Every morning hundreds of millions of individuals wake up and enter the most dangerous room in the house as part of their morning routine. Home safety statistics tell us the bathroom causes an estimated 250,000 accidents and 1 death every day per year. Showers and baths are particularly difficult and dangerous to individuals with various physical challenges, i.e. heavy people, pregnant women, the disabled, blind, partially blind, amputees, children and those most affected, senior citizens.

For older adults, losing the ability to bathe is associated with having falls, breaking bones, and even being admitted to a nursing home. It is important that steps are taken to prevent bathing accidents, before they occur.

A significant part of this problem is the soap bar slipping from a persons hand when taking a shower. They then have to stop washing, bend down if you can in such a limited space, pick it up and hope while trying to stand without slipping they don’t loose it again!

There are a number of ways to reduce this risk.

• Glass shower doors, can be very decorative but they are flimsy. Senior citizens, often mistakenly hold on to these for support. Use shower curtains instead which can never be mistaken for anything else and provides more room to maneuver in shower enclosure.

• Discard all unsafe shower/bathtub features. People usually use grab-bars, if they are installed otherwise they clutch anything that is available. This could be soap dishes, towel bars, fixtures which usually will not have the stability needed to provide enough support unless they are bolted into the wall.

• At the very least you should determine if anything that is "grab-able" in the area is also weight-bearing. Another important subject is the need to educate all users about bathroom safety.

• Always keep the floor dry to prevent slips and/or falls. Place non-slip mats, strategically on the floor and install non-slip strips on the bathtub floor.

• Secure handrails, are essential in bathrooms, as they allow family members extra security for getting into and out of the shower, tub, and off the toilet.

• Any individual with physical, age or mental limitations should never lock the bathroom door as this may impede help getting to them. It is easy to hang a sign outside the door when the bathroom is occupied.

• Never use instant safety grips with suction handles. Even when you believe it is secure, over time it releases itself. This safety handle would be great if it worked but it does not work on tile because the groves between the tiles make the seal ineffective. On flat surfaces the shower steam causes the seal to release.

• Studies reveal, most seniors, have problems getting in or out of a bathtub or shower. With age, people loose their fluidity of movement that affects them in everyday tasks like taking a bath. When possible install very well-built hand-grips immediately by bath and/or shower entrance.

• You should also investigate ways to minimize the possibility of anyone letting the soap slip from their hand. There are currently various items on the market which do this very effectively and very inexpensively.

Showers and baths are a wonderful experience, providing a relaxing, luxurious, cleansing, healthy, refreshing and sometimes even a few sensuous moments, enjoy it in the best of health and safety.