How to modify your home for the future: Bathrooms
William Dickinson, AIA
When most people consider the possibility of aging in their home they think of wheel chair ramps, stair lifts, elevators, and single level living. However, modifying your house for aging is much more than just adding ramps, it is also about enhancing your houses convenience and your safety. The first renovations to perform are the small ones that make your life easier and safer, while planning for future accessibility. In a series of articles in the coming months, I will examine a particular area of the house and provide renovation ideas that can work for you. We will discuss kitchens, entries, interior and exterior circulation, material choices, and planning concepts. Today, let’s start with bathrooms.
Bathrooms have two things in abundance, hard surfaces and water. Together they make the bathroom the most slip prone room in the house. However, there are things that can be done to reduce the risk of falling. First of all, make sure your floor is unglazed tile, or other slip resistant surface. If your tile is shiny, it is glazed and therefore slippery when wet. Replace the shiny tile or provide slip resistant mats.
In the bathtub, add a grab bar vertically at the edge of the tub to provide a stable handhold when stepping in and out. Also add a grab bar horizontally on the back wall to assist in raising and lowering yourself in and out of the water. If standing in a tub is problematic for you, many companies make seats that will span the tub allowing you to sit and shower. Adding a hand spray will make this much more convenient.
As you age and become less mobile, showers are really a better option than tubs; there are no curbs to step over and no slippery surfaces underfoot. If you do not have a shower, consider removing your existing tub and building a new shower stall in its place. Showers can be built with a flipdown seat, equipped with a hand spray, and outfitted with continuous grab bars to provide maximum comfort and stability.
For additional safety, towel bars in bathrooms can also be replaced with grab bars. There are many attractive grab bars that can function as towel bars that will also support your weight if you need it. In fact, any item that you might grab if you lose your balance should be made structural to support your weight. Grab bars can also be added on each side of the toilet, which should be comfort height (2” higher than a typical toilet) or have a raised toilet seat.
For safety and ease of use, lever handles can be added to shower and sink controls as well as to doors. Levers allow operations with a closed fist or elbow and do not rely on grip strength for operation. They are also easy to operate with soapy hands.
Finally make sure there is proper lighting in your bathroom. As eyes age they need much more light for the same tasks. Provide light on each side of the mirror, general lighting for the overall room, and an additional light above the shower.
Installing a ramp or an elevator is dramatic ways to increase the accessibility of a house. But simple changes that increase safety and livability can extend the time a person can stay in their home. Replacing slippery surfaces, adding grab bars and lever handles, improving lighting and installing showers are easy renovations that will increase the quality of life for any occupant. These changes can be made all at once or slowly over time, to help you enjoy your house as long as possible.
William Dickinson is a registered architect practicing in the Concord area. He has renovated many homes for aging clients and has also worked on multiple senior centers. Bill can be reached at Nashawtuc Architects, 978-371-0344 or at bill@nasharch.com
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