Updating a bathroom is a terrific way to boost your comfort and improve the value of your home. If you’re planning to age in place in your current home, an update now can keep your future self safe. It’s also a good time for you to check out the condition of your plumbing and address any damage done by hard water.
Bathroom upgrades for chronic pain sufferers
A bathroom update can make life much easier for those planning to age in place or those dealing with chronic pain. Simple additions such as grab bars or an elevated toilet seat can improve safety and comfort.
If you’re concerned about losing mobility over time, adding a roll-in shower is a good idea. These showers are generally more significant than a standard tub; if your current bathroom is small, you may need to bump out walls to make a roll-in shower work. However, the ability to stay clean without bringing in help can help you maintain both your dignity and your independence over time.
Could you talk with a flooring contractor about the best flooring option for your safety? A tough tile floor can be both slippery and dangerous. If you have tile in place that you like, add non-slip mats that are easy to see in the middle of the night. Adding a motion sensor light in your bathroom is also a great idea; even a dim light will help you stay safer during nighttime bathroom breaks.
Benefits of installing a water softener filter
If you notice rust stains in your tub or calcium build-up on your shower head, a water-softening filter can be a terrific addition. Not only will your plumbing last much longer, but you’ll feel cleaner when you get out of the shower. Even dull, dingy laundry can be brightened if your water softener filter is installed in the correct location.
A water softener will also make cleaning your tub, shower walls, and glass shower doors much easier. If you are even slightly limited in mobility due to health conditions, the ability to lean over and scrub a tub may exacerbate your pain.
The best time of year to start bathroom upgrades/renovations
The start time of your bathroom renovation is important but less critical than your finish time! If you love to host family, wait to renovate your bathroom in the weeks before Christmas. Don’t schedule your renovation in winter if you use your shower to warm up and loosen your joints.
If you have more than one bathroom and plan to update both, could you let your contractor know your goals? If both bathrooms will get a floating vanity for easy cleaning, buy them simultaneously. Perhaps you want both bathrooms to have taller toilets. Order both simultaneously; you can probably get a price break.
Next, please make sure your contractor knows you want the bathrooms done one at a time. Regardless of which one you need to use, you need a toilet, sink, and shower available every day. This process will also limit your exposure to mess, disruption, and dust.
If your renovation plans don’t include a flooring replacement, the renovation should be quick. Sit down with your contractor and your calendar and get a realistic understanding in place of how long a single-bathroom renovation will take and what you can expect from a multiple-bathroom renovation project.
For those with physical limitations, a renovation can greatly reduce risk and improve independence. If you have family members who struggled with joint inflammation or other health conditions that limited their ability to care for themselves, make sure you incorporate those challenges into your new bathroom design.
By Brittany Cotton
Published by International Pain Foundation, iPain Blog, Team iPain
