5 Tips for a Senior Friendly Bathroom Design

When you decorate your home, you’re consider making it as comfortable and beautiful as possible for now, when you're in shape. You may not realize it, but a day will come, when you'll probably find it hard to climb the indoor stairs more than once a day. Or that you find it hard enough to get into the bath and you know it's time to make some changes. Such changes in bathroom design are not very complex, but if you take them into account from the beginning, you will optimize your time and costs, so here are some tips that will help you in this process.

Bathroom renovation tips for seniors, photo source: pexels.com

Tip #1: Ditch the bathtub and install a shower

As the years go by, you may find it quite difficult to get in and out of the tub safely. As we’re aging and we gradually lose our mobility, the risk of falling increases and thus, serious consequences. The best solution for this is to replace the bathtub with a shower enclosure. A shower is much safer than a bathtub. Plus, it is proven that you consume up to 50% less water in the shower than when you take a bath.

For even more comfort, you can opt for a seat made of the same material as the shower (tiles, natural stone, wood), which is both functional and beautiful.

Find out more about the benefits of the walk-in showers from our blog post.

Tip #2: Tall toilet seat

Low toilet seats are fine for when you're young and physical effort doesn't matter so much. However, older people may find this difficult, which is why the recommendation is to raise the toilet seat few inches higher than the standard. Even two or three centimeters can make a difference. With the help of a contemporary style wall-hung toilet, the height can be determined easily and freely.

Measure the height of your toilet seat at home. If you prefer it a little higher, write down the height, and when you go shopping for parts for your new toilet, you'll know what you need.

Bathroom renovation ideas for seniors, photo source: pexels.com

Tip #3: Underfloor heating

A must-have in bathroom design is underfloor heating, an essential element for more home comfort. There are underfloor heating systems that are even an inch thick, so you can safely install them in the shower too. Plus, you'll save extra space where the radiator used to be. If you want, you can replace the radiator with a stylish towel dryer. 

Tip #4: Work with an architect

When you're designing your bathroom or have reached the point where you need to work with an interior designer to furnish it, always focus on your needs. It's not always easy to estimate how fit you'll be in ten or 20 years. However, you can consider the following: avoid thresholds or steps as much as possible, use a sensor to help you save water, make sure that the bathroom cabinets and elsewhere are not too high so that you can easily reach them. Don't forget proper ventilation to avoid mold development.

A bathtub is not quite suitable when you’re aging, photo source: pexels.com

Tip #5: Wall Mounted Bathroom Sink

Your bathroom sink can be suspended on a bracket with the drain trap as close to the wall as possible. And this can happen without using a support or a cabinet. 

A bathroom renovation project for seniors is not a very difficult process, but it will solve a lot of your problems. Make a list of the changes you want to make, discuss them with an expert and start your bathroom renovation project.