Life Hacks for Mobility Challenges: Bathroom Safety Tips and Tricks

When you’re living with a rare disease or loving someone who does, mobility challenges can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Here are some bathroom hacks.

It can be frustrating to realize that many ideas around bathroom safety for lower mobility include a full bathroom remodel. Remodels may be necessary if there’s been a significant change in mobility like going from fully mobile to a wheelchair.

If you are dealing with major mobility issues that do require major home renovation, look for nonprofit foundations and grants that may help provide financial assistance.

Here are a few tips designed to provide some help and assistance for safety in the bathroom, can be implemented quickly, and won’t break the bank:

• Use baskets or organizers to keep frequently grooming and personal hygiene products easily accessible on the countertop…yet out of direct sight.

• Build up the grip of items like toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and other handheld products to improve the grip.

• If you style your hair, look for products that stabilize a hair dryer, so you don’t have to hold it.

• If you are having trouble accessing cabinets under the sink because you can’t open the doors, consider removing the doors and replacing them with curtains to hide what’s under them. That way, you can easily reach in and grab what you need; or

• Add a shelving unit on top of the countertop or around the toilet so that everything you need is within reach.

• Consider retrofitting your current toilet with a bidet system. This can make a big difference in reducing the twisting and turning with toileting, while still helping to promote proper hygiene.

• Keep moistened flushable wipes handy to make toileting easier.

• You can also look into raised toilet seats which offer a more comfortable height for some people with limited mobility.

• Grab bars! There are some good suction grab holders if you aren’t able to do something more permanent. You can do grab bars around the toilet area, in the shower, and even to help get over a bathtub or shower lip. Just be sure that any grab bar you use is completely stable for the amount of pressure you’ll be applying to it and on a clean, flat, and dry surface. Test regularly to ensure there’s a completely tight fit.

• Go long-handled for things like sponges in the shower and even cleaning tools you use to squeegee, mop, and clean.

• Get good, motion-activated bright lights. That way, you don’t have to flip a switch and your bathroom is always properly lit.

• Look for special plug-in devices for the bathroom that can scan for movements, detect falls, and can call trusted contacts in an emergency.