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What’s the most dangerous room in your house and how can you make it safer?

Fortunately the majority of us will never have a bad accident at home but unfortunately many people will. So just to be aware of what to look at for which room in the house is the most dangerous and how can we make it safer? Some people would think that the kitchen is the most dangerous, after all the kitchen has open flames and sharp knives. In fact the bathroom turns out to be the most dangerous room in the house.

The bathroom is a slippery place and falls are a constant danger. Falls account for a majority of serious injury and hospital visits, in fact according to one study an overwhelming majority of ER doctors (100 percent in the U.S. and 99 percent in Canada), adult children (85% in the U.S. and 84 percent in Canada), and seniors (94 percent in the U.S. and 97 percent in Canada) agree that falls are the most common home accidents for older adults.

As it appears that the majority of those hurt in bathroom accidents are the elderly it make sense that the focus on bathroom safety should be on our senior citizens. Grab bars are an easy fix, but one that can make a real difference. Install them in the bathtub/shower, and don’t forget to put them on the wall where they can be held while getting in and out of the tub. Bathrooms are often too cramped for using a walker, so it can be helpful to place grab bars at the doorway and along the length of the room, to help your elderly loved one maneuver. And don’t forget to place one near the toilet, low enough to provide leverage for lifting oneself from a seated position.

Get rid of throw rugs in the bathroom, they’re a tripping hazard that you don’t need. Keep a heavy rubber lined bath mat in front of the tub to prevent from slips on a wet floor. Line the bottom of the bathtub with no-slip decals or a large rubber bath mat to prevent slipping. Remember that a bath is much easier than a shower, so install shelves for soap and shampoo that are low enough to reach without standing up.

You can make the most dangerous room in your house just a little safer by following some of those steps.

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