Making a Dehradun Home Safe: Bathroom, Bedroom and Stairs

Begin with the steps

Walk from the road to the door as your parent does, in the footwear they wear, on a wet or frosty day if you can. Count the steps. Check each for loose, uneven or slick surfaces, and note where there is nothing to hold.

• Handrails along the path and steps, on both sides if possible, firmly fixed into sound material; see handrails and stair lifts.
• Non-slip surfaces: anti-slip tape or coating on step edges, with extra attention to frost and moss; see anti-slip tape and coatings.
• Step edges in contrast, with consistent heights where possible; see stairs, steps and thresholds.
• Light at the gate, along the path and at the door, with motion sensors for long winter evenings.
• Resting places: a seat or ledge partway on a long climb.
• A portable ramp at a single step or threshold; for longer rises, ask an occupational therapist or builder; see portable ramps for thresholds.
• A dry, warm zone at the door: a rack for shoes, a towel for aids and a seat.
• A key safe or a spare key with a neighbour; see key safe guide.
• If your parent struggles with stairs, put daily life on one level, with a bedroom and bathroom downstairs; see ground floor vs upper floor living.
• Before choosing a house, check the road access and the distance to a hospital, especially in the monsoon.

Frost, ice and wet paths

In winter, frost on steps and paths is slippery until it melts. In the monsoon, moss and wet leaves are slippery too. Sprinkle grit or use anti-slip treatments as advised, clear leaves, and wait for frost to melt before going out. Use a stick with a good tip and shoes with grip; see walking stick rubber tips and choosing shoes for older feet. A companion for early morning outings is wise.

The bathroom in a cold house

Cold floors and cold air in the bathroom make dizziness, falls and shock more likely.

Warmth. Warm the bathroom before bathing, in a safe way: keep any heater in the bathroom well away from water and use only equipment designed for such use, fitted by a competent electrician; see safe use of heaters and geysers. Do not use charcoal, wood or gas burners in a closed bathroom. Use warm, not scalding, water, and set the geyser to a safe temperature. Dry off quickly and dress in warm layers.

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.

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.

Seating. 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.

The toilet. A raised seat or frame helps with standing; a cold toilet seat in winter can be eased with a cover; for a squat toilet, see indian style toilet to western conversion, raised toilet seat guide and toilet frame guide.

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: warmth without danger

• Warm bedding: a quilt or blankets, warm socks and a cap in the coldest months; see sleep soundly this winter.
• Safe heating: never heat a closed room with charcoal, wood or gas; ventilate; keep any heater away from bedding and curtains; switch it off for sleep unless it is designed for that; see safe use of heaters and geysers. Know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning: headache, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness; get into fresh air and call 112.
• Night route: a motion-sensor night light, a clear floor and, if the toilet is cold or far, a commode; see motion night lights for seniors, bedroom setup for night safety and night-time toilet trips and falls. A warm layer by the bed avoids cold shock on night trips.
• Bed height and edge: feet flat, knees at right angles, a firm edge; see bed height and getting out of bed.
• 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, warm, dry bedding and skin checks; 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 levels

• 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 and no loose mats.
• A second aid on the upper floor.
• A stair lift may be possible on some staircases, but needs a professional assessment.
• 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.

Living areas and kitchen

• Fix or remove rugs; tidy cables; keep paths wide; see flooring, rugs and trip hazards.
• 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; see reacher grabber guide and kitchen safety for older adults.
• Keep gas appliances in good order, ventilate the kitchen and never use a cooking stove to heat a room.

Power cuts, cold and the monsoon

• Light: a charged emergency light or torch at the bed, hall and bathroom; see power cuts and older adults.
• Warmth in a cold power cut: layers, blankets and a safe plan; do not turn to charcoal or gas in a closed room.
• Medical equipment: know the backup for beds, pumps and oxygen; see hospital bed electricity and power cuts and oxygen and power cuts.
• Access: know the alternative routes to a hospital and who to call if the road is blocked; see ambulances and emergency numbers in india.

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 (particularly in cold snaps), 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. Cold can drain device batteries, so check them. No device ensures rescue; agree who responds.

Adjusting for particular needs

• Walkers and rollators: wide doors, ramps over thresholds; see rollator buying guide.
• Wheelchair users: space to turn and an accessible bathroom; 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.

Priorities

First: heating safety and ventilation, night lighting and a clear floor, fixed grab bars and non-slip surfaces in the bathroom, handrails and non-slip surfaces on every step, a way to call. Then: seating, bed changes, ramps and equipment. See bathroom budget makeover for seniors. Review before winter, before the monsoon and after any fall or illness.

When to ask a professional

An occupational therapist can assess the home and the approach; see occupational therapy home assessment. A qualified electrician, plumber, gas fitter or builder should do fixed work and check heating. 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, or if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, call 112.