Making a Chennai Home Safe: Bathroom, Bedroom and Stairs

Start with a night walk

Carry a torch and walk the route from bed to toilet to kitchen at your parent's pace. Look at the floor surfaces, the light, the thresholds and what is lying around. Ask your parent where they feel unsteady. See falls risk assessment at home, occupational therapy home assessment and ageing in place room by room.

The bathroom

Floors: Smooth tiles become slick with soap and water, and humidity keeps them damp. Use ribbed, rubber-backed mats where feet land and anti-slip tape or coating where mats slide; dry the floor after use; see non-slip bath mats guide, anti-slip tape and coatings and bathroom flooring for older people.

Grab bars: by the toilet and at the shower, fixed into the wall with proper plugs; suction bars loosen in steam and wet tile; see grab bar buying guide, where to fit grab bars and suction grab bars are not safe.

Seating: a shower chair or bench and a handheld shower let a tired person wash seated, which also helps in heat when long standing causes dizziness; see shower chair buying guide and handheld shower guide.

Toilet: a raised seat or frame for weak knees; see raised toilet seat guide and toilet frame guide; for Indian-style toilets, see indian style toilet to western conversion.

Water temperature and ventilation: in a hot city, a very hot bath is not needed; set the heater low and test by hand; see hot water and scald safety for older skin. Ventilate to cut mould; see pest, damp and mould at home.

Help and doors: a door that can be opened from outside and a pendant worn in the bathroom; see bathroom emergency alerts and bathroom safety checklist for seniors.

The bedroom

• Bed height: feet flat, knees about level with hips; see bed height and getting out of bed.
• Hot nights: a fan or cooler within safe reach but not blowing directly on an older person; light cotton sheets; keep a glass of water by the bed; ask the doctor about night fluids if heart or kidney disease limits intake; see summer heat and bedridden care.
• Night routes: a motion-activated night light from bed to toilet, and a lamp within reach; see motion night lights for seniors and bedroom setup for night safety.
• Floors: no loose rugs or cables; tile floors can be cold and slippery at night, so keep non-slip slippers beside the bed; see flooring, rugs and trip hazards.
• Bedside toileting: a commode or urinal where the bathroom is far; see bedside commode and urinal routines and night time toilet trips and falls.
• Mattress and mould: damp air spoils mattresses; air them, use a breathable protector and for long bed hours consider a pressure-relieving mattress; see mattress protector guide and choosing an anti-bedsore mattress.
• Care bed: if a hospital bed is needed, measure doors and sockets and plan a power backup; see hospital bed at home guide and hospital bed electricity and power cuts.

Stairs and steps

• Handrails on both sides, continuous and firm; see handrails and stair lifts.
• Step edges with anti-slip tape or contrast strips; tile treads are slippery in damp feet; see stairs, steps and thresholds.
• Light: bright, glare-free lights at the top and bottom with switches at both ends; see lighting and contrast at home.
• Thresholds and entrance steps: a rail and ramp where needed; wet entrances in the monsoon need extra grip; see portable ramps for thresholds.
• Gates at stairs for those with memory loss; see wandering and dementia safety.
• Living on one level: if stairs are risky, plan daily life on the ground floor, but consider flood risk; see ground floor vs upper floor living.
• Apartments: check lift reliability and backup power; see lifts and apartment living for seniors.

Flood and cyclone readiness at home

Heavy northeast monsoon years can flood neighbourhoods. - Know your risk: has water entered the street or home before? Ask neighbours. - A plan for the person who cannot walk quickly: agree who will help, where to go (an upper floor, a relative's home), and which route; practise once. - A flood bag: a week's medicines, a medicine list, a thermometer, a torch, a power bank, a charged phone, an alert pendant, important papers and emergency numbers, in a waterproof container; see emergency bag for a hospital visit and emergency contact card and medical summary. - Raise valuables, devices and medicines off the floor. - Turn off electricity at the main switch if water enters, and do not touch switches with wet hands; see safe use of oxygen and electrical equipment. - Safe water and food: boiled water and supplies for several days. - Oxygen and powered equipment: discuss a backup plan with the supplier and doctor; see oxygen and power cuts. - After flooding: wear footwear in the water, wash with clean water and watch for fever, loose motions and foot wounds; see monsoon illnesses and older adults. - Call 112 in an emergency; see ambulance and emergency numbers in india.

Kitchen and living areas

Check the route from bedroom to kitchen and dining. Floors near the sink get wet, low cupboards force bending, and a stove that is hard to reach is a hazard. Keep daily items at waist height and a firm chair with arms near the table; see kitchen setup for seniors, kitchen safety for older adults and choosing a chair for an older person.

Mistakes to avoid

• Loose rugs near the bathroom door.
• Grab bars fixed with plastic plugs into tile.
• A night light that casts glare on a polished floor.
• Using a high bed that makes rising difficult.
• A ground-floor care room in a low-lying area with no flood plan.
• Unplugged or unreliable alert devices.

A weekend checklist

1. Night walk with a torch; list the hazards. 2. Fit a night light between bed and toilet. 3. Add ribbed mats and anti-slip tape in the bathroom and at the entrance. 4. Fix grab bars at the toilet and shower. 5. Clear the passage; remove loose rugs. 6. Assemble the flood bag and agree a plan. 7. Test the pendant and write emergency numbers on the fridge.

See home modification budget india for cost-conscious ideas.

A worked example: a night in April

It is two in the morning in a hot flat. A seventy-six-year-old woman wakes, thirsty, and swings her feet onto smooth tile in the dark. Her slippers are by the door. The path to the bathroom has a doormat that curls. She reaches for the wall, finds nothing and slips. Now imagine the same night with a motion light from the bed to the bathroom, slippers with grip beside the bed, a glass of water within reach, the mat removed, anti-slip tape at the bathroom door and a grab bar by the toilet. Each change costs little, and together they turn a likely fall into an ordinary night. Use this as a model for your own home, adjusted to your parent's habits and health.

When to ask a professional

Ask an occupational therapist for a home assessment. Ask a tradesperson to fit grab bars into tile and walls correctly. Ask a physiotherapist about balance and aids. Ask an electrician about flood and power safety. Call 112 after a fall with injury, head blow or inability to get up.