U-M researchers video-taped the fully clothed elderly as they demonstrated how they normal climb in and out of the shower, sit and stand from the toilet seat. The video showed if the demonstrator used the grip bars or handle bars or held against the wall or any other parts of the toilet to help them get up or in/out.
They also researched on the area of their toilets to see if anything was obstructing their movements around the bathroom. The elderly that they researched on stayed in Congregated housings and one third of them had problems in sitting on the toilet and getting in to the bathtubs.
Usually when older people who have problems bathing themselves, they are associated with falls causing fracture of bones and sent into nursing homes.
The researcher says that by replacing shower doors with shower curtains and adding handle bars with weight bearing purposes can prevent more accidents from happening.
Credits:
O' Brien, Sharon
'Why Older Adults Need Improved Shower and Bathtub Safety' August, 2006
<http://seniorliving.about.com/od/fallingfallinginjurie1/a/bathtub_safety.htm>
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