According to the CDC, nearly 3 million Americans go to the emergency room each year due to falls. Studies report that falls in the bathroom are most likely to cause serious medical injury when compared to other rooms in the home. 

There are many fall hazards in the bathroom. Not only does the water make it the most slippery place in a home, but there is also a good chance there is unstable ground, tight walkways, and even clutter present.

Many types of equipment and tools can help, but a shower chair is one of the most effective. In this article, we’ll discuss why shower chairs are an essential piece of bathroom equipment. 

Looking for more information about bathroom safety and fall prevention? Check if you have free access to Trualta. 

Who Can Benefit From A Shower Chair?

If you or someone you help take care of is at risk for a fall, you should consider getting a shower chair. Some examples of someone who may benefit from a shower chair or related equipment for assistance include:

• Older adults
• Someone with a diagnosis like dementia, COPD, or heart disease
• Someone who has had a stroke
• Someone who is recovering from surgery
• Someone who has recently had an injury like a broken bone
• Someone who has a history of falls 

Always consult with your healthcare team to see if a fall risk assessment would be helpful for you. An occupational therapist can visit your home to find specific solutions that suit your needs. They may also notice details that only trained healthcare professionals know to look out for. 

How A Shower Chair Can Help 

A shower chair, sometimes called a bath chair, is designed to be placed on the inside of a shower. It allows a person to be seated safely while showering. There are many different variations of a shower chair to accommodate different needs and desires for comfort, from a simple stool to a fully adjustable chair. 

Features to consider for specific needs when researching your options:

• Backrest, armrests, or hand grips. These features can provide extra support for those who may need it. For example, those who have less muscle tone or fatigue easily. 
• Adjustable legs on a shower chair are useful to adjust the chair specifically for the person’s height. This can make it safer for them to stand up and sit down, especially if they’re doing it independently. 
• Waterproof and dry easily. This makes them even easier to remove promptly from the shower if other people are showering and don’t need it. 

Safety Tip: Always place a shower chair on a flat surface to ensure stable seating. It should never be placed in a tub.

Other Bathroom Equipment That Can Prevent Falls 

There are many other tools and types of equipment that can help prevent falls in the bathroom:

• Wheeled shower commode chair: This looks and functions similarly to a shower chair by allowing a person to be seated while they’re showering. This piece of equipment also has wheels so that a person can be wheeled into and out of the shower as needed. For example, if a person who uses a wheelchair were to require a transfer directly from their bed into the shower. A wheeled shower commode is sometimes also used as a commode for toileting. 
• Tub transfer bench: A tub transfer bench is a bath seat that goes in the bathtub to help you or the person you care for enter and exit tubs with ease. A portion of the tub transfer bench has legs that sit outside of the tub and the other half sits inside of the tub. 
• Grab bars: Grab bars are a suitable addition to most bathrooms, as they offer a point of safe support for a person to grip onto to prevent falls.

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
2. https://www.helpguide.org/handbook/medical-alert-systems/fall-statistics#:~:text=One%20in%20four%20older%20adults,about%20%2450%20billion%20each%20year.
3. Stevens, J. A., Mahoney, J. E., & Ehrenreich, H. (2014). Circumstances and outcomes of falls among high risk community-dwelling older adults. Injury epidemiology, 1, 1-9. 

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