Both individuals and care-providers frequently practiced unsafe methods while bathing or assisting with the task. This was due to not understanding the associated risk level. Standing while bathing in the absence of adequate grab-bars was the most common of all unsafe practices. Some people stood up to soap their underside knowing full well that they had a balance problem. Others reached out to grasp objects fearing they would fall. Some people had stored accessories on the bath seat, thereby decreasing the seating area and increasing the chances of sliding off. An individual who walks with the help of a walker adopted a series of very dangerous methods to make transfers and regulate water temperature. While transferring, he did several complex tasks simultaneously while holding on to the walker with one hand and grasping the wall-mounted grab-bar with the other. He then lifted, dragged and bumped his legs up against the tub. While his hands tremble from the excessive force, he transferred one leg at a time into the tub. The method he adopted for adjusting the water temperature is equally dangerous. He operated it by kneeling down on the narrow floor space between the tub and the toilet, grasping the walker with one hand, extending himself over the rim of the tub to reach the controls. The lighting level in the tub was also very low.
Numerous individuals observed unsafe bathing practices and jeopardized their safety and well-being. For example, by placing throw rugs outside the tub, many individuals encouraged tripping and catching their walker/cane. Objects scattered around the bathroom constituted hazards for everyone, especially those with visual impairments. One individual admitted hanging on to the bathroom door and the sink to make transfers. Another person, who had difficulty reaching the controls from outside the tub, regulated the water temperature from the inside and often got scalded. A care-provider bathed her 90-year-old mother in a tub that had no grab-bars. The tub was equipped with sliding glass doors. When stepping in and out of the tub, the mother leaned on the glass doors.
Common Accidents
Bathing-related accidents are due to the physical and mental stress that both care-providers and clients experience. These problems are compounded by medication and fatigue from heat. Several individuals had either fallen or come close to falling in the bathroom. An individual, who has hip problems and arthritic knees, was unable to get up after a tub bath. She sat on the tub floor for thirty minutes, rolled over the tub edge to grab the sink, and dragged herself out of the tub. Many people have reported falling into the tub while arising from the toilet seat. One of these people used her emergency beeper for assistance and was rescued by her family. Although none of the participants were ever severely scalded, many have been and continue to be mildly scalded because of poor sensation of the hands.
George E. Bentley, Esq. is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, and known nationally as the "Consumer's Advocate and Attorney." He is the leading expert on walk-in bathtubs, ADA guidelines and independent living issues in the US, and author of "The Ultimate Guide to Buying Walk-in Bathtubs". They can be reached by email at George@BentleyBaths.com or phone at 800-688-0055. The company website is www.BentleyBaths.com.
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