poor vision: contrast and light; see low vision home safety.
• After stroke or surgery: follow therapist advice; see bathroom safety after stroke and after hip surgery bathroom setup.
• Dementia: simple, labelled spaces and secure doors; see dementia home setup.

Living alone

If your parent lives alone, arrange a way to call from bed and bathroom, a spare key with a neighbour or a key safe, a daily check-in, visible emergency numbers and a medicine routine; see home safety for seniors living alone, panic pendant buying guide and emergency contact card and medical summary. No device ensures rescue; agree who responds.

Priorities

First: night lighting, remove loose rugs, fixed grab bars and non-slip surfaces in the bathroom, handrails and non-slip surfaces at the entrance and on slopes. Then: seating, bed changes, ramps and equipment. See bathroom budget makeover for seniors. Review every few months and after any fall or illness, especially before the monsoon.

A monthly round

Once a month, walk the route from gate to bed with your parent. Check the handrails, the tape on steps, the night lights, the mats, the grab bars and the ramp, and ask what has been hard lately. After the monsoon, look for moss on steps, loose paving and rust on rails. Before the hot months, check fans, water and the cool corner of the house. Write down anything to fix and set a date.

When to ask a professional

An occupational therapist can assess the home and the approach; see occupational therapy home assessment. A qualified builder, electrician or plumber should do fixed work. A physiotherapist can assess balance. The doctor should review dizziness, vision and medicines. For senior citizens' information and support, Elderline 14567 is a helpline; check current availability. After a fall with head injury or suspected fracture, call 112.