Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Aging Gracefully is My Goal for 2023 and Beyond! ~ A Product Review

 Aging is a topic that many people don't want to talk about, but, it's happening to each one of us as each day passes by!  

Today we are going to look at a product review that will help keep you safe as you journey through the days and your years increase.

sunbathing women cartoon


Both my husband and I are well into our retirement years and we are thankful and happy to have made it to this milestone in life!  We are brave souls that don't take too much for granted and try to make the best out of every day we have.  I guess it helps that we have "Older" people around us that we care for!  They unwittingly give us hope that we will make it further as well. 

Aging is not for sissies, you have to be ready for changes!  Lots and lots of changes!  So when the inevitable decline in mobility started, we knew that it was time to do something about it!  No we aren't ostriches with our head in the sand, we know that in order to keep our days moving forward, we had to make some changes.

Aging gracefully is an attitude we have both decided to adopt.  Being old and miserable just doesn't suit us at all and it makes life more difficult in the long run.  No one wants to be around someone who is cranky all the time because life has brought about some changes.  They will happen whether you like them or not.

We accept the changes and work to make it easier to live with those changes.  

One of the most important aspects of this new philosophy of life is to be "SAFE"! 

With my double knee replacement and my husbands neuropathy in his hands and feet, mobility has become one of our major changes.  Standing for us is sometimes difficult, so we needed help in that area.  Not to worry, there are lots of "tools" available to make that easier.

The one room I will focus on today is in the bathroom!  Most accidents in the home happen in this room!  Why?  Well let's just take a quick look and see what the problems can be! 

  • Lots of very hard surfaces.
  • Water and non-permeable surfaces and floors
  • Lots of  very hard edges and corners
  • Tubs with glossy surfaces and water just waiting to be used like an ice skating rink
  • Hard protruding handles and water spouts
  • Confined spaces (once you fall, there is no where else to land)

My husband had a close call in the shower one morning and that was my wake up call.  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime, the problem was fixed in a day!  

While taking his shower, he felt a little lightheaded and dizzy.  We didn't have anything to hold onto in the tub area, so he was grasping the walls as well as he could.  That day we searched out a way to make showering safer for us.

This is what we came up with and it works well, is not too costly!  

We have had this chair now for a few months and can't believe we did without one for as long as we had. It has been a great purchase for us and I can honestly say that I don't worry about him in the shower anymore.  I know he is safe!  The other modifications we made to our bathroom is a grab bar and a hand held shower head!  Both of these were additions that made showering so much easier, safer and better! I must add that there was always a non-slip floor mat in the bathtub.  If you don't have one of these, they are the first and maybe the most important thing to add to your bathroom safety list.  Anyone, not just seniors can slip in the tub.  So a non-slip bath mat is good for any family, no matter how old or young they are!

Stay tuned for more products that should help you be Super Seniors that take their safety seriously!  Be Fabulous, be Great and above all be Safe as we all move through our days!

quote on aging banner


The cartoons on this page are borrowed from "weloveourgranny.com"







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


12 comments:

  1. We actually had a family member who fell in the bath, hit her head and died from her injuries before anyone even knew she was down. She was young, but ill. Having a bathroom bench in the shower makes sense for any age. We just don't think about needing one until we need it. More power to you Olivia, and too all of us who wish to age gracefully. Nothing wrong with a little help along the way and a bath chair is essential!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness, that is so sad. According to the NY Post over 275,000 accidents happen in bathrooms yearly. It is a very dangerous room for anyone to fall in. Trying to minimize the problems is one way to make it better!

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  2. I fully agree we need to take safety measures in various areas as we age. A grab bar and a non-slip bath mat in the tub/shower have become essentials for me in recent years. Excellent reminders, Olivia, and I admire and applaud your good attitude toward 'aging'. We may not like 'getting older', but it's better than the alternative! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For sure Pat, the alternative really isn't a great one at all. I should have added the anti-slip bath mat in my review as well. Maybe I will go back in and add that "much needed" extra help! Thanks for your comments!

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  3. Olivia, kudos to you and your husband for choosing to adopt a positive attitude about the inevitable process of aging and adapting gracefully to the limitations that come with it. My husband installed grab bars for my parents many years ago, and we purchased a very similar shower chair for them. Both were essential to our, and my parents’, peace of mind in their later years. My recollection is that there were many bathtub/shower chairs in a wide range of prices. Thank you for recommending a reliable and affordable model.

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    Replies
    1. You are so welcome Margaret. We have had one for my mother as well. It makes it so much less stressful when thinking about her bathing needs. We are focused on making the absolute best of whatever life throws our way!

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  4. Safety is so important as we age. You hear of so many accidents in the bath room I'm not sure that all bathrooms shouldn't have seats and grab bars. Even if you're not old they can be helpful. We completely redid our bath a few years ago when my husband was having mobility issues. We have a roll in shower with a bench seat that is attached to the wall and can be lowered as needed. We also have grab bars all over. Ray no longer needs the bars as he is confined to his chair, but I sure find them helpful for balance. Thanks for the great tips Olivia.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree with you Mary Beth, those grab bars should be part of every bathroom design whether you are young or old. Once you start to fall, it's usually too late and a grab bar would certainly be helpful before the slip happens! The bath chair is something that definitely helps as you are aging and makes bathing a little less stressful on the partner. I'm so happy with our choice and it is affordable!

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  6. Olivia, what a thoughtful post. We had one these for my father after he fell in the shower years ago. These chairs are not only for when you get old, we got one when Fran broke her leg it was the only way she could get in the shower. Thanks for this thoughtful review. BTW we still have that chair just in case!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's important to be safe especially in the bathroom where all surfaces seem to be hard!

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  7. As you know I have experience in this as well - we're aging of course, but taking care of older people in our family as well (who have all since passed on) - It takes preparation and a strong mindset to wrap yourself around mobility and other health changes. Your reminding people to get prepared the first step! When I was caring for my mom and mother-in-law both were stubborn about not being able to take baths - and went ahead and did so alone one too many times. It was a bad situation. They both hurt themselves and were stuck in the tub. We safety proofed their spaces - and I often think, 'am I ready to give up the tub at some point?' I love baths. Your suggestion for the chair is excellent - we had that for mom as well in the shower - I used it as well when I was at her house. Embrace the changes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If we are lucky enough to become older, we should embrace all those necessary changes otherwise it will be us that end up in the hospital with possible life threatening injuries. Always better Safe than Sorry!

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