Recently I discovered something that may make lawsuits even more popular among seniors and their families. While staying at a hotel a few weeks ago, I had the misfortune to use the tub. Stepping into it felt odd. The tub floor was at least a couple of inches higher than the floor outside the tub. Although it posed no problem getting in, getting out did.
Like so many my age, I had a knee cap replaced. Due to circumstances far beyond my control, therapy was interrupted and 100% usage and bendability simply did not happen. Stepping out of the tub almost brought me crashing to the floor. My foot reached for purchase and found air where flooring would normally be. The grab bars were at the other end.
When it seemed EMTs might end up on call, my toes contacted tile. Relief swept through me until my free, wet foot attempted to slide across the tile while the other appendage stood helplessly in the tub. The toilet stopped the slider’s progress. Almost sobbing with relief and holding onto the edge of the tub, I managed to crawl out.
What is the reason for this discrepancy in the floor and the tub bottom? No one seems to know. Most of us take showers as our busy lives move away from the luxury of soaking baths. Seniors, such as I, find the height difference in tub floor and bathroom floor treacherous at best. I breathed a sigh of relief when I moved into my new home.
That relief lasted right up until I stepped into the one-piece pre-formed shower, which, like the horrible hotel tub bottom, sets a good inch and a half taller than the floor. There was no grab bar at all in this set up and once again I came close to falling.
Limbs grow more brittle with age no matter how hard we work to prevent it. A fall that might have been something to joke about when we were younger now poses the danger of broken hips, shoulders, collar bones, legs and arms that do not heal as rapidly as they once did. Long terms in recovery beds often lead to deadly pneumonia for seniors.
Based on these experiences, I highly recommend checking any new tubs or showers for the dangerous difference in floor heights. A good alternative is the new side entry tubs. However, even these may have that fatal flaw. Don’t take anyone’s word that the item is totally safe. Try stepping in and stepping out. Buy the one which provides complete steadiness. Don’t forget to get those grab bars.
With my hotel experience, I now prefer bars at either end of the tub/shower and one on the middle wall as well. Another item to consider is a taller toilet. Our bodies get a little contrary as they age. Something as simple as a toilet that is maybe two inches higher than the norm makes it easier to sit and stand as needed.
Although great ideas constantly bombard us, we have to remember, as seniors, that so many new gadgets are made by the young. Often they have not come to the point of feeling mortal and safety features may be overlooked. We have to look out for ourselves when making purchases to ensure a long, safe life.