Aging is a natural process. We can’t slow down time; all we can do is accommodate it in the best way we can.
Many seniors often say, “I want to stay in my own home!” The problem is, our homes get older along with us, and our evolving physical needs and conditions often prevent us from living comfortably in our homes.
One of the biggest challenges of aging in place is personal care. In most homes, the only full bathroom is on the second level. But, given their limited mobility, older adults often find stairs to be downright dangerous. As we continue to age, our flexibility, vision, and muscle mass change. That can lead to increased falls and injuries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 36 million falls occur annually among adults aged 65 and older. To limit the number of falls, a full bathroom on the first level of a home can help seniors live comfortably in their homes.
Locate a new bath anywhere
Fortunately, with careful planning and the help of innovative plumbing fixtures, it is possible to add a bathroom on the first floor and virtually anywhere else in the home.
A macerating toilet system is a good way to lower the cost of adding a bath. With conventional plumbing fixtures, you would have to dig through concrete or break through flooring, creating a costly and time-consuming mess.
Instead, use Saniflo’s up-flush technology, which allows you to add plumbing to any room in your home, even the basement, without having to break up the floor. Macerating plumbing systems pump waste and water from a toilet — as well as a sink, shower, wet bar, even a washing machine — upward through small-diameter plastic piping.
Products like the Saniaccess 3, a macerating pump system for installing a complete bathroom, can simultaneously handle wastewater from multiple plumbing fixtures; e.g., not only a toilet, but also a tub or shower, as well as a sink.
A great Saniflo product to consider is the Sanicompact, a combination of a vitreous china toilet bowl and macerating flush system built into a single, compact fixture that will fit into even the tightest of spaces. Because it is lower-profile, this stylishly shaped toilet is specially designed to accommodate people with a physical limitation.
Unlike a conventional toilet, the Sanicompact needs no external, gravity-flow tank. That’s because the flushing-macerating cycle is automatic with a push of an electric button at the top of the bowl. This dual-flush system operates with as little as one gallon of water per flush (gpf), depending on whether you are eliminating solid or liquid waste. As a result, with the lower flush volume, the Sanicompact will use up to 21 percent less water than a standard 1.28 gpf toilet.
As a result, toilets, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures can be installed atop finished floors virtually anywhere in a home. The installation is accomplished quickly and economically with minimal disturbance to the room layout. The system can be fully operational in as little as half a day.
With Saniflo, the installation is accomplished quickly and economically with minimal disturbance to the room layout. The system can be fully operational in as little as half a day.
Walk-in showers
When upgrading your existing bathroom, be sure to take measures to minimize the risk of falling. For example, consider a walk-in shower that eliminates the need to take a step up into the space — and possibly tripping.
If you are adding a new bathroom in an easy and accessible location, consider also raising the entire bath floor a few inches. This removes the need for the shower itself to be on a six-inch platform when installing Saniflo products, such as the Sanishower. It also dispenses with the additional worry of missing your step when you are at your most vulnerable — getting in or out of the shower.
Convenience within reach
- Shower accessories: More great aging-in-place conveniences in the shower stall or tub area include (1) shower benches for resting, relaxing and even storage; as well as (2) strategically positioned grab bars. These accessories offer a practical, yet aesthetically pleasing addition to create a relaxed atmosphere. But attractively designed shower bars can also provide invaluable peace of mind when grabbing onto something solid suddenly becomes necessary.
- Lever taps: Replacing conventional cross-handle faucets with taps equipped with lever handles is another stylish, but practical upgrade for the home. Ideal for homeowners with joint or muscle stiffness, a simple flip of the lever will turn the water on or off, while another nudge to the right or left will adjust the temperature. You might even consider touchless faucets, a more hygienic alternative that offers even easier activation.
