When balance is a consideration, there are many strategic issues to be solved. One of the most important is bathroom safety where there are many hard surfaces from counters to tubs, edges and flimsy grab items such as a towel bar or door knob. There are many bathroom safety products to look at whether the concern is for a child or adult. For the bath tub, a grab rail can be installed with clamps on the edge for easy in and out, or grab rails can be installed on the wall. The rails come in many sizes and finishes.

Have you ever heard that engineers have thought of everything? I had but I thought it meant tools. It also means they’ve designed some great things for bathroom safety. Whether you have small children or senior parents, you can’t be too careful. Something always happens when you least expect it to, and you know how slippery a bathroom gets. There are grab bars, bath seats, bath chairs, bath mats, and even hand held showers.

Ever since articles began being published about the bathroom as the most dangerous room in the house, designers got busy and started working on the greatest bathroom safety product ideas to keep you safe. It doesn’t take any installation to add a shower chair or bath bench to give you more security and confidence, not to mention safe. There are other easy accessories like bath mats and hand-held shower heads too.

People talk about bathroom safety for the elderly, but do you know what really goes into that? For one thing, it is good to minimize the sharp objects like corners of sinks that they could injure themselves on should they fall. For another, making sure there are no slick surfaces to cause them to slip is a good idea. There should be plenty of rails and things for them to grip. These things are just as important as incontinence products when it comes to taking care of your loved one.

I cannot stress how incredibly important it is that you or your loved one use bathroom safety products if they are needed. One of the biggest dangers to the elderly is falling and breaking a bone. As if that weren’t bad enough, they are sometimes trapped for hours by their injuries before someone discovers them. Bathroom safety is so important because that is the place they – and you – are most likely to fall.

Is bathroom safety becoming an issue in your house? It’s something you should always be concerned about, whether there are children in the house, elderly family members in the house, or whether it’s just you. You want to watch out for falls, but you also want to avoid self-injury that can come from difficulty in getting on and off the toilet seat. And if you are a caregiver, you want to take care of yourself as well with items like disposable gloves. You and your loved ones are worth it.

Bathroom safety products aren’t just about keeping you safe as you go about your daily tasks. Many people decide to ignore the changes their bodies are going through, and they don’t pay just in injuries; they pay in discomfort as well. It isn’t just about avoiding broken hips. It’s also about simply being comfortable. That’s why there are products on the market like shower chairs. Give your knees a rest. If you need something, it’s time to start using it.

Bathroom safety should be a concern for everyone, and seniors especially. That is the most dangerous room in the house in a lot of ways. A lot of falls happen there. It’s easy to slip in the tub or shower, and there is plenty to hit your head on, not to mention plenty of opportunities for the floor to become wet and slippery. That is why you need to take extra special care no matter what your age. Use bathroom safety products and keep you and your family safe.

The bathroom can often be the most dangerous room in your home. Use our checklist to make sure you’ve done all you can to provide a safe bathroom for yourself and the older adults you love.

• Have you installed high quality grab bars in the bath tub and shower?
• Are you careful not to use towel racks or wall-mounted soapdishes as grab bars?
• Do you use a non-slip mat or have adhesive safety strips installed in bathtubs and showers?
• Do you promptly wipe up excess water from the bathroom floor?
• Do you have a non-skid bath mat for every bathroom?
• Do you use cleaning supplies that don’t leave a slippery residue behind?
• Do you use nightlights to help light hallways and bathrooms during the night?
• Are medications, including vitamins, prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs clearly labeled and properly stored?
• Are all bathrooms in your home protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and tested monthly to ensure they operate properly?
• Are small electrical appliances such as hair dryers, curling irons, and razors always kept away from water and unplugged when not in use?

Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, may improve senior citizens’ strength and help them avoid falls, South Korean researchers find. Regular exercise is very important as we get older because when we get to 65 we start losing muscle strength at a rate of up to two percent per year. It is effective in fall prevention for older people because of improvements in strength and balance.

The researchers tested tai chi in older adults. The slow, gentle, and continuous movements help them develop stronger muscles, better balance control, concentration, and psychological well-being.

They found benefits including:

• Stronger knees and ankles
• Better balance and flexibility
• Improved walking
• More confidence in the ability to avoid falls

The tai chi students had fewer falls than others who didn’t take the class. Their study appears in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Tai chi uses slow, fluid body movements. It’s not a jarring form of exercise. Health experts want everyone to get enough exercise. That includes older adults.

Every year, about 30% of people aged 65 and older and living on their own fall. Some of the risk factors that lead to falls in seniors include imbalance, muscle weakness, and lack of flexibility — all of which can be modified.

Seniors who fall and are seriously injured may take a long time to recover. Meanwhile, they may be sidelined from their normal routine. That can lead to physical decline and depression.

The tai chi students had stronger knees and ankles than their peers. They also improved in flexibility and walking. The tai chi group had fewer falls during the study.

This is not to say that taking Tai Chi will definitely help you prevent falls but it may and it’s good for your body.