More falls happen in the bathroom than anywhere else in the home. Hard surfaces, water, and tight spaces are a risky combination. The good news is that making it safer is one of the highest-return things you can do, and you can start for very little.

Here is the order I would go in, from least expensive up.

Start free, today

Some of the most effective changes cost nothing:

  • Clear the floor of bath mats that slide or bunch, and anything underfoot.
  • Move soap, shampoo, and a towel to within easy reach, so there is no leaning or twisting.
  • Add light. A simple plug-in night light removes the dark, half-awake trip that causes so many falls.

The most important purchase

If you buy one thing, make it a safe place to sit and wash. A shower transfer bench turns the riskiest moment of a shower, standing and balancing on a slick surface, into simply sitting down. A bench with two legs outside the tub and two inside also removes the dangerous step over the tub wall.

Add dignity and independence

These make daily care easier for the person and for whoever helps them:

  • A bidet attachment improves hygiene and independence and cuts down on the reaching and twisting that can cause a fall. Basic models are inexpensive and fit most toilets.
  • A no-rinse shampoo cap makes hair washing possible on days when a full shower is too much.
  • A long-handled lotion applicator lets someone reach their own back and legs without straining.

About grab bars

Properly mounted grab bars beside the toilet and in the shower are excellent. The key word is properly: anchor them into wall studs or use hardware rated for the load. Never rely on a towel bar or a cheap suction handle as a grab bar, because neither is built to hold a person’s weight, and a bar that gives way causes the exact fall you were trying to prevent.

Put it together

If you would rather set the whole room up at once, the Fall-Prevention Kit gathers the bench and the other core safety pieces, including the lighting and a bed rail for the trip back to bed.

This is not medical advice. If balance or weakness is behind the falls, it is worth talking to a doctor or physical therapist about the cause.