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Caregiving 101: Bathroom Remodel and Mirror Safety

Scott Silknitter from Caregiving 101 and home improvement expert Tom Garcia teamed to teach you bathroom safety tips for people aging in place.

Every caregiver's goal should be to keep their loved one safe, and help them be as independent as possible.

Scott Silknitter from Caregiving 101 and home improvement expert Tom Garcia teamed up at the ReBath Showroom to teach you bathroom safety tips for people aging in place.

First up: the toilet. Here are a few tips to make it easier for elderly family members with vision problems to navigate the bathroom:

  • Color contrast: Makes it easier for someone to see the toilet and where they are going to sit.
  • Install a grab bar (remember to use a stud finder before you attach it to the wall).

Mirror Safety

Scott and Tom also talked about tips specifically for people with dementia.

The exact symptoms they experience depend on the areas of the brain that are damaged by their disease, but many types of dementia cause certain brain nerve cells to stop functioning.

This can cause big issues, especially in the bathroom. Here's an example of one scenario: they might start screaming because they see a "stranger" in the bathroom that will not leave them alone, when in reality they are seeing their reflection.

Here are options to prevent that problem:

  • Remove the mirror.
  • Install a cover over the mirror that can easily be pulled up and down.

If you have questions for Tom, email him at tom@southernevergreen.com, and you can contact Scott here.

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