5 Surprising Killers Lurking in Your Bathroom

Nobody’s thinking about danger while relaxing in a warm shower. Yet potential danger, even the fatal kind, is all around you in a bathroom. According to a 2007 research report by the Home Safety Council, preventable home injuries are the fifth largest cause of death in the U.S. And safety researchers point to the bathroom, along with the kitchen and stairs, as the most dangerous zones in the house.

Here are five threats that often trip up (sometimes literally) the unwary:

1. Water, water everywhere

The most basic part of the “water closet” — the water in the sink, tub, and shower — is probably its number-one danger. More people are injured, even fatally, in bathroom falls than in any other room in the house. Trouble is, water doesn’t always stay where it should. Poorly fitting shower curtains and simple wet feet are two of the biggest causes of water winding up on the bathroom floor.

A better way: The ideal shower has a shatterproof glass door, rather than a curtain. Failing that, you can minimize leaks by hanging a curtain liner that falls inside the tub and a second, decorative curtain that falls outside. To stop slips, try tiles in the shower with a slightly uneven surface (such as bumpy smaller tiles, rather than large, smooth squares) that feet can grip onto. A cheaper alternative: strips of adhesive nonslip decals on the shower or bathtub floor.

Keep a nonskid rug on the floor next to the shower/bath exit and in front of the sink. Basic scatter rugs are themselves a tripping hazard; look for one made to absorb moisture and stay in place on the floor. And if you’re renovating, be sure to use nonslip tiles on the floor.

2. Bathroom danger: Slick tub or shower bed

Modern Americans use lots of products in the shower and bath. Trouble is, all that shampoo, conditioner, body wash, exfoliant, bath gel, shaving cream, and bubble bath collects as residue on the sides and floor, making them slippery.

A better way: Soapy buildup should be cleaned off regularly. Giving the shower or tub a quick wipe down with a washcloth after each use helps minimize slickness. A strong adult may be able to withstand the residue, but someone with balance problems, such as a frail older adult, can slip just enough to lead to a fall.

Be sure, too, to install well-anchored grab bars wherever slips are likely.

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Problems Facing Elderly Living Alone

By Erin Schreiner, eHow Contributor

For many elderly members of society, living alone is a way of life. After their  children grow and move out and their spouses pass on, the left-behind seniors  must face the task of maintaining a household solo. If you have an elderly loved  one who is dealing with the rigors of living alone, consider some of the  problems that this arrangement may create.

Increased Risk of Poverty

• Most elderly individuals depend upon personal retirement accounts or  government assistance to meet their financial needs. Because these individuals  no longer work, they are more likely to fall into poverty, reports Merck.  Exceptionally old seniors who have outlived spouses and must now support the  household alone are at even more risk of running into financial difficulties.  Family and friends of elderly individuals living alone can help them avoid these  potential financial problems by helping them create and maintain a budget;  monitoring the senior’s financial security.

Trip and Fall Risks

• While some elderly individuals are still quite spry, many are not as  physically able as they were in their youth. Elderly individuals living alone  run the risk of falling within their homes and having no way of alerting others  to their emergencies. Many technological advances have been made to help seniors  who are at risk of experiencing this type if in-home trauma. Individuals worried  about the risk of the senior citizen in their lives can provide them with an  alert system, such as an alert necklace or watch, to use should they take a  tumble.

Errand Running Struggles

• As seniors age, they often lose their ability to get out and about and  complete their own errands. The inability to drive due to visual difficulties or  mental acuity can make even seemingly simple things, such as picking up some  milk from the store, next to impossible. Individuals charged with caring for  live-alone elderly individuals who can not venture out for their own errand  completion can assist these individuals by creating an errand completion  schedule and picking up the things that this senior requires, or shuttling her  out to get them herself.

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Acknowledging Caregiver Burnout

Acknowledging Caregiver Burnout is the first step in preventing it happening  to you. In your busy life or business who do you care for? Ok, let’s face it, a  woman of the new millennium wears a multitude of hats and goes about her day  taking one-off to put another on without batting an eyelash. It becomes so much  a part of her routine she does it like brushing her teeth.

Before understanding the concept of burnout you must first examine who you  actually have to care for. The list is endless with caring for children,  possibly parents and/or grandparents, friends, your spouse or partner,  co-workers, staff, your pets, sibling, a business partner and oh yeah yourself  just to name a few. Now buckle up as we explore your other roles even deeper.  Most women perform daily tasks that put them in other care giving roles such as  – teachers, nurses, chauffeurs, cosmeticians, housekeepers, chefs, negotiators,  bookkeepers, financial planners and advisors, peace-keepers, labourers,  developers, designers, professional dieters, counsellor, babysitter, and I could  go on but you know where this is going!

I am exhausted just thinking about the fact that all of these hats are  probably worn by you in one day and we didn’t even talk about any professional  roles yet! Now take a look at what happens when your job list becomes too  heavy….

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Senior Citizens Fear Nursing Home, Loss of Independence More than Death

Baby boomers fear aging parents will be mistreated in nursing homes

Senior citizens fear moving into a nursing home and losing their independence more than death, according to a research study released today that examines the attitudes and anxieties of the nation’s elderly population. “Aging in Place in America,” commissioned by Clarity and The EAR Foundation, also found baby boomers emotionally distraught about their aging parents’ future – 82% fear their parents will be mistreated in a nursing home and 89% worry their parents will be sad.

One of the most significant findings of the study is that, when asked what they fear most, seniors rated loss of independence (26%) and moving out of home into a nursing home (13%) as their greatest fears.  These two possibilities are a much higher concern than death, which was the greatest fear for only three percent of seniors.

For “Aging in Place in America,” two groups were surveyed to allow a comparative analysis of the attitudes of seniors age 65 and older who are living at home with those of baby boomers who have senior parents….

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Aging parents: 5 warning signs of health problems

Concerned about your aging parents’ health? Use this guide to gauge how your aging parents are doing — and what to do if they need help.

By Mayo Clinic staff

As your parents get older, you may want to make sure they’re successfully taking care of themselves and staying healthy. When you visit your aging parents, ask yourself the following five questions. Then, if necessary, take steps to help your aging parents maintain their independence.

1. Have your aging parents lost weight?

2. Are your aging parents taking care of themselves?

3. Are your aging parents safe in their home?

4. Are your aging parents in good spirits?

5. Are your aging parents having difficulty getting around?

Taking action

There are many steps you can take to ensure your aging parents’ health and well-being, even if you live far away. Sometimes aging parents won’t admit they need help around the house, and others don’t realize they need help. That’s where you come in. Remind your parents that you care about them and that you want to do what’s best to promote their health and well-being, both today and in the months and years to come.

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