New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Bathroom Safety for Seniors Checklist

Will your bathroom become a trouble spot as you get older? Here’s an easy way to find out. Take a good look around your bathroom, then complete this checklist online or print it out to complete by hand.

Bathroom Safety

Yes  No  
      The bathroom door is at least 32 inches wide. 

      Someone can unlock the door from the outside. 

      The door opens out. 

      The bathroom has enough clear floor space for a wheelchair. 

      The floor has a non-slip surface 

      I have a bathroom telephone. 

      I can reach the phone from the toilet or tub. 

The Bathtub

Yes  No  
      There is a flat ledge on my tub where I can sit. 

      My bathtub has a non-slip surface. 

      I can reach the water controls from outside the tub. 

      I can reach my towel and shampoo while I sit in the tub.
 
      I have grab bars around my tub. 

      I use a hand-held shower. 

      My tub has an anti-scald device. 

The Shower

Yes  No  
      I have a walk-in shower. 

      A fold-down seat is attached securely to the wall. 

      My shower has a non-slip surface. 

      There are grab bars where I need them. 

I have a hand-held shower. 

      I have a shelf to hold shampoo and soap.
 
      The shelf is easy to reach. 

      My shower has an anti-scald device. 

Grab Bars

Yes  No  
      There are grab bars around my toilet, tub and shower. 

      They can support someone who weighs up to 250 pounds. 

      They are attached to the wall studs. 

      My grab bars measure 1¼”-1½” around. 

      They have a textured shape. 

      There is 1½ inches between the grab bar and the wall. 

The Sink or Vanity

Yes  No  

My sink is 34 inches from the floor. 

      It has knee space underneath. 

      I can control hot and cold water with one handle. 

      I use lever handles – not knobs – to turn on the water. 

      My sink has an anti-scald device. 

      There’s plenty of counter space to hold my things. 

      The counter edge is rounded. 

      I can reach my medicine chest when I am sitting down. 

      I have a mirror that tilts up and down. 

The Toilet

Yes  No  
      My toilet is 17 inches from the floor. 

      It has grab bars around it. 

      There is at least 18 inches of free space in front of the toilet. 

There is 42 inches of floor space on the side of the toilet. 

      I can reach the toilet paper easily. 

      I have a bidet seat to make hygiene easier.