Making a Mumbai Home Safe: Bathroom, Bedroom and Stairs

Begin with a night-time walk

At night, carry a torch and walk the route your parent takes from bed to toilet to kitchen, at their pace. Notice what they touch, where they stop, which surfaces change, and where the light is poor. Then look for the three usual culprits: wet or slippery floors, poor light and clutter. See falls risk assessment at home and ageing in place room by room.

The bathroom: small, wet and risky

Keep floors grippy. Humidity and damp make tiles slick. Use ribbed, rubber-backed mats where feet land, and anti-slip tape or coating where mats slide. Loose rugs hold water and should go; a second mat lets one dry. Dry the floor after each use with a wiper; see non-slip bath mats guide, anti-slip tape and coatings and bathroom flooring for older people.

Fit proper grab bars. In a small bathroom a bar by the toilet and one at the shower or bucket area may be all that fits, but they make a large difference. Fix them into wall plugs or studs; suction bars loosen in steam; see grab bar buying guide, where to fit grab bars and suction grab bars are not safe. In a rented flat, see installing grab bars in rented homes.

Sit to bathe. A compact shower chair or stool with rubber feet and a handheld shower let a tired parent wash seated; in a tiny bathroom a wall-hung or folding seat saves space; see shower chair buying guide and shower seat vs bath bench vs commode.

Toilet height and type. A raised seat or frame helps weak knees; Indian-style toilets may need a commode or conversion; see raised toilet seat guide, toilet frame guide, indian style toilet to western conversion and bathroom layout for wheelchair users.

Hot water and ventilation. Set the geyser to a safe temperature; never use a gas geyser in a closed bathroom; ventilate to reduce mould; see hot water and scald safety for older skin and safe use of heaters and geysers.

Door and alert. A door that can be opened from outside, and a pendant worn in the bathroom, speed help; see bathroom emergency alerts and bathroom safety checklist for seniors.

The bedroom: space, height and the night route

• Make a clear path. In a small room, a bed pushed to one wall can leave one clear side, but check that your parent can still get out on the side they use. Remove low tables and stacked boxes from the route; see small room bed layouts and decluttering for safety and calm.
• Bed height. Feet flat on the floor with knees near hip level; see bed height and getting out of bed. A bed on blocks or with a thick mattress may be too high.
• Bed rails can help some people sit up, but can trap others; take advice; see bed rails guide and bed safety for restless sleepers.
• Light. A motion-activated night light along the route from bed to bathroom, and a lamp within reach of the bed; see motion night lights for seniors and bedroom setup for night safety.
• Damp and mould. Keep the bed away from damp walls, air the mattress, and use a breathable protector; see pest, damp and mould at home and mattress protector guide.
• Night-time toileting. A commode or urinal by the bed can prevent dangerous dashes; see bedside commode and urinal routines and night time toilet trips and falls.
• A care bed. If a hospital bed is needed in a small room, measure the door, the lift and the space; see hospital bed at home guide and setting up a hospital bed at home.

Stairs and common areas in an older building

• Handrails on both sides where possible, firm and continuous; a rail on one side is better than none; see handrails and stair lifts.
• Step edges. Anti-slip tape or a contrasting strip on each step, especially on stairs that get wet; see stairs, steps and thresholds.
• Light. Timer or motion lights on landings; ask the society to keep corridors lit and fix broken bulbs; see lighting and contrast at home.
• Entrance steps and thresholds. A portable ramp or a rail at the threshold helps; see portable ramps for thresholds.
• Clutter in passages: shoes, bags, bicycles, delivery boxes; ask neighbours kindly to keep the shared landing clear.
• No lift, or an unreliable one. If your parent lives on an upper floor without a lift, consider moving daily activities to the lowest practical floor, limiting outings, and planning for emergencies; see ground floor vs upper floor living and care equipment for a first floor flat.
• With a lift. Check its door timing, floor levelling and power backup, and talk to the society about priority access for a person using a wheelchair; see lifts and apartment living for seniors and safety in gated societies and apartments.

Emergency planning in a high-rise

Traffic makes even short trips slow, so keep a plan for getting a patient out at night. - Know the nearest emergency-ready hospital and the route, and keep the number by the door; see ambulance and emergency numbers in India. - Tell the building's security or society office about the flat of an older resident, and agree how to bring an ambulance team in at night. - Keep the lift key arrangements and a clear path to the lift. - Have a folding chair or a transit wheelchair available for stairs if the lift fails; see transit wheelchair vs standard wheelchair. - Keep a key safe so a neighbour or paramedic can enter; see key safe guide. - Keep a bag with medicines, a summary and papers; see emergency bag for a hospital visit. - A pendant or fall-detection watch for time alone; see panic pendant buying guide.

Power, rain and flood readiness

During heavy monsoon days power may fail and lifts stop. Keep a rechargeable light, a torch, a charged phone and a power bank. Move medicines and devices off the floor in ground-floor homes prone to water entry. See power cuts and older adults.

Doing it on a budget

If you can do only a few jobs this month: a night light, anti-slip tape and a ribbed mat in the bathroom, a grab bar at the toilet, a clear route and a rail on the stairs. See home modification budget india and bathroom budget makeover for seniors.

Kitchen and living-room routes

In a compact flat the kitchen and living room are part of the route to the bathroom. Keep floors dry near the sink, store daily items at waist height, and use a chair with arms and a firm seat rather than a low sofa; see kitchen setup for seniors, living room and seating setup and choosing a chair for an older person. Use an auto-off kettle where memory is a concern; see auto-off kettle and stove safety.

Balconies and window grilles

Balconies in older buildings can have low parapets, slippery tiles after rain and loose grilles. Check that railings are firm, the door threshold is not a trip, and the floor is dry. Keep a chair with arms on the balcony for sitting and avoid clutter; see garden, balcony and terrace safety.

A weekend checklist

1. Walk the night route with a torch and note hazards. 2. Fit a night light between bed and toilet. 3. Put ribbed mats and anti-slip tape in the bathroom. 4. Fix one grab bar at the toilet and one at the shower. 5. Clear the passage and the area beside the bed. 6. Check stair lights and rails, and speak to the society about repairs. 7. Test the pendant and write emergency numbers by the door.

When to ask a professional

Ask an occupational therapist to assess the flat. Ask a plumber or carpenter to fit grab bars properly, checking the wall type. Ask your housing society about rails, lights and lift arrangements. Ask a physiotherapist about balance. Call 112 after a fall with injury, head blow or inability to get up.