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By Danny Cain 

1. Bathroom
Of all the rooms in the home the bathroom probably serves more purposes for meeting our daily activities of living then any other. When you think about all of the activities that take place in the bathroom, some of which you don't really want to think about, its absolutely amazing how big of a priority we place on our own personal occupancy of the bathroom. If you don't agree, just ask my two teenagers!

More often then not the risk for accidents in a home are based upon several fundamental factors. The first is being the amount of time that we spend in a particular room or the time spent with a particular activity. The more time spent the better the chances of an eventual mishap. The second criterion has to do with the number of different functions or activities that a particular room is used for. The chances of injuries are greater in a room where family members share and utilize numerous appliances, chemicals and other personal applications. Sloppy habits of not putting products or appliances away or leaving the bathroom floor cluttered with towels, clothes and extension cords also increases the risks.

Another factor related to personal injuries has to do with consumer education and awareness. Some accidents can be prevented when users of various products take the time to educate themselves to the safety hazards of that particular product. The manufacturer's "Warning Signs" are required on all products for a very good reason. Be sure that you familiarize yourself with products or appliances before using them. Finally, the shear nature and type of the room's environment has it's own associated risk factors. For example, accidents that occur in the kitchen are likely to involve burns related to the frequent use of stoves and ovens or cuts related to the use of sharp knives. The bathroom has it's own related risks of which one is related to hard surfaces and the use of water.

Here are a few functions of the bathroom that I could think of and I'm sure you'll have some of your own. Lets begin with the essentials (you know the commode), followed by beautification purposes, shaving (beards, legs, armpits, etc.), brushing teeth, washing & drying our hands, showering, bathing, using deodorant, using hair spray, shampooing our hair, discarding our personal hygiene items, blowing our noses, brushing/combing our hair, curling our hair, flossing our teeth, reading the newspaper (go back to the first use!), drying our personal undergarments, hanging our wet clothes, hanging clothes to get wrinkles out, clipping our nails, splashing on perfumes and colognes, staring at the mirror (Why do we do that!?), putting on make up, applying lipstick, cleaning our ears, blow drying our hair, gargling, storing our medications, plucking unwanted facial hairs, polishing and stripping our nails, rubbing on lotion and baby powder, storing our personal electrical appliances such as hairblowers, shavers, curlers, and hanging our bathrobes. Can you think of any that I've missed?

Isn't it amazing how much time we spend and the number of functions that a bathroom is used for? Unfortunately, the bathroom and all of its sundry essentials increases the chances of accidents. There is the potential risk for falls, cuts, broken bones, burns, shocks, drownings, and poisonings. Other items such as razors, scissors, aerosol canisters, toilet bowl cleaners, electrical appliances and household chemicals pose numerous dangers if left unattended.

It goes without saying that the bathroom is an area where small children need plenty of supervision. But what if you are caring for someone who is disabled, exhibits poor judgment or is memory impaired? Chances are that you'll have to take extra safety precautions to prevent your loved one from becoming seriously injured.

As a general rule of thumb caregivers should attempt to be as prepared as possible when having to assist someone in the bathroom. This is important for several reasons. The first being that you never want to leave the person unsupervised while you're out looking for an item that you've forgotten. Accidents can happen in a matter of seconds!

Secondly, caregivers can appreciate the fact that being responsible for another person's activities of daily living such as bathing and personal hygiene are not always easy or pleasant tasks to perform. Why would you want to disturb or distract a person that you're attempting to bath that is calm and handling the current activity without resistance? As the scout motto says "Be Prepared."

2. Shower & Tub Use - Special Hazards
The combination of water and slick tile floors can be an accident waiting to happen. Naturally, there is a better then average chance that your bathroom floors will get wet after the use of the tub or shower. When they do they are likely to be very slippery and therefore increase the chances of a fall. Take extra precautions to keep all flooring dry after the use of tubs and showers. The application of textured strips or non-skid slip-mats on the floors of tubs and showers can also reduce the chances of falls. Rubber mats that secure to the floor by way of suction cups are effective resources in reducing falls.

Handrails should be strategically positioned in the bathroom area and should be tightly fastened. You may want to consider additional handrails around the bath and toilet areas where you or someone you're assisting may need additional leverage to hold onto for the purpose of getting in or out.

If your house uses shower curtains make sure that the overhead bar holding the curtains up is secured tightly. Our natural reaction when slipping in the shower is to grab onto whatever is closest. This may not always be a fastened shower railing. A shower curtain that is securely fastened may prevent a fall from happening.

Homes that use sliding glass doors for the showers should be furnished with shatter proof safety glass. Many of the older homes use regular glass that can break causing serious cuts and lacerations. As a general rule of thumb all glass containers should be kept out of the bathroom where they can easily break if dropped on a tile floor. This includes everything from drinking glasses, bottled perfume and cologne's, to bottled detergents and cleaning solvents. Don't forget to check the glass on your hand held mirrors.

Entering and exiting a bathtub can be a dangerous activity. Grab bars should be placed strategically in this area to allow maximum stability while attempting to get in and out. They should be within reach so that a person doesn't have to extend beyond a comfortable position.

This holds true for towel racks as well. Placing towel racks out of reach of the shower area may tempt someone to reach beyond their ability. Also, attempting to dry yourself off inside of a tub that doesn't have non-skid adhesive strips or a rubber floor mat is risky. If necessary, a person who is unsteady on their feet should be dried off in a sitting position.

Other questions you should consider regarding bathtub safety include:

• Does your bathing area have an adjustable bathtub safety rail for assistance getting in and out of the tub or shower?
• Do you use liquid soap instead of bar soap to prevent falls in the tub?
• Is the water heater set at 120ºF or less to prevent scalding?
• Is the water temperature checked before allowing someone that you are caring for to enter?
• Are your bathrooms equipped with anti-scald devices which stop the flow of water should the temperature rise above a certain temperature degree?
• Are electrical outlets equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) that cut off the power source when shorted?
• Are your bathtubs and showers equipped with non-skid surfaces?

Additional Suggestions: If you are not familiar with the controls of your water heater, ask a qualified person to adjust it for you. Also, if you live in an apartment or other complex that requires your landlord or property manager to adjust the temperature dials, be sure to ask them to lower the settings.

Walks in tubs are now available that can provide disabled persons or those in wheelchairs easy access to bathing facilities. Taking baths, rather than showers, reduces the risk of a scald from suddenly changing water temperatures. While growing up we had a rule in our household called the "no flush" rule. This meant that no one could flush a toilet while another was showering or else they would be scalded. I'm sure that our house wasn't the only one that presented this challenging experience!

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